NIGERIA MASTERWEB DAILY NEWS

*UK Community Rally To Halt Deportation of Nigerian Family

By Masterweb News Desk

The cause by all standards is both genuine and humanitarian - saving a Nigerian mother and her four children from deportation. A lot of cloud surrounds the purported consequences to the family in the event of deportation to Nigeria - ritual sacrifice of one of the children.

According to the Nigerian mother, Mrs. Maryam Oderinde - upon the death of her father-in-law, Mulikai Oderinde in 2002, a frightening traditional demand was made on the family. Her husband, Taofik was told that one of his sons would be ritually sacrificed for the burial of his father, who was king of their village Aduge at the time of his death. The couple had four children( all boys ), namely: Abidun, Owolabe, Aseez and Fawaz, the youngest.

Mrs. Maryam Oderinde claims her family fled Aduge for fear of the ritual killing of one of their sons and her husband later killed by irate husband's relatives who tracked them down. She fled to Britain in November 2002 with her youngest child Fawaz, shortly after the murder of her husband according to her story. The rest of the children were brought over to her in UK in 2004 by a family friend. The children Abidun, Owolabe, Aseez and Fawaz are now aged 17, 15, 13 and 7 respectively. ( Continues below..... )

Photo Above: Left: Maryam Oderinde, Nigerian mom facing deportation with children - Right: 7-year-old Fawaz Oderinde & Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School friends, who joined the campaign to save him from deportation.

The family is resident in Wigan, a town in Greater Manchester, England. Oderinde never sought to legalize her stay in UK until she was arrested for deportation. She told reporters: "When I came here I did not apply for asylum because I did not know how to or that I even should." Upon her arrest, the Home office sent her and the children to a detention center for three months before she was granted bail. Her request for asylum was denied by UK Home Office. They were told they do not have just grounds for asylum in the U.K. and are subject to deportation to Nigeria.

Wigan community has mobilized to fight their deportation which they see as inhumane and unjust. A Facebook page titled "Campaign For Maryam", has been set up in support of the family. Another Facebook page "Stop Fawaz Being Deported and Killed in a Tribal Ritual Belief" is set up by parents and children at Sacred Heart Primary School, where Fawaz, Maryam's youngest son is a pupil. The Sacred Heart Primary School Facebook at the time of this report has over 700 members, while that of the community over 300.

Abidun, the oldest child, is a student at Wigan and Leigh College and both Owolabe and Aseez students at Hindley High School. All are bright in school and are key members of the neighbourhood football and rugby teams and the local church.

The campaign group has written the Assistant Regional Director of UK Border Agency to repeal their decision. Mark Touhey, spokesman of the group, said they have collected over 3000 signatures for a petition against the deportation. The group through its effort, has got the support of Andy Burnham, a U.K. Member of Parliament, who promised to make representations to the Immigration Minister, Phil Woolas and UK Border Agency against the deportation order.

The Oderindes Campaign/Support groups' common contact email is campaignformaryam@live.co.uk They encourage the public to write: The Minister for Immigration, 3 Floor Peel Building, 2, Marsham Street, London SWIP 4DF, in support of Maryam Oderinde's application (HQ ref 01113796).