Nigeria’s 200m record holder, Divine Oduduru , has called on Nigerian athletes to unite and fight against the systemic issues plaguing the country’s athletics administration. His plea comes amid sprinter Favour Ofili’s alleged threat to boycott the upcoming World Athletics Relays in Guangzhou, China, over unresolved grievances.
Oduduru took to his Facebook page on Thursday to emphasize the need for athletes to stand together against what he described as clear injustice rather than turning against one another.
“Until the day Nigeria athletes will wake up and stand up for the right thing, nothing will change. You all should keep on fighting yourself as athletes, forgetting the real problem. Coaches are busy condemning one athlete for another athlete,” Oduduru, the second-fastest Nigerian man in history, stated.
Ofili’s Grievances Spark Controversy
The controversy stems from the erroneous omission of Favour Ofili’s name from the women’s 100m list for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games , despite her meeting all qualifying conditions set by both World Athletics and the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) .
A source close to Ofili revealed that the athlete expressed frustration over the lack of accountability within the federation, stating:
“Developments in Nigerian athletics show that officials don’t reckon with the athletes and therefore choose to do whatever they like because there will not be any consequence.”
Her latest protest followed the selection of some individuals for the trip to China despite being indicted by a panel set up to investigate irregularities during the Paris event.
“It means we (athletes) don’t matter at all. This is very disheartening,” Ofili was quoted as saying.
Mixed Reactions from Athletes
While some athletes sympathize with Ofili, believing she has been wronged and traumatized by the federation’s actions, others have questioned her decision to threaten the AFN.
According to SportsNow.com.ng , Oduduru believes such divisions weaken the athletes’ collective voice. He emphasized that unity is crucial in addressing systemic issues like maladministration and injustice within the federation.
Oduduru’s Plea for Solidarity
Oduduru urged Nigerian athletes to recognize the bigger picture and channel their energy toward holding officials accountable rather than engaging in internal conflicts.
“You all should stop fighting yourselves as athletes and focus on the real enemy,” he said. “Coaches and officials are busy pitting athletes against one another instead of addressing the root causes of these problems.”
He highlighted that only through solidarity can athletes bring about meaningful change in the governance of Nigerian athletics.
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