Exclusive | Grandmother, 71, wins Home Office battle and secures right to remain after 50 years in Britain
Gladys Ijeoma Kanu, a Nigerian-born accountant, has lived in the UK since 1970
A grandmother who has lived and worked in the UK for over 50 years has secured indefinite leave to remain after a battle with the Home Office to prove her status, Black Current News can reveal.
71-year-old Gladys Ijeoma Kanu, the daughter of Bishop Lucius Uzodike, one of the first Black Anglican bishops in Nigeria, arrived in Britain in 1970 at the age of 16 to join her parents.
Her father travelled to the UK in 1944, where he studied theology at the University of Oxford and was later granted settlement.
However, key documentation confirming his status was lost following his death in 1998.
Despite building her life in Britain, Ms Kanu was required to apply under the Windrush Scheme to confirm her right to remain, raising fears about her status in the UK.
Her application, submitted in January 2026 by MTC Solicitors, set out decades of continuous residence, professional contribution and deep-rooted ties to the UK
In a decision dated 15 April 2026, the Home Office confirmed she had been granted indefinite leave to remain, recognising that she had entered the UK before 1 January 1973 and had remained resident in the country.
Ms Kanu’s case included evidence of higher education in London, where she studied at the City of London Polytechnic, now London Metropolitan University, between 1972 and 1974
She went on to qualify and practise as a chartered accountant, gaining recognition as a “top student” in a 1974 edition of Certified Accountant magazine
According to her legal submission, she has remained financially independent throughout her time in the UK, with no reliance on public funds, and has maintained long-standing economic and social ties to the country.
She is a widow, owns multiple properties in London and has a British-born child and grandchild, with her family life firmly based in the UK.
Speaking after receiving confirmation of her status, Ms Kanu told Black Current News: “I called my daughter straight away. We were all so happy. We’ve been celebrating ever since.”
While her status has now been resolved, her case highlights how some Commonwealth citizens who arrived in the UK before 1973 are still required to evidence their right to remain decades later, particularly where official records have been lost.
Although the Windrush Scheme was introduced in response to the treatment of Caribbean migrants, it has also been used by other Commonwealth nationals in similar circumstances, reflecting the broader reach of the policy.
The Home Office was approached for comment.
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