AFN boss Okowa lauds Nigeria’s athletes fighting spirit in Budapest
By Uzor Odigbo
President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Chief Tonobok Okowa, has praised Team Nigeria for what he described as a spirited and encouraging performance at the World Athletics Ultimate Championship in Budapest, Hungary.
Despite the challenges that preceded their participation, Nigeria’s youthful contingent produced a series of competitive displays, reaching the final in four of the five events in which the country competed.
Two performances stood out in particular, with former world record holder Tobi Amusan claiming silver in the women’s 100m hurdles, while Kanyinsola Ajayi narrowly missed out on a podium place in the men’s 100m.
Okowa said the results had reinforced his confidence in the next generation of Nigerian athletes, insisting that the Budapest experience would form part of the country’s preparations for a bigger target, the 2027 World Athletics Championships in China.
“I am very proud of the athletes and the way they represented Nigeria in Budapest. They showed courage, determination and the right competitive spirit despite the circumstances surrounding the team’s participation,” Okowa said.
“This is a young team and the fact that we made it to the final in four of the five events we competed in is very encouraging. Tobi Amusan’s second-place finish and Kanyinsola Ajayi’s near-podium performance in the 100m show that we have athletes capable of competing at the highest level.”
The AFN president said the federation would now shift its attention towards building on the Budapest experience, with the World Championships in China firmly established as the federation’s major priority.
“The team to Budapest is a young one. The World Championship in China next year is the AFN’s big focus. We will continue to work with these athletes, identify areas that need improvement and prepare them properly for the World Championships,” he added.
Okowa also disclosed that Samuel Ogazi, one of Nigeria’s promising young talents, was forced to miss the Budapest championship because of a toe injury.
The absence of Ogazi, the fastest man in the one lap race this year further underlined the challenges faced by the Nigerian team, but Okowa maintained that the performances recorded by those who competed provided plenty of encouragement for the federation.
Okowa stated that, the Budapest campaign was particularly satisfying because it came against the backdrop of serious visa difficulties that threatened to disrupt Nigeria’s participation.
The AFN president, who is also a Senior Vice President of the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA), expressed disappointment over the delay by the Local Organising Committee in sending the necessary visa-support letters to the Hungarian Embassy in Nigeria.
He also criticised what he described as the difficult and uncompromising approach of officials at the Hungarian Embassy towards Nigerian athletes seeking to travel for the championship.
According to him, efforts by prominent Nigerian sports officials to intervene did little to ease the situation.
Okowa acknowledged the intervention of the Chairman of the National Sports Commission, Mallam Shehu Dikko, and the President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee, Engineer Habu Gumel, alongside other prominent figures in Nigerian sports who attempted to assist the team.
Despite those interventions, however, the visa process remained a major obstacle until the athletes for the 100m mixed relay team eventually failed to get visas and ultimately missed the Championship.
The AFN chief believes the difficulties should serve as a lesson ahead of future international competitions, particularly major championships where adequate preparation must include early resolution of travel and visa requirements.
“The athletes should not have to go through this kind of pressure when they are preparing to compete for their country. We must learn from what happened and ensure that everything concerning visas, documentation and logistics is handled much earlier,” Okowa said.
With Budapest now behind them, the AFN is already looking ahead.
Amusan’s silver medal and Ajayi’s narrow miss in the 100m have provided a glimpse of what Nigeria’s emerging generation can achieve, while the return of athletes such as Ogazi from injury should further strengthen the country’s prospects.
Okowa strongly believes that the Budapest results are not the destination but another step in a broader rebuilding process aimed at ensuring Team Nigeria arrives at the World Championships in China better prepared, more experienced and ready to challenge for major honours.
