₦airaland Forum

Former Nigerian sprint sensation Favour Ofili has officially confirmed her switch of nationality to Turkey after being left out of Team Nigeria’s squad for the upcoming World Athletics Championship in Tokyo, News360 Nigeria reports.

In a statement shared on her X handle @FavOfili, the 21-year-old sprinter revealed that she has “started a new chapter representing Turkey,” while expressing gratitude for her years competing for Nigeria.

“Having won six gold medals, two silvers, and two bronze medals in championship meets and becoming a 200m finalist, I have also experienced the biggest disappointment from AFN and the NOC towards me,” she wrote.

Ofili explained that the final straw was being excluded from the 100m event of the Paris 2024 Olympics and missing the Tokyo 2020 Games due to administrative negligence by the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN).

“Negligence towards me in Olympic (Tokyo/Paris)."

"I have made this decision…while that means sitting out this year’s World Championship in Tokyo, this change comes from the heart, not from any financial motives."

"I’m truly grateful to have discovered a new home in Turkey,” she added.

The athlete described her 2025 season as “a whirlwind of new experiences and big decisions,” praising the opportunity to compete internationally and learn from elite athletes.

femi4:
End of an era...the naija spirit has left her. Hope turkiye won't use n dump her

melzabull:
Did Nigeria not fail her?? It's far much better for turkey to use and dump her than labouring in vain for your useless country of birth.

femi4:
End of an era...the naija spirit has left her. Hope turkiye won't use n dump her

femi4:
Time will tell


28 more characters neededdddddd

wellmax:
Her choice. But Turkey will always see her as a means to an end and she will be considered 2nd class and NEVER Turkish.

HarunaWest:
If only footballers had this sort of opportunity, many for don decamp.

Brendaniel:
Later some people will be asking why Simon Ekpa turned from a Nigerian patriot to a Nigerian hater, well this is one of the reason....

Hespee93:
The hate for Nigeria has revealed how dump many are.


She wasn’t included in a selection because there are other better options ahead of her.

Is it the first time a country will dump her athletes due to the fact that there are more better options ahead?

femi4:
End of an era...the naija spirit has left her. Hope turkiye won't use n dump her

wellmax:
Her choice. But Turkey will always see her as a means to an end and she will be considered 2nd class and NEVER Turkish.

Eraddray:
there's wide difference between switching Allegiance and terrorism