Mother’s last-ditch plea to ‘soften Lenihan’s heart’

A WORRIED mother awaiting deportation to Nigeria with her twin children — including an autistic boy — said she has no tears left to shed.

Olivia Agbonlahor is hoping a last-ditch plea may “soften the heart” of Justice Minister Brian Lenihan.

She made a heartrending plea to her supporters for one last effort to persuade the authorities to let herself and her children to remain in Ireland.

She is due to be flown back to Nigeria on August 13, along with her six-year-old autistic son, Great, and his twin sister, Melissa. The deportation process is continuing despite pleas from a number of politicians and other dignitaries, including the Bishop of Cork and Ross, Dr John Buckley.

In an email sent to people who had campaigned on the family’s behalf, Ms Agbonlahor said she had cried so much over the minister’s decision not to revoke the deportation order — of his predecessor Michael McDowell — that she had no tears left.

“I have been crying ... and do not have any tears more. But I thank you for all you’ve been to me. I will beg you again, if you would be kind enough, to rally your good friends for a last-minute protest. It might help. Who knows? By August 7, I, Great and Melissa shall be guests at the detention camp in Dublin, unless the good Lord softens the heart of Brian Lenihan,” the email stated.

Ms Agbonlahor said that she had not been in the best of health.

The mother added she had been told by her lawyers that the gardaí would, most likely, arrive on August 7. She and her children would be transferred to a ‘detention camp’ in Dublin to await their deportation six days later.

“It pains (me) that the new minister is still refusing to listen to our plight despite all submissions, entreaties, pleads and so on. In fact, God Almighty and one of his representatives on Earth (the Bishop of Cork), have even begged him, but he still does not want to hear,” she added.

Representatives of the Great Justice Action Campaign yesterday declined to comment on what they might do, if anything, to try and halt the deportation. Priests in Clonakilty, where the family lived prior to moving to Kerry, pleaded last weekend for Mr Lenihan to revoke the order.

Clonakilty town Councillor Cionnaith Ó Súilleabháin said that if the little boy was deported, the chances of getting treatment in Nigeria for autism are zero.

“Worse still, he and the family will be frowned upon in Nigeria and discriminated against. The bottom line is that the minister could, at the stroke of a pen, revoke this deportation order,” he said.