Nigeria’s first individual Olympic gold medallist, Chioma Ajunwa, has condemned the failure of sports administrators following the reported nationality switch of top sprinter Favour Ofili from Nigeria to Turkey.
Reacting to the growing trend of elite athletes dumping Nigeria for other nations, Ajunwa said the mass exodus reflected deeply rooted leadership failures within the country’s sports federations.
“The Nigerian sports federation needs a lot of work,” Ajunwa posted on her official X account.
“Losing Nigerian citizens to other countries like Turkey is a sign of bad leadership. From athletics to football and other sports, we have amazing talents who end up winning medals, flying the flags of other countries.”
Ajunwa’s comments come amid backlash over Ofili’s reported decision to represent Turkey, just months before the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
The development sparked outrage among fans and stakeholders, especially given the athlete’s stature as the women’s 150m world record holder and one of Nigeria’s brightest medal hopes.
Ajunwa made history at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics when she became the first Nigerian to win Olympic gold, and the first black African woman to achieve the feat in a field event.
A former footballer who also represented Nigeria at the FIFA Women’s World Cup, Ajunwa remains the only woman to have competed at both the Olympics and the senior women’s World Cup.
Her criticism adds to the chorus of disappointment following confirmation from Athletics Federation of Nigeria president, Tonobok Okowa, that the federation would not stop Ofili from changing national allegiance, despite expressing shock at the move.
Okowa admitted that the AFN had failed the 22-year-old sprinter on multiple occasions, although he said the federation had made efforts to keep her within the national fold, including the payment of training grants earlier in the year.
“If this is true, it is sad, disheartening and painful,” Okowa stated.
“But we are yet to get any official statement from her or from World Athletics on her request. She is old enough to decide what’s best for her but it is painful and hard to take for us.”
Ofili, a multiple national record holder and former NCAA star, is believed to have informed the Athletics Integrity Unit of her intention to compete for Turkey, citing frustration with Nigeria’s sports administrators.
The switch, if confirmed by World Athletics, would add Ofili to a growing list of Nigerian athletes who have represented other countries at major international competitions.
These include Francis Obikwelu (Portugal), Gloria Alozie (Spain), Florence Ekpo-Umoh (Germany), Femi Ogunode (Qatar) and Salwa Eid Naser (Bahrain).
Reports indicate that the Turkish athletics federation has been actively recruiting foreign-born athletes in recent years, allegedly offering as much as $500,000 to secure high-profile transfers.
Despite the uproar, World Athletics still lists Ofili as a Nigerian on her official profile. She is one of several Nigerians who have qualified for the Tokyo World Championships scheduled from September 13 to 21.
Madukwe B. Nwabuisi is an accomplished journalist renown for his fearless reporting style and extensive expertise in the field. He is an investigative journalist, who has established himself as a kamikaze reporter.
