Nigeria’s first individual Olympic gold medallist, Chioma Ajunwa, has condemned the failure of sports administrators following the reported nationality switch of top sprinter Favour Ofili from Nigeria to Turkey.
Reacting to the growing trend of elite athletes dumping Nigeria for other nations, Ajunwa said the mass exodus reflected deeply rooted leadership failures within the country’s sports federations.
“The Nigerian sports federation needs a lot of work,” Ajunwa posted on her official X account.
“Losing Nigerian citizens to other countries like Turkey is a sign of bad leadership. From athletics to football and other sports, we have amazing talents who end up winning medals, flying the flags of other countries”.
Ajunwa’s comments come amid backlash over Ofili’s reported decision to represent Turkey, just months before the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
The development sparked outrage among fans and stakeholders, especially given the athlete’s stature as the women’s 150m world record holder and one of Nigeria’s brightest medal hopes.
Ajunwa made history at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics when she became the first Nigerian to win Olympic gold, and the first black African woman to achieve the feat in a field event. A former footballer who also represented Nigeria at the FIFA Women’s World Cup, Ajunwa remains the only woman to have competed at both the Olympics and the senior women’s World Cup.
Her criticism adds to the chorus of disappointment following confirmation from Athletics Federation of Nigeria president, Tonobok Okowa, that the federation would not stop Ofili from changing national allegiance, despite expressing shock at the move.
Okowa admitted that the AFN had failed the 22-year-old sprinter on multiple occasions, although he said the federation had made efforts to keep her within the national fold, including the payment of training grants earlier in the year.
“If this is true, it is sad, disheartening and painful,” Okowa stated.
“But we are yet to get any official statement from her or from World Athletics on her request. She is old enough to decide what’s best for her but it is painful and hard to take for us.”

The Nigeria Basketball Federation has released a 20-player provisional roster ahead of the 2025 FIBA Women’s Afrobasket tournament set to hold in the Ivory Coast this summer.
The provisional list includes the core of the side that won the last Afrobasket tournament in Kigali, Rwanda in 2023 plus a mixture of emerging talents.
Headlining the squad are experienced veterans Ezinne Kalu and Promise Amukamara, plus there is a spot for star girl and Besiktas ace Amy Okonkwo. Nicole Enabosi and Lauren Ebo are also included, while Victoria Macaulay makes a long-awaited return to the national team set-up.
Meanwhile, Solape Amusan earns only a second call-up while Grace Efosa has been given a maiden invite by Wakama. Defensive stalwarts in Pallas Kunaiyi and Murjanatu Musa are ever features on the list, as well as Elizabeth Balogun, Ifunaya Okoro, Olawuyi Adenike, Christabel Ezumah, Vera Ojenuwa, Izoje Uche, Gift Uchenna, Ugonne Onyiah, Blessing Ejiofor and Abiodun Damilola Yusuf.
The coach Rena Wakama-led side are the reigning holders of the continental competition and will be looking to win an unprecedented fifth consecutive title when the team touches down in the Francophone nation.

The Director General of the National Sports Commission, Hon. Bukola Olopade, has reaffirmed that Favour Ofili remains a Nigerian athlete, dispelling recent speculation about her purported switch of allegiance to Turkey.
Speaking at the World Press Conference on Wednesday for the Confederation of African Athletics U-18 and U-20 Championships in Abuja, Olopade, who also serves as Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, categorically stated that there is no official confirmation of any nationality change for the elite sprinter.
“Favour Ofili is still representing Nigeria. She wrote to the NSC two months ago, reaffirming her commitment to compete for Nigeria,” Olopade said.
“When I resumed as DG of NSC I called her personally and she confirmed her allegiance to Nigeria.”
The NSC DG further revealed that Ofili is one of 69 athletes who received financial grants from the commission in April 2025, underlining her active participation in national development programmes.