Community rallies around mother and three sons who have 'put down roots' after fleeing xenophobic threats
More than 300 protesters gathered outside Ireland's Department of Justice this week to demand the cancellation of a deportation order against a Nigerian mother and her three sons who have become deeply embedded in their south Dublin community.
Titilayo Oluwakemi Oyekanmi and her children—Samuel (18), Joseph (14), and Genesis (5)—arrived in Ireland in 2023 after fleeing South Africa, where she says they faced repeated xenophobic threats and a violent kidnapping attempt. Despite their integration into local schools and sports clubs, their asylum application was rejected, and an appeal was unsuccessful. A deportation order was issued in April 2025, with removal scheduled for Thursday, February 12, 2026 .
Following the protest, the deportation has been delayed by four weeks, offering temporary relief as supporters continue to pressure authorities .
'He's One of the Best People I've Met'
The family's case has drawn widespread attention largely because of the children's deep ties to their community. Joseph, a first-year student at Gonzaga College on a sports scholarship, is described by classmates as a gifted athlete and dedicated friend.
"Joseph's a great friend and has great friends in school and is a really good student and a really good athlete as well," said Charlie Donovan, one of several Gonzaga students who delivered letters to the Department of Justice appealing for the family to stay .
Another classmate, Luca Conan, said Joseph had been "one of the best people" he had met in school. "He's really smart and he really brings up a standard in our class. He's very kind and caring and it'd be a shame to lose him" .
Sam Kennedy, who knew Joseph through athletics before they attended Gonzaga together, described how Joseph made him feel welcomed. "The moment I came to Gonzaga he introduced me to all the people in my class and made me feel really loved and welcomed" .
Jasper Gilmartin noted that the news of Joseph's situation came as a shock to classmates. "He always comes into school with a smile on his face. He's an amazing athlete and it would be horrible to lose him" .
Athletic Promise and Community Support
Beyond the classroom, both older boys have excelled in sports. Joseph is a member of Dundrum South Dublin Athletics Club and recently qualified for the national indoor junior championships in sprinting and high jump. Samuel plays rugby with De La Salle Palmerston FC and is preparing for his Leaving Certificate exams at Ballinteer Community School .
Former Irish track star David Gillick, who coaches Joseph, wrote to the Department of Justice in support of the family, describing Joseph as an "exceptional young person – full of life, ambition, and dreams" with "remarkable athletic ability" . He added that Joseph's talents extend beyond athletics, noting he is "already making an impact on the rugby field with Gonzaga College" .
Gráinne McAdam, a coach at DSD Athletics Club, said Joseph has the potential to compete for Ireland one day. "From our perspective, he's a massive sporting advantage to the country. We see a lot of potential in him, in the sense that the plan for the future is that he would represent Ireland" .
Samuel's rugby coach, Finbarr O'Brien, described him as "the most polite kid you'll ever meet" who is "100 per cent committed" to the team. O'Brien has been helping the family fight deportation for a year and a half .
A Mother's Fear
Ms Oyekanmi, who is originally from Nigeria, gave birth to her three sons in South Africa. She says the family fled after she was beaten by a gang and threatened at gunpoint, told to leave the community or be killed .
"We escaped kidnapping. That same boy that escaped that kidnapping, now they want to send him back to that same country. The xenophobic attacks are still going on in South Africa," she said .
She has completed a QQI Level 5 qualification in healthcare and hoped to work as a care assistant in Ireland. "I'm not here for any benefit from the country. I'm a hard-working lady. I can work for myself and my children. I want to focus on their future" .
Julie Clements, who runs the Gathering Grounds Café in Kiltiernan where Ms Oyekanmi volunteers, said: "Titilayo has documentation as a shop owner in South Africa that, as she put it, thugs came in at gunpoint and told her to leave the community or they would kill her. She said they then tracked her down again, and it's because Nigerians in South Africa are discriminated against by both blacks and whites" .
Legal Challenge and Department Response
Stephen Kirwan, Partner and Head of Immigration Law at KOD Lyons Solicitors, who has represented the family for several months, said 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 .
A spokesperson for 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. Both the International Protection Office and the International Protection Appeals Tribunal are fully independent in deciding whether to grant protection, with each application examined individually .
"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," the spokesperson said .
South Africa is designated a "safe country of origin" by the Irish State, meaning applicants must prove with supporting evidence why it is unsafe for them personally to return . Before a deportation order is enforced, individuals are offered assistance to return voluntarily .
What's Next
The four-week delay has given the family hope, but supporters say they will continue to speak out until a final decision is made . Ms Oyekanmi has appealed directly to Justice Minister Jim O'Callaghan—himself an alumnus of Gonzaga College—to allow her family to remain in Ireland .
"South Africa is not supporting me, my life, my children's lives, and my children have already settled in Ireland. They are doing very well sports-wise and education-wise," she said .
For the boys' classmates, teammates, and coaches, the stakes are personal. As Jasper Gilmartin put it simply: "It would be horrible to lose him" .
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