Message From Clonakilty: Don’t Deport the Agbonlahor Family

international | racism & migration related issues | news report Tuesday October 18, 2005 12:13 by Miriam Cotton miriamcotton at eircom dot net 023 36815

Five year old twin boy with autism to be deported with his mother and sister

Olivia Agbonlahor and her twin children Melissa and Great were whisked from their home in Clonakilty at 7.20am this morning for deportation from Dublin to Nigeria this evening. Following an appeal from Denis O Donovan TD in Bantry, Justice Minister Michael McDowell has said this morning that no deportation will take place until he has personally reviewed the file.

Neighbours and friends in Clonakilty, where the family are well liked, are deeply upset by this development and are doing everything possible to get this decision reversed.

Of particular concern is Olivia’s son Great who has an autistic spectrum disorder. Great was due to have a vital assessment from the SHB shortly and thereafter a programme of therapeutic interventions from CoAction West Cork, which he desperately needs to help him socially and educationally. None of this will be available to him if he is deported to Nigeria. ‘This is very significant for the family’ Town Councillor Cionnaith O Suilleabhain (SF) said last night before anyone realised that a dawn swoop on the Agbonlahors was already planned. 'Without support for Great he will be condemned to a very bleak future and his mother will be prevented from earning a living for her family without the schooling and other care facilities that would be available to her in Ireland.’

Olivia Agbonlahor arrived in Ireland from Italy in 2003. Her husband, who is a journalist and author, persuaded her to take this step following death threats he and his wife received after he wrote critically about a Nigerian drugs baron. Olivia’s husband is currently in hiding and it is difficult to believe the Irish government are actually considering placing this family in very real danger.

Clonakilty has recently seen an influx of young Polish people who have been welcomed into the community and are contributing positively to life here in West Cork. Olivia Agbonlahor, who has business and other training would very much like to be in a position to contribute too but her status as an asylum seeker has meant that she is unable to do so. What can the reason be for the apparent double standard? Taking all of the circumstances into consideration it is shaming that a wealthy country like Ireland, which in the very recent past was a net exporter of people in economic difficulties, should not now be willing to provide the same opportunities that were given to millions of Irish people in the US, UK, Australia and other countries all over the world.

Please register your support for a decision not to deport this young family - either by posting a comment here or by email to the Chairperson of the Agbonlahor Support Group, Garry O' Sullivan at adriann@gofree.indigo.ie