NIGERIAN WOMAN Pamela Izevbekhai last night thanked the people of Sligo for their love and support at a civic reception hosted in her honour at the town hall.
The Mayor of Sligo, Councillor Veronica Cawley (Lab), said she organised the reception in response to many requests from "the ordinary people of Sligo" who wanted to celebrate bonds formed with Pamela and her daughters Naomi and Jemima over the past four years, a woman who she said had "touched many hearts".
Ms Cawley called for a worldwide ban on the "horrific practice" of female genital mutilation and said she wished to acknowledge all that Pamela had done to raise awareness of this issue.
The mayor pointed out that people in Sligo were aware that Pamela and her daughters might be leaving soon, but whatever her future "our hearts go out to her".
Ms Izevbekhai has lost a long legal battle to block her deportation on the grounds that her daughters are likely to endure forced genital mutilation if they return.
Deportation orders have been postponed until next Wednesday pending a decision from the European Court of Human Rights on whether they will hear her case. Last night, Ms Izevbekhai said she was holding her breath on the court's decision.
She told the gathering in the town hall that her inspiration was her oldest daughter Elizabeth who died in 1994, having undergone genital mutilation. She broke down as she said: "It has not been easy, but I know she is here and she has given us this job to do."
Shane Donnelly, a friend of the family and spokesman for the Let Them Stay lobby group, said he was honoured to speak for Elizabeth Izevbekhai because she could not speak for herself.
"This is all about remembering Elizabeth and making sure that what happened to her does not happen to her sisters," he said.
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