₦airaland Forum

My life has just begun,’ says 63-yr-old Nigerian after winning appeal to remain in UK

A disabled Nigerian man who has lived in the UK for almost 40 years has won an appeal to stay in the country despite the Home Office wanting to deport him.

Anthony Olubunmi George, 63, came to the UK at the age of 24 in 1986. He has not left the UK since and has no criminal convictions. He had two strokes in 2019 that left him with speech and mobility issues.

George has endured periods of homelessness and says he has lost count of the number of friends who have given him shelter over the years. He says he no longer has any close family in Nigeria.

“I don’t know how many different sofas I’ve slept on, too many to count,” he said.

George had made various applications for leave to remain in the UK, which the Home Office rejected. He said he was overjoyed to finally have the fear of deportation lifted after the judge’s ruling.

“I’m so happy I don’t know what to say,” he said. “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 previous solicitors submitted a forged entry stamp in his passport in 2005, and have subsequently been reported to the police and legal regulatory bodies.

George said he knew nothing about the passport stamp until many years later. His current lawyer, Naga Kandiah of MTC Solicitors, cited his poor previous legal representation as the reason for George’s problems resolving his immigration status.

A Home Office rejection of his case before his successful appeal states: “It’s open to your family and friends to visit you in Nigeria.”

The immigration tribunal judge who granted George the right to remain in the UK referred in his ruling to the fact that the solicitor who submitted the fake passport stamp had been struck off. He said George had stopped going to see his GP because of fears about his immigration status.

“It is unfortunate that the appellant went on to suffer two cardiovascular attacks having refrained from going for health checks,” the judge said, adding that George has been destitute while in the UK.

Kandiah said: “My client has been living in limbo for almost 40 years, has suffered two strokes and has no family left in Nigeria. His situation is not just because of Home Office policies, but also because of poor representation by previous solicitors who failed to uphold professional integrity and ethical standards.

“Despite our several applications to the Home Office to review the matter rather than proceeding to an oral hearing, our attempts were refused again and again by the Home Office and the case went to a full court hearing.

“I am overjoyed with the decision. He has waited for it for almost four decades.”

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025/sep/22/disabled-nigerian-anthony-olubunmi-george-wins-appeal-deportation

A system that works unlike the other one he escaped.
Someone entrusted to make the call was harsh but the system was alive for him.

Good..

Where UK govt think say Dem wan deport am to....

Even the ones weh get complete legs and hands dey hear am hot hot for here,how much more a disabled person

If Nigeria was good , he would have self deported . Do you know Syrians living in Europe have all self deported after the fall of Bashar Assad?

Hunger go Kee baba if him land Nigeria, agbádorianss sef dey beg

The man know say na die be dat if dem deport him.
Able bodied men dey struggle to survive for Naija, talk-less of disabled.

Come join us for this Tulumbu economy nah 🥺
Shebi na the next thing after Titus and mayonnaise 😆

…….as yarimo and helinues claimed 🙄

Curious345:
If Nigeria was good , he would have self deported . Do you know Syrians living in Europe have all self deported after the fall of Bashar Assad?

Interesting, those Arab countries are going in developing after destruction with good currency and almost zero corruption

Sonnobax15:

Good..

Where Trump think say he wan deport am to....

Even the ones weh get complete legs and hands dey hear am hot hot for here,how much a disabled person

trump for UK ,watin this character thing dey do self

Sonnobax15:

Good..

Where Trump think say he wan deport am to....

Even the ones weh get complete legs and hands dey hear am hot hot for here,how much a disabled person

Trump is living rent free in some of you guys head 😊. Is trump the president of UK?

The man resemble Onanuga.

I first think say na him

He should come back and claim Lagos, they want to live in other people's lands and contest elections but can't allow others do the same in their own place

Albinoflash:
trump for UK ,watin this character thing dey do self

Nah Obidients 😂 dem dey always do *too know* 😂

Nah them 😂

Curious345:
If Nigeria was good , he would have self deported . Do you know Syrians living in Europe have all self deported after the fall of Bashar Assad?

Stop lying in public, Syrians are not rushing back to meet those US backed jihadists killing Christians and Alawite Muslims

Curious345:
If Nigeria was good , he would have self deported . Do you know Syrians living in Europe have all self deported after the fall of Bashar Assad?

