AFN President Accuses Sprinter Ofili of Leaving Nigeria for Financial Rewards

In a high-stakes disagreement that exposes the deep-seated issues facing Nigerian sports, the President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Tonobok Okowa, has countered sprinter Favour Ofili‘s reasons for switching her nationality to Turkey, claiming the move was driven by a lucrative financial offer. The public spat comes just days after the 22-year-old sprinter confirmed her decision to leave Nigeria on her social media pages.

In her official statement on September 1, 2025, Ofili, a world record holder and Olympic finalist, cited a history of administrative neglect by the AFN and the Nigerian Olympic Committee (NOC) as the primary reason for her departure. She pointed specifically to her exclusion from major events due to administrative blunders at both the Tokyo and Paris Olympic Games. “While that means sitting out this year’s championship in Tokyo, this change comes from the heart, not from financial motives,” she wrote. “I’m truly grateful to have discovered a new home in Turkey.”

However, during a press briefing at the National Athletics Championship in Lagos, AFN President Okowa offered a different narrative. While acknowledging the federation’s own shortcomings, he insisted that the allure of “Turkish money” was the real motivation behind the move. “The kind of money they put on the table to get her is not something many athletes would refuse,” he explained, calling on the government and private sector to provide more support. Reports indicate that Turkey’s athletic federation has been aggressively recruiting top talent from around the world with financial incentives that can be as high as $500,000.

The departure of Ofili, a promising sprinter with immense potential, marks the latest in a long and troubling trend of Nigerian athletes switching allegiance to other countries in search of better support systems and financial stability. Past examples include Francis Obikwelu (Portugal), Gloria Alozie (Spain), and Femi Ogunode (Qatar), all of whom went on to achieve significant success under their new flags

Okowa’s statement serves as a stark warning that without urgent and substantial funding, Nigeria will continue to lose its brightest stars to nations that offer them the stability and opportunity their homeland cannot.