Nigeria’s 200m record holder, Divine Oduduru, has called on fellow athletes to unite and stand against systemic injustice and poor administration in Nigerian athletics.
Oduduru made this appeal via his Facebook page on Thursday, following the controversy surrounding sprinter Favour Ofili, whose name was reportedly omitted from the women’s 100m list for the Paris 2024 Olympics despite meeting all eligibility requirements.
The two officials—Samuel Onikeku and Rita Mosindi—were named in the investigative panel’s report.
While Mosindi has been redeployed, Onikeku continues as head of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria’s (AFN) technical sub-committee.
Oduduru, the second fastest Nigerian man in history, expressed his disappointment with the lack of collective action among athletes.
“Until the day Nigeria athletes will wake up and stand up for the right thing, nothing will change,” he wrote.
“You all should keep on fighting yourselves as athletes, forgetting the real problem.”
While some support Ofili’s stance, others have questioned her threat to boycott the World Athletics Relays set for next weekend in Guangzhou, China.
Oduduru’s comments add to growing concerns about accountability and athlete welfare within Nigerian sports administration.
