Nigeria’s sports economy can be strongly boosted through athletics, says Okon
By Uzor Odigbo
The technical director of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Gabriel Okon, has expressed the view that Nigeria’s Sports Economy could be strongly harnessed through athletics.
Okon who has just returned from the World Athletics Championships also an ex- athlete, noted that Nigeria is endowed with numerous talented athletes who have made positive strides in promoting the country’s image internationally.
He called on the National Sports Commission (NSC) to take concrete steps in providing sufficient financial support for the development of these athletes.
“As of today, Tobi Amusan, Nigeria’s 100mH World Champion, holds a record time of (12:12s.) by harnessing Amusan’s achievement, Nigeria can encourage others to take up sports, but this endeavor requires substantial funding. Examples from South Africa, Jamaica, and other nations demonstrate how world-class athletes can drive sports development through targeted investments,” he said.
The AFN Technical Director criticized the frequent rhetoric of insufficient funds expressed by the government regarding adequate funding for athletics in Nigeria.
“We don’t just attend championships, we also learnt from how others are achieving their podium finish,” he said.
He emphasized that countries achieving podium finishing in World Athletics Championships and Olympic Games invested heavily in their athletes over multiple seasons.
He argued that sports funding should come from consolidated investment funds rather than yearly budgetary allocations or personal funds.
According to him, athletes require training grants, competitions, trainers, medical care, equipment, and welfare, none of which should be compromised due to lack of funds.
Okon noted that countries like Turkey, Qatar, Spain, and Saudi Arabia lure athletes from other nations with substantial funding, leading some to change their names and forgo recognition under their birth names.
The coach also stressed that Nigerian athletics require substantial funding, as the current ad-hoc approach has hindered the country’s ability to achieve podium finishes.
