Favour Ofili Blocked Me – AFN President Laments

Favour Ofili Blocked Me – AFN President Laments.
Ofili’s frustration stems from poor athlete welfare and Olympic registration issues.
AFN pledges improved support to prevent future athlete defections.

The president of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Tonobok Okowa, has raised concerns over his inability to reach Nigerian female sprinter, Favour Ofili, amid reports that she may have accepted a lucrative offer to represent Turkey.

Speaking to Making of Champs, Okowa disclosed that Ofili, 22, has completely cut off communication with him and the federation, sparking suspicions about her reported move.

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“I’ve been trying to reach her. We had a strong relationship, even with her family. But suddenly, she blocked everyone. That was when I knew something was wrong,” Okowa said.

Recent reports suggest that Ofili has allegedly accepted a €500,000 offer to switch allegiance to Turkey. While the AFN president noted that nothing has been officially confirmed, he admitted that the federation is increasingly worried about the growing trend of Nigerian athletes opting to compete for other countries due to poor welfare conditions at home.

Okowa revealed that the AFN is working on improving the welfare packages for athletes to prevent further defections. He acknowledged that Ofili’s frustration with the system deepened after the federation failed to register her for key events at the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympics.

Beyond Ofili, several Nigerian athletes have repeatedly voiced dissatisfaction over inadequate support and poor treatment, which has made them vulnerable to enticing offers from foreign countries.

“If Nigeria can invest more in athletes, it will go a long way,” Okowa stressed. “We’re hearing that even countries in the Arab world are adopting similar strategies as Turkey. The concern is not just about Ofili; there may be others considering such moves that we don’t know about yet.”

While Okowa admitted that no official confirmation has been made regarding Ofili’s alleged switch, he acknowledged that such offers are difficult to reject. “She’s an adult, and she’s working closely with her coach. Offers like these are hard to ignore,” he said.

He added that this is not unique to Nigeria, as countries like Jamaica and Kenya are also facing similar situations, with top athletes being targeted by other nations offering financial incentives and citizenship.

Favour Ofili Blocked Me – AFN President Laments

As of the time of this report, Favour Ofili is still officially listed as a Nigerian athlete on the World Athletics platform, and the Turkish Athletics Federation has not made any formal announcement regarding her nationality change.