President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Tonobok Okowa, has claimed that sprinter Favour Ofili’s decision to switch allegiance from Nigeria to Turkey was motivated by financial gain, contrary to the athlete’s explanation.
Speaking in an interview with ESPN, Okowa confirmed that both World Athletics and Ofili had officially notified the AFN of her switch. While Ofili attributed her decision to administrative lapses by Nigerian sports officials at the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Okowa insisted her reasons were not genuine.
“Ofili herself knows the whole truth. This is all about money. She and her coach are trying to make some money,” Okowa said.
He added that though he had no objection to her personal choice, he objected to her public claims.
“If she wants to go, it’s okay. She’s an adult, but she should stop using these reasons as her excuse,” he said.
Okowa also pointed to the rising number of athletes from Kenya, Jamaica, and other countries switching to Turkey, suggesting financial incentives were the driving factor.
Ofili, however, maintained in a social media post that her decision was rooted in frustration with Nigerian sports authorities. She cited her exclusion from competition in Tokyo due to missed tests and the failure to register her for the women’s 100m event in Paris as major disappointments.
The 22-year-old, who holds the world record in the women’s 150m, stressed that her move was “from the heart, not financial motives.”
Ofili now joins a long list of Nigerian athletes who have switched nationalities, including Francis Obikwelu, Gloria Alozie, Florence Ekpo-Umoh, Salwa Eid Naser, and Femi Ogunode, many of whom went on to excel under new flags.
