Akuchukwu Aghazu appointed Head of AFN Road Race Commission
Akuchukwu Aghazu, the Second Vice President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), has been appointed to head the Federation’s Road Race Commission. Her elevation to this role comes amid lingering controversy surrounding her initial selection to the AFN board.
Aghazu’s appointment as a board member drew criticism from stakeholders who questioned her eligibility under the AFN Constitution.
The document reserves one board seat for a Corporate Sponsor, Ex-Officio member, or Philanthropist.
At the time, critics argued that Aghazu did not meet any of these criteria, pointing out that she had no known affiliation with a sponsoring company, was not serving in an ex-officio capacity, and lacked a documented history of philanthropic contributions to Nigerian athletics.
Despite the concerns, Aghazu will now lead a commission tasked with overseeing road racing activities across the country.
The commission includes seasoned professionals such as Yusuf Ali, a former international long jumper and general manager of the Lagos Marathon; Gabriel Okon, a former international athlete and technical director of the AFN; Solomon Aliyu, the Federation’s chief coach and board member; Tayo Popoola, organizer of the Lagos Women’s 10km Road Race; Olawale Olatunji, a certified race course measurer; and Kayode Thomas, an award-winning journalist.
The AFN Road Race Commission is expected to play a pivotal role in expanding and regulating road racing events nationwide, with Aghazu now at the helm of its operations.
