..We are deeply sorry for this heart breaking move – AFN Boss, Chief Tonobok Okowa tells Nigerians
The Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), is shocked and surprised with the news making the rounds that one of the country’s top female athletes Favour Ofili is seeking to switch allegiance to Turkiye.
The President of AFN, Chief Tonobok Okowa told the media on Sunday that, “Just like every other sports loving person in Nigeria, on the continent and beyond that he and his newly elected board read and heard her desire to change nationality from the media.”
“If this is true, it is sad, disheartening and painful but we are yet to get any official statement from her or any correspondence from World Athletics (WA), on her request. She is a promising athlete with huge potential.”
“The AFN and the National Sports Commission (NSC), have been working hard to get athletics and other sports in the country back on track and to show that both bodies are matching goals, objectives and words with action, Favour Ofili had already been paid her training grant for this year,” Okowa said.
Okowa went on to state that, the 22 year old athlete has prevented the Federation from reaching her and that all efforts to heal the wounds caused by 100m Paris Olympic Games omission has proved abortive.
“From the moves we have been making to get her fully prepared and back to the big athletics family and her response, it’s also clear that she had been preparing and working on her new found Turkish love. She is old enough to decide what’s best for her but it painful and hard to take for us, however we will not stop her, she is still our child, sister and daughter,” the CAA Vice President stressed.
“We want to apologize to Nigerians, the National Sports Commission and the millions of people around the world who hold the sport and country in high esteem for this sad development.”
Lots of Athletics Federation of Nigeria officials are heart broken about the matter, but they will not oppose Ofili’s wish to change her colours.
“Despite our own inadequacies, on several occasions she shunned the national trials and even when she came, she selects the events she preferres to compete in.
At the 2024 African Championships in Cameroon she refused to compete in the 100m after running in the heats, claiming that the organisers did not provide the right atmosphere for competition.
She also did not turn up for the last Africa Games in Accra, Ghana.
“No doubt Ofili is one of our best athletes in recent times but she is difficult to deal with,” said the Federation.
“The AFN has its issues, but we are getting along well with other top athletes and are still thriving within the system. We wish her well in whatever she is doing and wherever she is going.”
HOW WE HEARD THE NEWS
150m world record holder, Favour Ofili, has reportedly switched allegiance to Turkiye, less than three months before the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
Ofili’s switch was made public by Jamaica-based journalist Kayon Raynor on his X handle late Saturday.
“Nigerian sprinter Favour Ofili has switched allegiance to Turkey as of May 31, 2025.
According to TVJ News centre sources, 22-year-old Ofili has advised the Athletics Integrity Unit of her frustration with the Nigerian Athletics Federation,” Raynor posted via X.
Ofili cited missing the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and the failure of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria and the Nigeria Olympic Committee to register her for the 100m event at the last games in Paris.
“Ofili stated that the Nigerian Athletics Federationllp0p0ppppppppp0p caused her to Àamiss the Tokyo 2020 Olympics after they did not confirm her number of doping control tests, and then missed competing in the 100m at the Paris Olympics after they did not enter her for the event. She however finished a distance sixth in the 200m final.
ByIt’s further understood that Ofili impressed upon the AIU that her switch to Turkey was not for financial reasons.”
The AFN President, further explained that 2020 Tokyo Olympics Games issue did not happen under his first tenure and they have worked to correct it.
“The preparations for 2020 Tokyo Olympics had been planned and concluded by the former board and the Sports Ministry, in association with the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), we had no hand in the whole affair and build up to the Games. Look at the number of test the AFN conducted under my watch, we funded sixty percent of the test carried out before the Paris Games, there were no doping violations or anything of the sort,” Okowa emphasized.
Despite the news of switching allegiance, Ofili, who won 200m silver at the last Commonwealth Games in 2022, is still listed by World Athletics as Nigerian and since she did compete for the country at the Olympics, there is a minimum window of three years for the switch to Turkiye to be completed.
Recently, Jamaican athlete and Olympic shot put bronze medallist Rajindra Campbell also switched his allegiance to Turkiye.
We gathered that his compatriot and discus gold medallist Roje Stona has followed suit. The Turkish Athletics Federation have been courting top athletes from Africa, America and Europe to move over to Istanbul.
Ofili, 22, holds the national 200m women’s record with 21.96s and personal best of 10.78s, performances she did in 2022.
