Alijou Nhial (Photo courtesy)

RUMBEK – Alijou Nhial, a prominent wrestler from South Sudan’s Lakes State known to fans as “Coronavirus,” died in a Juba hospital early Monday after a two-month illness, relatives said.

Nhial, who hailed from Yirol West County, died at 3:30 a.m. at Nile King Specialized Hospital, according to his family and fans. Laboratory tests reportedly diagnosed him with hepatitis B and meningitis.

Anyak Mabor Anyak, secretary-general of the Yirol West Union, said Nhial first fell ill in Yirol about two months ago and was flown to Juba on a chartered plane for specialist treatment.

“These are the two cases diagnosed by the laboratory technicians,” Anyak told reporters.

Nhial’s condition improved, prompting his relatives to take him home to Yirol West. But he fell ill again within weeks and was returned to the same hospital, where he died, Anyak said.

Plans are underway to build a statue in his honour in Yirol West Town, Anyak said, adding that Nhial’s legacy would endure among wrestling fans across South Sudan.

For Olivia Ajak, who visited Nhial at his hospital bedside before his death, the loss was devastating.

“He would be remembered as a person of peace, a kind-hearted person who loved everyone and was good to everyone,” Ajak said.

She said Nhial was admired not only for his wrestling but also for the respect he showed his opponents in the ring.

“Whenever he is wrestling with other people, we know he will never disappoint us,” she said. “He will not be aggressive to his opponents and he will not be disrespectful to others, like what other wrestlers did. We are going to miss him forever.”

Ajak said Nhial’s death would be deeply felt in his community and among wrestling fans across the country, particularly in the Bahr el Ghazal region.