THE MOTHER of a young autistic Nigerian boy who was deported from the State a year ago has said she hopes her appeal against the family's removal from the State will soon be heard by the High Court.
Olivia Agbonlahor was deported to Lagos along with her twin children Great and Melissa on August 14th last year after a last-minute court hearing aimed at preventing the deportation failed.
She and her children arrived in Ireland from Italy in 2003 after death threats were allegedly made against her husband, Martins Agbonlahor, an author. The State refused the family's application for asylum and rejected their appeals.
Following the family's deportation, they later left Nigeria and are currently living in Accra, Ghana.
Great was diagnosed with an autistic disorder in 2006 and had been receiving one-to-one attention when the family lived in Kerry. However, Ms Agbonlahor said there were no facilities and no school available to him in Nigeria or in Ghana.
She told The Irish Times yesterday: "There is no school for him here and it's difficult. He is seven years now and it's getting harder. He is not getting on well. He is not going to school and he has difficulties because of his challenges."
Ms Agbonlahor said she was attempting to provide Great with some education with the help of books and CDs she had been sent by Irish friends and supporters.
"I have to keep on hoping," she said. Ms Agbonlahor said she hoped there was some chance for Great to return to Ireland. Her husband has applied for citizenship in Italy, which would allow the family to move there, but she said this could take up to two years.
Her solicitor, Kevin Brophy, said yesterday that the case had not appeared in the High Court's most recently published list of fixed dates for hearing.
"I am hoping it will appear in the next list published just before Christmas," he said.