By Abu B. Shaw, London.
The Home Office has ignored emotional appeals from a cross section of
society to go ahead with the booting out of an African teenager from
Britain.
The brilliant pupil, who arrived in the UK from Nigeria in 1999 with his
aunt, is an inspiration and role model to his fellow pupils especially the
black community in England.
Damilola Ajagbonna(photo), 19, who has already been offered a place at Cambridge
University, has 13 GCSEs and three A-levels.
At Greigs’s City Academy in Hornsey, north London, where Damilola was senior
prefect, everyone is distraught after learning
about the plight of the African star.
Damilola, who mentors youngsters, is also a UNICEF ambassador. He told the
press in London: “My life is here. All I want to do is become a teacher. I
don’t want to go underground, like thousands of illegal immigrants who
continue to dodge the system. I am a law abiding person.”
The head teacher at Damilola’s college is equally stunned. He said that it
is ridiculous that something like this is happening to Damilola who is an
inspiration to everyone at the college.
But the British government is unmoved. The Home Office says Damilola must
return to Nigeria because being a good chap is not a reason to let him stay
in the country.
The Daily Mirror newspaper appealing on Damilola’s behalf says in its
editorial of September 8 entitled ‘Dam shame’: “Damilola Ajagbonna came to
Britain in search of a better life. He thrived in an environment where hard
work and determination were rewarded with honours and scholarships.
“But now Damilola’s dreams of becoming a teacher lie in tatters - shattered
by jobsworth immigration officials who live by the letter, rather than the
spirit, of the law.
“Meanwhile, the young killer of Phillip Lawrence is allowed to stay on in
the UK...because deporting him home to Italy would infringe his human rights.
“What kind of system is it where vicious hoods like him are given an open
invitation - and the good kids are sent packing?” the editorial asks.
Damilola’s lawyer is appealing against the Home Office decision.
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