Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego -- Traditionally, the Marine Corps’ brotherhood consists of Marines from many different backgrounds and cultures. For some it’s trading one brotherhood for another.
Private First Class Kanayochukwu Onyejeli, Platoon 3235, Kilo Company, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, began his life in a small village in Kaduna, Nigeria, Africa, and his family belonged to the Igbo tribe on the outskirts of the city.
Kaduna is known for its oil, and his mother worked in the industry.
“She would work for companies such as Shell to ship out oil and kerosene,” said 26-year-old Onyejeli. “We were not wealthy, but my mom took very good care of me and my sister growing up. We always had everything we needed.”
Onyejeli explains how the lifestyle and way of living is much different in Africa.
“At night we would use a generator for our power and a lot of times we would not have running water,” said Onyejeli. “Those who lived in the village worked in farming to supply food, although the terrain could be rough and rutted out.”
Kaduna became unstable and the instances of robberies and murders began to rise. That’s when Onyejeli’s mother decided to move the family to America to live with family.
“The day before me and my mother were supposed to leave to America, eight armed robbers walked up to our car and took everything, including our passports,” said Onyejeli. “We then had to postpone going to America until we could get the money and have new passports made.”
Onyejeli adapted to the America’s culture quickly, but it was not easy.
“The language is full of slang, so it was extremely difficult to learn. Once I graduated high school, I was in and out of college until I ended up in Savanna, Ga., where I met the love of my life,” said Onyejeli. “Me and my wife both came from different states to Savanna for school. I went out one night with friends and that’s when we met. Two years later we decided to get married.”
After the wedding in Savanna, Ga., they decided to move to Dallas, where they would be closer to family. It wasn’t long after that Onyejeli and his wife had a baby.
“Once we had a child. I knew I had to make a big decision on what to do to with my life,” said Onyejeli. “I went down to the recruiting offices, passed the other branches and walked straight into the doors of the Marine Corps’ recruiters office.”
Onyejeli explains he is proud to be serving a country that gives him many opportunities in life, including taking care of his family.
Now that Onyejeli has earned the title Marine and graduated recruit training, he will take a well-earned 10 days of leave before going on to School of Infantry at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton for further training.