Olympic Saga: Committee recommends compensation for Ofili, indicts top AFN officials

A Ministerial Committee established by former Sports Minister John Enoh has uncovered serious administrative failings that contributed to Team Nigeria’s poor showing at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

According to a report by the Guardian Newspapers on Monday, the panel, among other things, recommended disciplinary action against key officials in the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), including the federation’s Secretary General, Rita Mosindi, and Technical Director, Samuel Onikeku.

In its findings, the committee stated: “The Secretary General of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Rita Mosindi, should be penalised by the appropriate authority for negligence in her duties. She was unable to provide convincing evidence to our committee to support her claim that she submitted important documents relating to the registration of athlete Favour Ofili in the 100 meters to the Ministry of Sports Development and the Nigeria Olympic Committee.”

The report went on to note that “Rita’s reliance on social media—WhatsApp messaging as her only means of official communication does not speak well of her competence as an administrative officer.”

The panel also criticised Technical Director Samuel Onikeku, who dismissed reports of Ofili’s omission as mere “rumour.” The committee asserted: “Our committee is strongly of the view that the AFN technical director made poor judgment by not reporting such an important ‘hint’ or ‘rumor’ about his own athlete’s omission from an Olympic Games event, even if only to cross-check its veracity or otherwise.”

For her distressing experience, the committee recommended a compensation of N8 million for sprinter Favour Ofili, who was shockingly omitted from the registration list for the 100-metre event despite being fully qualified.

Nigeria’s campaign in Paris ended without a single medal, marking the nation’s eighth Olympic appearance without any podium finishes and exposing a series of organisational failures.

The omission of qualified athletes, including Ofili, added to the frustration and embarrassment surrounding the country’s performance.

PREMIUM TIMES gathered that the committee, established in response to widespread backlash over Nigeria’s Olympic “show of shame,” submitted its findings to the minister shortly before he was reassigned to another portfolio by the Presidency.

Extracts from the report, obtained by The Guardian over the weekend, also highlighted a major communication gap among personnel in the Sports Ministry, AFN, and the Nigerian Olympic Committee (NOC).

The committee recommended the creation of a “Code of Governance Document,” to establish a clear protocol for interactions among officials of these organizations.
This document would outline how the ministry, NOC, and sports federations should coordinate in managing athlete registrations and other overlapping responsibilities at major international events, including the Olympics, Commonwealth Games, and African Games.

The panel urged that the proposed Code of Governance be developed collaboratively by the Ministry of Sports (now National Sports Commission), NOC, and sports federations to ensure more streamlined communication.

Ofili’s frustration

After the disappointment of missing the Tokyo Olympics due to administrative mishaps, Ofili had to voice her frustration after learning of her exclusion from the 100 meters in Paris.

“It is with great regret that I have just been told I will not be competing in the 100 meters at this Olympic Games. I qualified, but those with the AFN and NOC failed to enter me. I have worked for 4 years to earn this opportunity. For what?” she wrote on Instagram just before the sprint event began at the Olympic Games.

The 21-year-old athlete has had a stellar season, excelling in collegiate competitions and winning numerous races, including the National trials in Benin City, Edo State, in the lead-up to the Olympics.

A rising star since she competed in the 2019 World Championships at age 16, Ofili’s swift ascent to the senior ranks had positioned her as one of Nigeria’s best prospects for the Games.

The larger picture

Despite spending billions of Naira, Nigeria’s Olympic delegation returned from Paris without a medal, marking another unproductive outing.

Nigeria’s last medal drought occurred in London in 2012, a situation slightly mitigated by the success of the country’s Paralympic athletes, who brought home seven medals, including two golds, three silvers, and two bronzes, from the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

However, even these results fell short of previous performances by Nigeria’s Paralympic team, highlighting the ongoing challenges within Nigeria’s sports administration.

The committee’s report, which sheds light on systemic inefficiencies and recommends actionable reforms, aims to foster accountability and improvement ahead of future global competitions.

The seven-member panel, chaired by journalist Mumuni Alao, consisted of respected representatives from various regions, including Aliyu Mohammed (North-West), Rakiya Muhammed (North-Central), Godwin Enakhena (South-South), Abubakar Ango (North-East), and Nnene Akudo (South-East), with Victor Okangbe (South-South) serving as the committee’s secretary.