MARCEL MBAMALU
Tragedy has struck the Nigerian community in Georgia after 18-year-old Anthony Onochie, a budding football star, was shot and killed by a fellow teenager following an argument and altercation in Columbus, Prime Business Africa (PBA) reports.
Anthony was the son of Anayo and Donna Onochie. He was a recent graduate of Northside High School and was set to begin classes at Georgia State University this fall.
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Join our WhatsApp ChannelHis death has left his parents “devastated,” according to family friend Okey Anueyiagu, who said the Onochies have been friends long before Anthony was born.
“His life was cut short so carelessly,” Anueyiagu said in a statement shared widely on social media. “We are beset by senseless gun violence… These killings have become a global epidemic.”
“A beloved member of our program”
Anthony was remembered Monday by his team, the Northside Patriots, in an emotional Facebook post:
“Our hearts break for the loss of one of our own. Anthony, a recent graduate and soon to be student at Georgia State, was a beloved member of our football program and school. Our prayers are with his entire family and the entire Northside community. Once a Patriot, Always a Patriot. #RIPANT”.
Teammates and coaches described him as hardworking, disciplined, and full of promise both on and off the field.
Anthony’s killing comes amid growing frustration in diaspora communities over youth gun violence in the U.S.
“These long-lingering persistent killings have been largely ignored by those in authority,” Anueyiagu wrote. “It mars the mythology that most gun owners use in explaining away the need to bear arms.”
Columbus Police have not yet released the name of the teenage suspect. Investigations are ongoing.
For the Nigerian community in Columbus and across Georgia, Anthony represented more than athletic talent. He was proof of what immigrant families come to America to build: opportunity, education, and a future.
“As we mourn the loss of this beloved star, we must remember his family in our prayers and honor his memory,” Anueyiagu said. “May his beautiful soul rest in peace.”
Prime Business Africa reports that the Onochie family has asked for privacy as they grieve.
PBA understands that a candlelight vigil is being planned by members of the Northside community this week.
UPDATE: “He Will Always Be Here — But He Was Taken From Us Viciously”
Meanwhile, new details have emerged in the Onichie’s death.
According to Lee County Coroner Daniel Sexton, Anthony was found with gunshot wounds on Lee Road 1-97 just after 1:30 a.m. Saturday. He was rushed to Piedmont Columbus Regional and died around 11:30 a.m. that same day.
Local TV station WTVM reports the family is speaking out for the first time.
“He will always be here — but he was taken from us viciously,” a family spokesperson told the station.
A final car ride home
The Onochie family had just returned from a weeklong Florida vacation when tragedy struck.
His sister, Adora, said she now clings to their last hours together — a long drive home from Florida.
“And I just think, looking back to that — I don’t want to say that he knew — but Anthony, on that car ride, he played his favorite songs for hours. My dad didn’t tell him to change it. My dad loves Afrobeats. My dad didn’t tell him to change anything. We listened to Rod Wave for five hours on the way home,” Adora said.
A scholar, a worker, a twin
Anthony graduated from Northside High School with a 4.3 GPA. He was set to start at Georgia State University in August to study finance. He worked alongside his siblings at Jim N’ Nick’s.
But perhaps the hardest loss is to his fraternal twin brother, Andrew. Anthony did not come into this world alone — and now Andrew is left to grieve the loss of his other half.
“I want the full truth”
His siblings are now calling for an end to gun violence and demanding answers.
“I don’t think boys in their 20s need guns. We didn’t even get to send my brother off to college. I want the truth found out about my brother. I want the full truth. I want every aspect of the truth. I want all the lies to cease to exist,” one sibling said.
The family is also pushing back against any suggestion that Anthony was involved in trouble.
“He wasn’t afraid. He didn’t stand for disrespect. I know he’s not a thug. My parents did not raise him like that. He’s Nigerian — he does not play. And my mom never played about anything like that,” the sibling said.
They had a direct message for the shooter:
“I don’t know who you think you took from us — but Anthony’s legacy will be remembered. And I want you to sit in a jail cell and think about what you did to my brother. You are a fraction — not even a percent — of what my brother was. And you will never be the man my brother was.”
Investigation ongoing
Lee County Sheriff Jay Jones says this remains an open and active investigation. No suspects have been named at this time.
Dr. Marcel Mbamalu is a distinguished communication scholar, journalist, and entrepreneur with three decades of experience in the media industry. He holds a Ph.D. in Mass Communication from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and serves as the publisher of Prime Business Africa, a renowned multimedia news platform catering to Nigeria and Africa's socio-economic needs.
Dr. Mbamalu's journalism career spans over two decades, during which he honed his skills at The Guardian Newspaper, rising to the position of senior editor. Notably, between 2018 and 2023, he collaborated with the World Health Organization (WHO) in Northeast Nigeria, training senior journalists on conflict reporting and health journalism.
Dr. Mbamalu's expertise has earned him international recognition. He was the sole African representative at the 2023 Jefferson Fellowship program, participating in a study tour of the United States and Asia (Japan and Hong Kong) on inclusion, income gaps, and migration issues.
In 2020, he was part of a global media team that covered the United States presidential election.
Dr. Mbamalu has attended prestigious media trainings, including the Bloomberg Financial Journalism Training and the Reuters/AfDB Training on "Effective Coverage of Infrastructural Development in Africa."
As a columnist for The Punch Newspaper, with insightful articles published in other prominent Nigerian dailies, including ThisDay, Leadership, The Sun, and The Guardian, Dr. Mbamalu regularly provides in-depth analysis on socio-political and economic issues.
