President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Tonobok Okowa, has said the federation will not prevent Nigerian sprint sensation Favour Ofili from switching her allegiance to Turkey, even as the news has been met with shock and disappointment in the Nigerian sporting community.
The 22-year-old, who holds the world record in the women’s 150m, is reported to have filed for a nationality change just three months before the 2025 World Athletics Championships scheduled for September in Tokyo. The potential switch was first reported by Jamaica-based journalist Kayon Raynor, who stated that Ofili had notified the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) of her intention to represent Turkey, citing frustration with the Nigerian athletics system.
Reacting to the news, Okowa expressed sadness and disbelief over Ofili’s reported decision, saying the federation had not yet received any official communication from the athlete or World Athletics.
“If this is true, it is sad, disheartening, and painful,” Okowa said in a statement. “But we are yet to get any official statement from her or any correspondence from World Athletics regarding her request. She is a promising athlete with huge potential.”
He admitted that the AFN had, at times, failed to meet Ofili’s expectations but noted that the federation had recently made significant efforts to support her career.
“She has been paid a training grant this year, and from our communications and the steps we’ve taken to reintegrate her into the national setup, we didn’t anticipate this,” he said. “Still, she is old enough to make her own decisions. Though it is painful and hard to accept, we won’t stop her. She remains our child, our sister, and our daughter.”
Okowa also offered an apology to Nigerians and stakeholders in the sport, saying, “We want to apologise to Nigerians, the National Sports Commission, and athletics lovers worldwide for this unfortunate development.”
Despite the news, Ofili is still officially listed as a Nigerian athlete on the World Athletics database. She is one of the athletes already qualified for the Tokyo World Championships, taking place from September 13 to 21.
Reports indicate that Turkey has aggressively pursued top athletes from other countries this year, including those from Jamaica, and is said to offer financial incentives of up to $500,000 to encourage switches in nationality.
Nigeria has seen a recurring pattern of top athletes leaving the country due to administrative lapses, poor support, and lack of structure. Notable names who switched allegiance in the past include Francis Obikwelu (Portugal), Gloria Alozie (Spain), Florence Ekpo-Umoh (Germany), Salwa Eid Naser (Bahrain), and Femi Ogunode (Qatar), all of whom went on to enjoy successful international careers.
Ofili’s potential move marks another high-profile exit that underscores long-standing challenges within Nigerian athletics administration.
