Fasuba Laments Nigeria’s Absence in World Indoor 60m, Calls for Overhaul of Nigerian Athletics System

Former World Indoor 60m champion Olusoji Fasuba has voiced his frustration over Nigeria’s absence in the 60m event at the ongoing World Indoor Championships in Poland.

Fasuba, who made history in 2008 by becoming the first Nigerian and African to win the title, said he was shocked that a country with such a rich sprinting tradition could not field athletes in the event.

Nigeria has long been a force in the 60m. Davidson Ezinwa won bronze in 1997, while Chioma Ajunwa finished fourth in the same edition, also claiming silver in the long jump.

In 2008, alongside Fasuba’s gold, Franca Idoko and Damola Osayomi reached the women’s final, with Idoko recording the fastest semifinal time (7.10).

Endurance Ojokolo featured in three consecutive finals and was part of the Nigerian duo that ran in the final in Maebashi, Japan in 1999 with Joan Uduak Ekah.

Fasuba contrasted this history with recent developments, noting that just last weekend two Nigerian student-athletes reached the NCAA Indoor Championships final in Arkansas, both running inside 6.50 seconds.

Kanyinsola Ajayi’s 6.45 would have been good enough for a podium finish in Poland. Fasuba argued that Nigeria should be developing home-based athletes, as was the case with himself, Ajunwa, Idoko, and Sunday Bada, who won the 400m title in 1997 without being part of the American collegiate system.

In a passionate post on his Facebook page, Fasuba wrote:

‘It honestly hurts to sit and watch the 60m at the World Indoors and not see a single Nigerian athlete in the 60 meters. A country full of talent. A country dominating the NCAA. Yet, no representation when it matters most.

‘And it shouldn’t take our kids going to college abroad to produce fast times. During my time, we trained right there in Nigeria. Myself, Uche Isaac, Franca Idoko-Isaac Oly came through the system, made global finals at the Valencia Indoor 2008, and I went on to win the first ever World Indoor 60 meter gold for Nigeria and Africa.

‘So what has changed? Because this isn’t about ability. The talent has always been there. The difference is the system. We have to ask the hard questions. And more importantly, we have to fix it. Nigeria should be on that track at worlds and not just the NCAA.’