The director general of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Hon. Bukola Olopade, has urged the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) to seize the opportunity presented by the upcoming 3rd Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) U18/U20 Championship in Abeokuta, Ogun State, to nurture the next Favour Ofili.
He emphasised the importance of developing talent that can represent Nigeria proudly at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow next year and the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028.
Olopade made these remarks during a press conference in Abuja to announce the championship. He expressed skepticism regarding reports of Ofili’s potential switch of allegiance to Turkey, citing the absence of any official communication on the matter. He called on the AFN to fulfil its duty of cultivating new athletic talent for Nigeria.
“The NSC is fully responsible for hosting and organising the CAA U18/U20 Championships, while the AFN, as a competing federation, should focus on identifying and developing talents capable of surpassing Ofili if she indeed chooses to represent Turkey,” Olopade stated.
He extended his gratitude to the CAA for clarifying that the NSC is tasked with organising this event, rather than the AFN. “The AFN must concentrate on producing athletes who can outperform Ofili, Tobi, and others, regardless of their allegiance to Nigeria,” he added.
Olopade reiterated that the AFN’s primary objective should be to cultivate emerging talents who can compete with established athletes in preparation for the Commonwealth Games and the 2028 Olympic Games, reflecting the aspirations of the entire nation.
Furthermore, he clarified that neither Ofili nor World Athletics has officially communicated any change in allegiance, reaffirming Nigeria’s desire to retain Ofili as part of its athletic roster.
