Tokyo, Japan – Omo, di Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) don respond to di gbas gbos wey Tobi Amusan talk for social media. Tobi wey be world record holder for di 100m hurdles, don cry say dem give am and her padi dem low-quality kits for di 2025 World Championships wey dey happen for Tokyo.
Tobi no carry last o! She express her vex on Snapchat, show say while other countries dey swag with proper luggage full of jerseys and gear, na only small nylon bag wey contain two questionable outfit dem give her. Talk am say, “This country will steadily embarrass you. Una come say make people nor switch allegiance? Una never ready!” (E be like say she don tire to dey carry sense for dem!)
As di wahala don burst, social media no fit rest. Nigerians begin dey drag past stories wey concern welfare of athletes, dey remind everybody say this no be di first time dem dey complain. But as expected, AFN President Tonobok Okowa no gree say Tobi dey speak di truth.
Okowa talk am for Sunday PUNCH say di federation give Tobi and di rest of di athletes di proper kits according to wetin dem agree with Hiracer, di company wey dey sponsor athletes from 20 countries. He vex say Tobi only show one kit wey no represent wetin dem really give her. Okowa call explain, “Nothing wrong with di kits. Tobi Amusan only bring one pack out of di pack wey dem give her.”
In case you think say nothing dey happen for di matter, dem even get spike shoes and covers wey come free of charge from Hiracer. Okowa admit say di only wahala na travel bag wey dem no give dem, but World Athletics as usual don provide bags for all di athletes. Na so e be for Nigeria, our own na to jaga-jaga small things. Small wonder say we dey shine our eyes for dis type of things!
To make matters sweeter, Okowa don drop gist wey say Hiracer go dey give podium bonuses to athletes wey win medal. Gold medallist go pocket $30,000, silver go carry $20,000 and bronze go see $10,000. So Tobi and di rest suppose focus well, run am strong, dem fit chop better money for pocket.
Na so Okowa talk say dem even gather di athletes for meeting on September 11 to drop di motivation and made dem know di bonuses wey dey wait for dem. “I was surprised dat dis happen. I don’t know who pushed Tobi,” Okowa reason. E no fit hide sense for di matter na, because Tobi dey flight enter Tokyo make she dey ride business class – di only one wey fly am na she. Her teammates dey bushmode, she dey flex! Even Okowa confirm say na only dat special request na she make.
Hiracer also confirmed say everything dey okay, di distribution na same for all countries. Na dem be di one wey dey kit athletes from places like Nigeria, Algeria, Zambia, and more. Dis wahala just dey shine spotlight on di uneasy relationship wey dey between Nigerian athletes and di federation. Tobi, wey don bag gold medal for di 2022 World Championships, don dey raise her voice before about welfare matter. Dis wahala don dey bring distraction for di team as dem dey try focus resemble lions.
As di championships dey go from September 13 to 21, na di 15-athlete Nigerian team dey shine for hurdles. As dem dey carry silverware and reputation for mata, Okowa don appeal say, “We need dem to concentrate, shun all distractions, and focus on their competitions.” Dem dey fight for gold but e be like say di fight don begin before dem even set leg for di track! Na so di story be.
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