Talented player gets citizenship after three-year wait
Nigerian-born Emeka Onwubiko was unable to play competitive games or matches abroad despite being one of the countryâs top young scorers. After a frustrating three-year wait, the 17-year-old finally learnt about his citizenship application last week.
The rush is now on to secure his passport in time for when the U18 squad flies out later this month for key away games in Portugal. He missed 14 fixtures last season without a passport.
Team manager Sean McCaffrey was delighted his star player could tog out in green for big games.
âIt opens everything for him now that he has Irish citizenship, he said.
But he also suggested in future the process of citizenship applications could be speeded up.
âI donât think that they should get Irish citizenship on the basis that they want to play sport, but the process needs to be speeded up so as not to affect their development,â he said.
Emeka arrived here in 2002 and was granted residency with his family. Two of his sisters are Irish-born and his family run a grocery store. He applied for citizenship in 2004.
The Department of Justice confirmed Emeka was sent a letter last week with his citizenship approval.
Young Emeka was yesterday beefing up his training ahead of the Lisbon International tournament.
Having watched fellow young players like 18-year-old Anthony Stokes â who made his debut against San Marino this month â the striker is itching to boot home some winning goals.
âI am relieved. Iâm trying to see if they will give me the passport for next Monday because it would be good for me to go over, the first time with the Irish team away.â
The door is now open for him, as an EU citizen, to sign up with a Premiership club. âWest Brom is the first option and then Iâm going to look around,â he said.
