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President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Tonobok Okowa, has stated that the federation will not prevent Favour Ofili, Nigeria’s 150m world record holder, from switching her nationality to Turkey, despite widespread shock and disappointment within the Nigerian sporting community.
Okowa, in a statement released to journalists, expressed his surprise at the reported development, noting that the federation had not yet received official confirmation from World Athletics regarding the switch.
The 22-year-old athlete’s move comes just three months ahead of the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
The news of Ofili’s switch first surfaced through Jamaican-based journalist Kayon Raynor, who claimed that the sprinter had communicated her frustrations with the Nigerian Athletics Federation to the Athletics Integrity Unit, paving the way for her allegiance change to the European nation.
Reacting to the report, Okowa admitted that Ofili had not been given adequate support in the past but emphasized that efforts had been made this year to provide assistance, including the disbursement of a training grant.
“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 on her request. She is a promising athlete with huge potential,” Okowa said.
“From the moves we have been making to get her fully prepared and back to the big athletics family and her responses, it’s also clear that she had been preparing and working on her newfound Turkish love.
She is old enough to decide what’s best for her, but it is painful and hard to take for us. However, we will not stop her. She is still our child, sister, and daughter.”
Okowa also issued an apology to Nigerians and stakeholders in the sporting sector, saying, “We want to apologise 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.”
As of press time, World Athletics still lists Ofili as a Nigerian athlete. The sprinter is among those who have qualified to represent Nigeria at the World Championships in Tokyo, scheduled for September 13 to 21.
Her move highlights a growing trend of Nigerian athletes seeking opportunities abroad due to administrative lapses and lack of adequate support at home. Countries like Turkey, Qatar, Bahrain, and Germany have increasingly benefited from this exodus.
Notable examples include Francis Obikwelu (Portugal), Gloria Alozie (Spain), Florence Ekpo-Umoh (Germany), Salwa Eid Naser (Bahrain), and Femi Ogunode (Qatar), all of whom found greater success competing for their adopted nations.
Reports indicate that the Turkish Athletics Federation has been actively recruiting international talents and is offering lucrative incentives, with figures reportedly as high as $500,000, to attract top-tier athletes from countries like Jamaica and now Nigeria.
