Most of us consider news bad news but sometimes a glimmer of hope manifests itself and stops us in our tracks. Last night it came in the form of the story of Nonso, a 14-year-old student from Tullamore who learned last week that he and his family will not face deportation.
Thousands of locals, his friends' and schoolmates signed a petition to stop Nonso and his family from being deported.
Muojeke's classmates traveled to Leinster House to deliver a 22,000 signature petition to Justice Minister Charles Flanagan.
After RTÉ News visited Nonso's and his classmates, well known Irish faces like James Kavanagh, Aisling Bea and Dustin The Turkey took to Twitter to share the special moment:
14 year olds in Tullamore smarter and sounder than the 40+ year olds in The Dail. https://t.co/sINMG7ebUL
— Dustin The Turkey (@DustinOfficial) October 11, 2018
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YAAAS! I cannot wait until the kids are in power. So empathetic and kind. They can take the reigns off all the gross people currently in power and make everything gorge ? https://t.co/pve4rXWkM5
— Spooky Bitch Kavanagh (@JamesKavanagh_) October 11, 2018
I can't wait until these 14 year olds are old enough to take over. https://t.co/Gf322PRB0n
— Aisling Bea (@WeeMissBea) October 11, 2018
The heartfelt scene of classmates crying of happiness for their friend served as inspiration for thousands of people around the country and gave many people hope for the next generation:
I've watched and listened to this 3 times now because it is so inspiring. Those teens are everything I could hope this country could achieve. Let's try to keep them eh?
Well done #Tullamore teens. Well done and thank you for being so awesome ❤️
— ֆɦǟɖʏ ռí ʍǟռǟƈɦáɨռ (@ademonkiss) October 11, 2018
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Seeing young people like that gives me hope for this country.
— A??fe (@aoifemrtn) October 11, 2018
Oh lads...I'm so bowled over by them! I mean, I've lovely teen sons but seeing a whole class room of them actually stand up for one of their own is giving me the courage that I think I've lost a bit of in recent years.
Honestly blown away. #TullamoreAbú & love to #Nonso & fam❤️— ֆɦǟɖʏ ռí ʍǟռǟƈɦáɨռ (@ademonkiss) October 11, 2018
Occasionally I am very proud of my fellow citizens.. just like in this moment.. it is always so much more satisfying when they are so young.. the future is bright.. and so happy for Nonso and family too, of course. ?
— John Breen (@johncbreen) October 11, 2018
Nonso's father died in 2006 and the family, Nonso, his Mother, and brother, moved to Ireland the following year. Nigerian custom automatically meant that Nonso's mother became the property of her brother in law. Mrs. Muojeke and her children were mistreated by her brother in law and the family fled the country.
Nonso hopes to pursue basketball and get a scholarship to study in America.