Nigeria’s first Olympic gold medalist, Chioma Ajunwa-Oparah, has expressed deep concern over the increasing number of Nigerian athletes changing nationality, blaming it on poor leadership in the country’s sports sector.
Ajunwa made this known in reaction to reports that top Nigerian sprinter, Favour Ofili, has switched allegiance to Turkey. The news stirred conversations online, with many sports fans questioning why Nigeria keeps losing top talents to other nations.
Reacting on her official X (formerly Twitter) handle, Ajunwa wrote, “The Nigerian sports federation needs a lot of work. Losing Nigerian citizens to other countries like Turkey is a sign of bad leadership. From athletics to football and other sports, we have amazing talents who end up winning medals, flying the flags of other countries.”
Ajunwa, who made history at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics by winning gold in the women’s long jump, said the trend of athletes leaving Nigeria is not new but has worsened in recent years. She emphasized that without serious reforms in the way sports is managed in the country, more athletes will continue to leave.
She also noted that Nigerian athletes are not just leaving because of financial reasons, but because of the lack of proper structure, support, and vision from those in charge of sports federations.