Olukunle Eluhanla, 19, was due to sit his final school exams when he was deported.

In addition to apologising to Eluhanla, Ireland offered to fly him back to Dublin.

Eluhanla was still wearing his school uniform when he was thrown out of Ireland on government orders.

Irish Justice Minister Michael McDowell has issued the pupil with a six-month visa, describing it as an "exceptional measure."
Eluhanla arrived in Ireland alone in 2002, but had an asylum claim rejected.

He was flown to Lagos on March 14, on a charter flight alongside 34 other failed asylum seekers.

Under pressure from opposition politicians, church leaders and Eluhanla's fellow pupils who joined a protest in Dublin on Wednesday, McDowell changed his mind, issuing the temporary visa.

"I was very, very, very, surprised... I'm just full of joy," Eluhanla told Irish State broadcaster RTE.

The assistant principal of Palmerstwon Community School in West Dublin spoke to his pupil on Irish Radio and offered him his congratulations, joking: "I hope he has his homework done."
"This chap was devastated with the chance of not doing his exams, it's fantastic," he told RTE.

Eluhanla claimed asylum in Dublin after his father was killed in a shooting in Lagos.

But McDowell rejected his claim, saying he still had family in Nigeria.

About 36 per cent asylum applications to Ireland are made by Nigerians.