By Flinster Austin
Published on 2024-03-12 02:08:32
President of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Tonobok Okowa, is calling on track and field stars to aim for gold at the ongoing 13th African Games in Ghana as the federation celebrates its 80th-year anniversary. Okowa’s message comes as the last batch of Nigeria’s contingent departs for Ghana. The final group consists of home-based athletes who have been training in Abuja in preparation for the Games.
In an interview with The Guardian, Okowa expressed his hope that the track and field stars will help Team Nigeria achieve success in Ghana by surpassing the number of gold medals won in their previous outing in Rabat, Morocco. He emphasized the importance of acknowledging the vision and hard work of the founding fathers of athletics by celebrating AFN’s 80 years of existence.
The AFN, originally known as the Amateur Athletics Association of Nigeria (AAAN), was established on March 11, 1944. The anniversary of the AFN has often gone unrecognized despite being significant milestones in the history of athletics. The founding of the athletics body took place in Lagos at a historic meeting attended by five Nigerians and 10 British expatriates. Among the Nigerians present were T. E Achibong, James Harding Ekperigin, Luke Emejulu, S. O. Jolaoso, and S.M Oduba, while the expatriates included F. K. Butler, P. W. Price, A. H Clift, N. S Clouston, L. J Lewis, and T. B. Welch. Additionally, E. A. Miller, G. Wilson, R. G. Henderson, and Capt. Donald Henry Holley were in attendance.
Capt. Holley, who also served as the founding chairman of the Nigeria Football Association, was selected as the chairman of the inaugural AFN meeting. The honorary secretary was V.B.V Powell, with assistance from Nigerian S. Oyebola Jolaoso. Together, they organized the first All Nigeria Open Athletics Championship in Ibadan in 1947. Furthermore, they hosted the first inter-colonial championship between Nigeria and the Gold Coast (now Ghana) in Lagos in 1947, along with another athletics championship at the Police Ground in Obalende, Lagos.
As Nigeria’s athletes continue to showcase their talents at the 13th African Games, Okowa and the AFN are encouraging them to strive for excellence and bring honor to their country. The celebration of the federation’s 80th-year anniversary serves as a reminder of the rich history and tradition of athletics in Nigeria, as well as a tribute to those who laid the foundation for the sport’s development in the country. By aiming for gold and representing Nigeria with pride and determination, the track and field stars have the opportunity to make their mark on the history of Nigerian athletics and contribute to the legacy of success that the AFN has established over the past eight decades.
