After nearly four decades of uncertainty, a 63-year-old Nigerian man, Anthony Olubunmi George, has secured the right to remain in the United Kingdom.
His fate changed after a landmark tribunal ruling went in his favour.
George, who arrived in the UK in 1986 at the age of 24, has never returned to Nigeria and has no criminal record. His health declined after he suffered two strokes in 2019, which left him struggling with mobility and speech.
For years, he endured homelessness, moving from one friend’s sofa to another while fighting repeated rejections of his applications for leave to remain.
His legal woes deepened in 2005 when a former solicitor submitted a forged entry stamp in his passport without his knowledge, a case that later saw the solicitor struck off and reported to the police and legal bodies.
In his ruling, the immigration judge described George as destitute and highlighted how his fear of visiting a doctor due to his uncertain immigration status preceded his two cardiovascular attacks. The judge further noted that he no longer has any close relatives in Nigeria.
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Reflecting on the decision, George expressed relief and gratitude.
“I don’t know how many different sofas I’ve slept on, too many to count. I’m so happy I don’t know what to say; my life has just begun again. Before I didn’t have hope, but now by God’s grace I can move forward with my life.”
His lawyer, Naga Kandiah of MTC Solicitors, welcomed the ruling, stressing that George’s plight was worsened by both poor representation and rigid Home Office policies.
“My client has been living in limbo for almost 40 years, has suffered two strokes and has no family left in Nigeria.
Despite our several applications for review, the Home Office refused repeatedly, and the case had to go to a full hearing. I am overjoyed with the decision. He has waited for it for almost four decades.”
The judgment now gives George the opportunity to rebuild his life in the UK with security and dignity after years of uncertainty.
The Vanguard News.
