Osheku Urges Tinubu To Reward Amusan, Track And Field Stars Like Flamingos
Veteran Athletics Coach Says Commonwealth Games And Youth Olympic Gold Medalists Also Deserve Presidential Recognition
Foremost Nigerian athletics coach Tony Osheku has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to extend the presidential rewards given to the Flamingos to the country’s track and field athletes who have also won continental and global honours.
The Federal Government rewarded each member of Nigeria’s victorious U-17 women’s team with a ₦100m savings bond following their historic FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup triumph in Morocco. Head coach Akeem Busari received ₦100m in cash, while members of the technical crew were awarded ₦50m each.
While commending Tinubu for recognising sporting excellence and increasing government investment in sports, Osheku said athletics achievers should also benefit from the President’s reward initiative.
‘Like the Flamingos, the track and field team also won gold in an underage competition,” Osheku said.
He specifically called for recognition of the team led by world 100m hurdles champion Tobi Amusan, who won silver at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
The veteran coach also wants Nigeria’s medallists at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games and the three athletes who won gold at the Youth Olympic Games in Dakar this week to receive presidential rewards.
Osheku’s appeal comes with considerable coaching pedigree. He guided Falilat Ogunkoya to two medals at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, winning silver in the 4x400m relay and bronze in the individual 400m.
Under his guidance, Ogunkoya also established the African 400m record of 49.10 seconds, which remains unbeaten nearly three decades later.
In 1998, she completed the 200m and 400m double at the African Championships, won 400m gold at the World Cup in Athletics and the Grand Prix Final, and rose to world number one in the 400m.
Osheku believes the rewards given to the Flamingos should send a similar message to athletes in other sports, particularly track and field, which has consistently delivered medals for Nigeria at major international competitions.
“These athletes train on the same bad tracks, compete in the same heat, and still bring home gold for Nigeria. They deserve to be celebrated like champions too,” he said.
He argued that recognising Amusan, the Commonwealth Games medallists and the Youth Olympic gold medallists would further encourage young Nigerian athletes to pursue excellence and believe that their achievements will receive national recognition.
