Former Nigerian official backs family's fight to stay
Sunday November 16 2008
A FORMER Nigerian government official has offered to tell an Irish court about widespread practice of female genital mutilation to help a young mother and her daughters fighting deportation.
Dr Eke Agbai, a former information commissioner, has joined a campaign lobbying for Pamela Izevbekhai and her daughters to remain in Ireland. A vigil organised by the Irish Refugee Council was held outside Dail Eireann yesterday afternoon, asking the Minister for Justice to allow the family to stay.
Ms Izevbekhai has claimed that her eldest daughter died of blood loss in Nigeria after her genitals were cut. She fled to Ireland three years ago, claiming she feared for her life and the lives of her daughters, Naomi, 8, and Jemima, 5. She has claimed that if she returned to the country her daughters would be subjected to female circumcision.
Her bid for asylum was rejected by the Refugee Appeals Tribunal and she has been fighting against her deportation ever since. She lost a High Court challenge earlier this year and is now seeking an injunction preventing her deportation pending the outcome of a second legal challenge. She will learn on Tuesday whether she can remain in Ireland.
Dr Eke Agbai, who now runs an information centre in Nigeria, said this weekend that while each case must be treated on its merits, female genital mutilation is not outlawed in his country and that protection for women and young girls is poor. "The truth of the matter is, you would need to have a comprehensive understanding of the cultural belief in female genital mutilation. It is a very strong belief system in Nigeria," he said. He has offered to testify on Ms Izevbekhai's behalf.
In last week's hearing, the court heard that Ms Izevbekhai's in-laws were a powerful family within Nigeria and considered genital mutilation a "rite of passage".
Mr Justice Liam Hedigan said the court was very aware of the issues, as an enormous number of legal challenges were brought based on arguments of female genital mutilation. The refugee authorities had repeatedly said that state protections in Nigeria were adequate. A ruling on the injunction application will be made on Tuesday.
- MAEVE SHEEHAN