How can you self deport when you don't have anything back home?
Most of the people who talk bad about Nigeria in this diaspora are usually people who don't have nothing to fall back on in Nigeria. I have lived for as long as this guy in diaspora but in the last 20 years, I have been living in both Nigeria and diaspora.
I can easily live in Nigeria happily and comfortably.
My friends who refused to come home cannot and are always wishing bad news on Nigeria just to justify their reasons for not coming back home.
Most are miserable and sometimes will admit that they messed up.
I.love going home, I'm always at peace and in the best state of mind whenever I'm back home.
In fact, i have the same euphoria whenever I'm going home as I did when I first migrated to the US in the 80s. The excitement is comparable to a kid in a candy store.

His life just began at 63!

Congratulations grandpa, so for 38years this man didn’t come to sea many of his family members?

hassinho707:
The man resemble Onanuga.

I first think say na him

Na him brother

Hahahahahahahahahahahahhahaha

Congratulations to him. Had he been deported, where would he have stayed in Nigeria? This sort of person must have lost touch with family and relatives back in Nigeria having lived 4 decades in the UK.

At 63 he still no get anything to return to at home....

And people will keep shouting system that work.



System that works to take away all your earning and turn you to modern day slave and almost Kpai ursef to stay dere....

Niccoloimhotep:
Come join us for this Tulumbu economy nah 🥺
Shebi na the next thing after Titus and mayonnaise 😆

…….as yarimo and helinues claimed 🙄

Did you not read where it says he has no family left in Nigeria

Congratulations sir ,u don't know what God did for u ,u have just escape tinubulation....government has made life difficult for citizens if not why will someone be afraid of coming back to his people and country ...he even said he doesn't have a single family member in Nigeria...how can? Yet people still support their oppressors in government...politicians are buying properties abroad for their wives and kids with stolen public funds without including your name in it and you are here in poverty supporting them....wow

You will not see an American or Briton celebrate this kind of thing.

Thank God say it's not in America. He would have been deported to wherever...
Trump and his ICE people no get joy at all...

Living abroad without proper documentation is experimental hellfire.
Plan your journey properly and relate with people that can offer you the right advice.

So many people like George in the uk, they have never gone back and are stranded living a reclusive life ...they have not regularised their papers for years absolutely disgraceful ...baba london

if this man is in Nigeria u would have heard something like the government is bad they can't take care of the poor man with stroke this and that ...

For over 38years in the UK yet this man still failed in life because he has no relatives left in Nigeria because he use not productive...

Everything no be Nigeria sometimes fate of being poor to a man will still be poor even if taken to America for free 😁

Congratulations to him, indeed the system works there.

crestedaguiyi:
You will not see an American or Briton celebrate this kind of thing.

The most painful part of this story is the fact that he wasted active part of his life in chasing citizenship in a foreign land.

There were still many opportunities in Nigeria 38 years ago, who knows he might have make it big in his father land. Though he acted smartly now, because at his age, it is much more better for him to remain in UK and enjoy all the benefits from their government.

Some people still dey hail the system for a man that failed for over 38years and yet nothing to show for it

PigTormentor:
How can you self deport when you don't have anything back home?
Most of the people who talk bad about Nigeria in this diaspora are usually people who don't have nothing to fall back on in Nigeria. I have lived for as long as this guy in diaspora but in the last 20 years, I have been living in both Nigeria and diaspora.
I can easily live in Nigeria happily and comfortably.
My friends who refused to come home cannot and are always wishing bad news on Nigeria just to justify their reasons for not coming back home.
Most are miserable and sometimes will admit that they messed up.
I.love going home, I'm always at peace and in the best state of mind whenever I'm back home.
In fact, i have the same euphoria whenever I'm going home as I did when I first migrated to the US in the 80s. The excitement is comparable to a kid in a candy store.

So why haven't you moved back home? Just curious given the fact you are in favour of moving back.

Guyman02:
He should come back and claim Lagos, they want to live in other people's lands and contest elections but can't allow others do the same in their own place

We don't tell it to their faces that their land is no man's land. We don't disrespect their culture or denigrate their women and food. Seems you people are not getting it.