The family at the centre of a large protest outside the Department of Justice earlier this month is being deported from Ireland.
Titilayo Oluwakemi Oyekanmi said she and her three sons are being deported to South Africa on Saturday.
Her sons Samuel, Joseph and Genesis, who are aged between five and 18, attended local schools and sports clubs in south Dublin.
The family’s neighbours and friends had appealed to the department not to proceed with the deportation, saying the family’s removal would be a huge loss to the area.
Members of the community said they were shocked and saddened by the development on Saturday.
“For the friends who gathered in support, there was no chance to say goodbye,” they said in a statement.
The group said the family believed they would have more time to prepare for the deportation.
“This glimmer of hope was taken away from Titi and her three children this morning, as an uncertain future now awaits,” the statement said.
The Oyekanmi family arrived in the State in late 2023.
Titilayo, who is originally from Nigeria, said she had sought asylum after being beaten by a gang and threatened at gunpoint in South Africa. She said she fears for her family’s safety.
Stephen Kirwan of KOD Lyons, the family’s solicitor, on Saturday described the situation as “absolutely appalling”.
The family’s international protection application was rejected and a subsequent appeal was unsuccessful. They received a deportation order last April.
Kirwan later applied for the order to be revoked on humanitarian grounds, but this has not been successful. The family was granted a temporary reprieve earlier this month, but were informed on Friday they have to leave Ireland.
Hundreds of people, including many schoolchildren, attended a protest in solidarity with the family outside the department on February 10th.
Labour leader Ivana Bacik was among the politicians who had asked Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan to intervene in the case. The Dublin Bay South TD said on Saturday she will raise the case with the Minister again next week.
The two older boys are talented at sports and play rugby with De La Salle Palmerston FC. Joseph (14) is a member of Dundrum South Dublin Athletics Club and has been attending Gonzaga College on a scholarship since September.
Samuel was hoping to sit his Leaving Cert exams at Ballinteer Community School in June.
Joseph had been due to play a rugby match with De La Salle Palmerston on Saturday morning.
Olympic athlete David Gillick, who has coached Joseph at DSD Athletics Club, was among those who had written to the department in support of the family.
In his letter, the national men’s 400m record holder said Joseph has “remarkable athletic ability” and “has been an absolute joy to coach”.
“Beyond his athletic achievements, Joseph is an exceptional young person – full of life, ambition and dreams. His talents extend beyond athletics, as he is already making an impact on the rugby field with Gonzaga College.
“Joseph’s family has also made a wonderful contribution to both the local and wider community. They have integrated seamlessly and serve as shining examples of how successful and positive integration can be.”
The Department of Justice said it cannot comment on individual cases.
“People can apply for international protection in Ireland if they have come to escape persecution in their own country or if they cannot return to their country because they have a well-founded fear for their safety,” an earlier statement said.
“Both the International Protection Office and the International Protection Appeals Tribunal [IPAT] are fully independent in deciding whether or not to grant international protection. Each application is examined individually on its own merits, in line with national and international asylum law.
“People who have been refused international protection and have exhausted the appeals avenues through the IPAT are entitled to submit a request to review their permission to remain where their circumstances have changed since their initial application.”
The statement added that if a person’s application for international protection is refused and they are ordered to leave the State, “they must do so”.
“Their case to remain in the State has been considered in detail and the appeals processes have been concluded.
“Before a deportation order is made, the person is offered assistance to return home voluntarily. This is the preferred option, and the department runs a voluntary return programme to assist people to return prior to a deportation order issuing.”