Okon replaces Onikeku as AFN Technical Director after Ofiligate scandal
Justice may have been partially served for Favour Ofili following the appointment of Gabriel Okon as head of the technical subcommittee of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN). Ofili—primarily known for her strength in other sprint events—was excluded from the 100m race at the Paris 2024 Olympics, despite meeting the qualification standards set by both World Athletics and the AFN. This came shortly after she clocked a strong 10.78s with a marginal tailwind.
A Ministerial Investigative Committee, tasked with probing Nigeria’s poor showing at the Games—including what has been dubbed “Ofiligate”—found two members of the previous AFN board culpable. One of them, then-technical head Samuel Onikeku, admitted he learned of Ofili’s non-registration two weeks before the event but chose not to escalate it.
The committee indicted him for what it called an error of judgment, noting that early reporting might have allowed her to be registered.
‘Conclusive evidence also revealed that the Technical Director of AFN, Mr. Samuel Onikeku demonstrated POOR JUDGEMENT by not reporting nor acting on information about the non-registration of his own athlete, Favour Ofili, for the women’s 100 meters event when he first got a “hint” of the “rumour.”
‘Ofili’s situation might have been rescued if the Technical Director had reported or acted immediately on the information that he received. Mr. Onikeku should be SANCTIONED by the Board of AFN of which he is a member,’ the Committee wrote in its report.
Despite widespread criticism, Onikeku retained his role as technical director under the previous board led by Tonobok Okowa. However, with the emergence of a new and disputed AFN board, the tide appears to have turned—Onikeku has now been relegated to a regular committee member, while the experienced and widely respected Gabriel Okon takes over leadership of the technical subcommittee.
