Former African record holder in the men’s 100m, Olusoji Fasuba, has strongly recommended an overhaul of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN)by getting rid of officials whose only aim is to secure positions.
A member of the Nigerian bronze medal-winning team in the 4 x 100 metres relay at the 2004 Olympic Games, Fasuba made this observation on the back of the country’s average outing at the recent African Senior Athletics Championships in Douala, Cameroon, where it finished third behind South Africa and Kenya with five gold, four silver and four bronze medals.
In a statement on his Facebook page on Tuesday, Fasuba recalled some of his continental exploits and advised the country to first focus on conquering Africa and shift focus from conquering the Olympics.
“Looking back at my first championship in 2004, held in Congo Brazzaville, I had no idea that I would go on to win the African Championship 100m event three times. My journey continued with victories in Mauritius in 2006 and Ethiopia in 2008,” stated the UK-based whose African record of 9.85 seconds stood for many years until Akani Simbine broke it in July 2021 with 9.84 seconds.
He continued, “As a nation, we are so focused on conquering the Olympics, yet we haven’t fully conquered Africa. It’s crucial for us to return to the drawing board and genuinely listen to those who can lead us to success, rather than individuals whose primary aim is to secure positions as officials. Our athletes have the potential, but we need the right support and guidance to truly excel on the continental stage and beyond.”
Fasuba won the African Championships in 100 metres in 2004, won the silver medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games behind Asafa Powell, and was the indoor world champion over 60 metres in 2008, becoming the first African to complete the feat.