EDITORIAL: Restoring the Soul of Nigerian Athletics—It’s Time to Revive the National Championships

Once upon a time, the Nigerian Track and Field Championships were the crown jewel of the nation’s athletics calendar—an event bursting with pride, identity, and fierce competition.

Athletes vied not only for glory but for tangible rewards, and the atmosphere resonated with purpose.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, thanks to committed sponsors and the efforts of sports consultant Rotimi Obajimi, prize money became a fixture: ₦50,000 for first place was more than symbolic—it was respect.

Fast forward to the present and that sparkle has dimmed. The event is now routinely dubbed the ‘national trials,’ a term that suggests utility over legacy, stripping the championship of its rightful prestige. It is time to stop this erosion. Nigeria’s marquee athletics event must be restored in name, structure, and spirit.

Calling it the Nigerian Track and Field Championships restores national pride. It clarifies the event’s significance as not merely a qualifying event but the highest stage for the nation’s best. That clarity supports media coverage, commercial interest, and fan engagement.

The Athletics Federation of Nigeria must recognize this moment—not as another year to muddle through trials—but as a rallying call to rebuild the championship’s legacy.

At the USATF Outdoor Championships—America’s own selection trials—athletes received prize money that ranges from $8,800 for first place down to $1,100 for seventh. This structure incentivizes performance and honors achievement. Why should Nigeria’s athletes, who train under even more demanding conditions, be denied the same dignity?

A reinstated prize model wouldn’t just recognize success—it would open the door to commercial sponsorship, broadcast deals, and athlete development. Money speaks. It motivates. It markets.

The board should champion prize money restoration, enforce consistent rules, and reestablish the championship’s brand with clarity and confidence. The rebranded event should not only select the nation’s best but celebrate them—and in doing so, inspire the next generation.

Nigeria once upheld strict eligibility rules: those who skipped the national championships without a justifiable excuse forfeited their spots. That discipline was part of what made the championship credible.

Today, leniency and politics threaten that integrity. The AFN must tighten its protocols and protect the sanctity of the competition. No athlete should be above the rules.
The time to act is now. Nigeria’s athletes deserve more than selection—they deserve celebration. Let the trials end. Let the Championship begin.