The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) has responded to reports suggesting that sprint star Favour Ofili may have switched her sporting allegiance to Turkey, describing the situation as a wake-up call for the country to prioritize athlete welfare and management.
AFN President Tonobok Okowa, in an interview with Making of Champions, admitted that although there is no official confirmation yet from Ofili or World Athletics, the development has raised serious concerns that the country cannot afford to ignore.
“We’re yet to receive any formal communication confirming the move,” Okowa said. “But if true, it underscores a deeper problem. Nigeria must urgently invest more in its athletes.”
Ofili, 22, recently made headlines by setting a world record in the 150m at the Adidas Atlanta City Games. However, her relationship with the Nigerian athletics system has reportedly deteriorated, with multiple reports suggesting that administrative lapses, particularly regarding Olympic participation, have influenced her decision.
According to Jamaican journalist Kayon Raynor, Ofili informed the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) that she had grown frustrated with the AFN and the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), citing issues at both the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Games as contributing factors.
Okowa acknowledged her discontent and said the federation was concerned not just about Ofili’s case, but also about other potential departures in the pipeline.
“We’ve heard that several countries, including those in the Arab world, are now following Turkey’s lead in recruiting top talent,” he said. “It’s not just about Ofili — we need to be worried about those who might leave next.”
The AFN president added that financial incentives offered by other nations have made it increasingly difficult for countries like Nigeria to hold onto their top athletes.
“She’s an adult working closely with her coach, and the kind of offers being made are hard to reject,” Okowa noted. “Countries are offering not just citizenship but also up to $500,000 in financial support. It’s a trend we’ve seen before with athletes like Francis Obikwelu (Portugal), Gloria Alozie (Spain), and Femi Ogunode (Qatar).”
While Ofili’s name still appears on World Athletics’ website as a Nigerian athlete and no official announcement has come from the Turkish Athletics Federation, her status for the upcoming World Athletics Championships in Tokyo this September remains uncertain.
The sprinter had already qualified for the global event, and her absence would be a significant setback for Nigeria’s medal hopes.
Okowa also disclosed that attempts to contact Ofili have failed. “I tried to reach out to her personally. We had a good relationship, even with her family. But she suddenly cut off all communication, blocked everyone. That was when I sensed something had gone wrong.”
The AFN says it will continue to monitor the situation but emphasized that long-term solutions must include greater investment in athlete welfare, transparency, and a renewed focus on administrative efficiency, to prevent future cases of talent loss.
“We need to look inward. If we don’t improve, we’ll keep losing our best athletes to other countries,” Okowa concluded.
