Almost 1,700 sign petition to stop deportation of Laois African family

Almost 1,700 people have signed a new Laois petition within a day of its launch, asking the Minister for Justice to stop the deportation of a young African family from Portlaoise.

The school community of St Mary's CBS Portlaoise has rallied around Lucy Adebowale and her five children Star, Greatness, Value, Prosperity, and Gold to stop them being deported to Nigeria. The three older boys attend the secondary school and the two youngest are pupils in St Fintan's boys NS in Mountrath. 

A petition created on the Uplift online petition platform called Keep the Adebowale Family Safe gathered 1,694 signatures within a day of its launch on Wednesday, January 22, 2024. 

It comes after the CBS principal Maura Murphy supported the Adebowale family in successfully asking for a second chance of appealing their deportation order from the Department of Justice. The Department and Minister Helen McEntee have agreed to reconsider it.  Read here.

Ms Murphy said that the whole school, who have already fundraised for the family's legal bill, are prepared to march on the Dáil. Read more here.

The family say that if they are deported to Nigeria, they will be in danger from their abusive father, who now resides there. 

St Mary's CBS teacher Katrina Foley set up the petition on behalf of the school. 

“Dear Minister, We earnestly believe that the deportation of the Adebowale family would endanger their lives. We ask you to consider their safety when reviewing their appeal.

“The 3 oldest boys attend St Mary's CBS, Portlaoise, where they have proven themselves to be hardworking students and gentlemen in behaviour. Showing true community spirit they have been involved in the Student Council and the School of Sanctuary Committee.

“This is a family that finally had some sense of peace and safety in our community only to find themselves under threat again. Lucy is doing everything in her power to protect her family, but she needs support. The Adebowale family are part of our CBS community, our CBS family, so let us give her that support," she said.

The campaign has the backing of the school patron, the Edmund Rice Schools Trust.

Gerry Bennett ERST CEO said that the Trust sees the matter as an educational wellbeing issue.

“From an educational wellbeing point of view, it is so important that Star Adebowale gets to sit his Leaving Cert next June and his two brothers get to complete their Leaving Cert and Junior Cycle exams and profile in 2026 respectively. This is why we in ERST are supporting St Mary’s campaign to ask the authorities to favourably consider the Adebowale family’s appeal against deportation,” Mr Bennett concluded.

Patrick Kelleher is a Campaigner at Uplift.

“No matter who we are or where we come from, all of us deserve to feel safe and secure. Deportation would needlessly and cruelly pull this family from the community and school that they have settled into. It’s remarkable to see how the school community has rallied behind them, and we hope that the Minister will do the right thing and let them stay in their community.”

Uplift is a people-powered community of over 350,000 people in Ireland. Each day hundreds of people take small actions together, such as signing petitions or contacting their TDs, to help build a more equal, sustainable, and just Ireland.