Former national 400 m hurdler, Henry Amike has described Favour Ofili‘s decision to switch her international allegiance from Nigeria to Turkey as “a major loss” and “an embarrassment” for the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN).
“One of the Greatest Athletes of All Time”
In a recent interview, Amike said Ofili’s exit robs Nigeria of one of its brightest talents.
“I must be very honest about the outcome of what we had in respect of our great athletes in the person of Ofili and what Ofili stands for in this country.”
“Ofili is one of the greatest athletes of all time because she holds the national record in the 200 meters, which is not easy to do.”
”That means she’s one of the best in the world.”
Olympic Fallout Blamed on AFN
Amike traced Favour Ofili’s disenchantment to the 2024 Olympic cycle, when administrative wrangling reportedly kept her out of the 100 m lineup.
“Having said that, there are some issues surrounding her in the last three years, and that compounded into the Olympic Games when issues happened between herself and the AFN crew in respect of fielding her or not fielding her, and that led to her not competing in the 100 meters, which was a world disaster for Nigeria.”
“It’s an embarrassment to the country and to AFN.”
“Together We Can Make It Better”
While empathising with the sprinter, Amike urged athletes to stay and help reform Nigerian athletics rather than leave for other nations.
“As an athlete, if I had an opportunity, I would have spoken to her.”
”Your country is your country. We have weaknesses, and together we can make it better.”
“So I don’t think the decision she made is the best decision, but she’s Ofili.”
“She has a mind of her own, and probably she has been put to the wall. I don’t think that’s the first time she’s had confrontation with the AFN.”
”having said that, I still believe that your country, your home is your home.”
Background
-
Favour Ofili, 22, holds the Nigerian national record of 21.96 s in the women’s 200 m.
-
She reportedly finalised a transfer of allegiance to Turkey last week, citing recurring disputes with AFN officials.
-
Ofili sprang to prominence at LSU in the United States, winning multiple NCAA titles and global age‑group medals for Nigeria.
With Favour Ofili now eligible to compete for Turkey upon completion of World Athletics’ transfer formalities, Nigeria’s sprint roster for the 2025 World Championships has suffered a significant blow.
