President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Tonobok Okowa, says the federation will not prevent Nigerian sprint star Favour Ofili from switching her sporting nationality to Turkey, despite widespread surprise and disappointment in the Nigerian sports community.
Speaking with The PUNCH, Okowa admitted to being taken aback by reports that the 22-year-old sprinter, who holds the women’s 150m world record, had opted to represent Turkey.
He noted that the AFN is still awaiting official communication from World Athletics regarding Ofili’s status.
The move comes just three months before the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, where Ofili is among Nigeria’s top medal hopefuls.
The athlete’s alleged switch was first reported by Jamaica-based journalist Kayon Raynor, who revealed that Ofili informed the Athletics Integrity Unit of her frustrations with Nigerian athletics authorities.
In response, Okowa acknowledged the federation’s shortcomings and expressed regret.
“If this is true, it’s sad, disheartening, and painful. However, we’ve not received any formal notification from her or World Athletics. Favour is a promising athlete with tremendous potential,” he said.
Despite the circumstances, Okowa stated the federation would not obstruct her decision.
“From our recent interactions and efforts to bring her fully back into the fold, it now seems she was already exploring other options. She is mature enough to make her own choices. Though painful, we respect her decision and still regard her as one of our own our daughter, sister, and child,” he added.
Okowa also apologized to Nigerians, the National Sports Commission, and fans worldwide who hold Nigerian athletics in high regard.
As of now, World Athletics still lists Ofili as a Nigerian athlete. She is officially qualified to compete at the Tokyo World Championships, scheduled for September 13–21, 2025.
Reports suggest that Turkey has been aggressively recruiting athletes in recent years, offering financial incentives up to $500,000 to athletes willing to switch allegiance particularly targeting talent from countries like Jamaica and Nigeria.
Nigeria has previously lost several elite athletes to other nations due to administrative failings and lack of support.
These include Francis Obikwelu (Portugal), Gloria Alozie (Spain), Florence Ekpo-Umoh (Germany), Salwa Eid Naser (Bahrain), and Femi Ogunode (Qatar), all of whom went on to achieve international success representing their adopted countries.
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