Hundreds of people gathered outside Ireland’s Department of Justice this week, urging authorities to halt the deportation of a Nigerian mother and her three sons who have become deeply rooted in a south Dublin community.
At least 300 supporters took part in the protest after Titilayo Oluwakemi Oyekanmi and her children—Samuel, Joseph, and Genesis—were issued deportation orders following the rejection of their asylum application. The family arrived in Ireland in 2023 after leaving South Africa, where Ms Oyekanmi says they faced repeated xenophobic threats and serious safety risks.
The deportation, initially scheduled for Thursday, February 12, 2026, has now been postponed for four weeks, offering the family temporary relief as public pressure mounts.
“They Belong Here”
Supporters describe the Oyekanmi family as fully integrated into local life. The children, aged between five and 18, attend school, play sports, and are active in community clubs. Fourteen-year-old Joseph is a student at Gonzaga College, where classmates and parents have rallied strongly around him.
Cara McGuinness, one of the protest organisers and the mother of one of Joseph’s friends, said the teenager is admired both academically and on the sports field.
“He’s kind, hardworking, and incredibly talented. This is a family that adds value to Ireland, not one that should be sent away,” she said.
Students from Gonzaga College were among those who delivered letters to the Department of Justice, appealing for the family to be allowed to remain in the country.
Legal Team Cites Exceptional Circumstances
Stephen Kirwan, Partner and Head of Immigration Law at KOD Lyons Solicitors, who has represented the family for several months, said the case deserves a fresh look. He argued that earlier decisions failed to adequately consider the family’s integration into Irish society.
“We understand there is a deportation order, but we are saying there are exceptional circumstances here. Hundreds of students, parents, and community members have spoken—this matters,” he said.
South Africa is classified as a safe country by the Irish State, and both the International Protection Office and the International Protection Appeals Tribunal rejected the family’s asylum claim and appeal.
Department Defends Process
In a statement, the Department of Justice said it could not comment on individual cases but stressed that Ireland’s international protection system is governed by national and international law. Each application, it said, is assessed on its own merits.
The department noted that individuals whose asylum claims are refused may request a review of their permission to remain if their circumstances have changed. Voluntary return is offered before a deportation order is enforced.
A Mother’s Plea
Ms Oyekanmi, who has completed a QQI Level 5 qualification in healthcare and hoped to work as a care assistant in Ireland, said her priority is the safety and future of her children.
“We escaped kidnapping and threats in South Africa. Xenophobic attacks are still happening there. My children are safe here, they are thriving in school and in sports. That’s all I want—for them to be safe and have a future,” she said.
She has appealed directly to Jim O’Callaghan, asking him to intervene and allow her family to stay.
Community members who know Ms Oyekanmi through volunteering and local work also spoke of her character and work ethic, describing her as hardworking and committed to rebuilding her life peacefully in Ireland.
For now, the four-week delay has given the family hope—but supporters say they will continue to speak out until a final decision is made.
Source: Africa Publicity
