A Ministerial Committee established by former Sports Minister John Enoh has recommended that The AFN compensate Favour Ofili with N8 million Naira only.
The sum is for the disappointment and depression she suffered on account of her omission from the women’s 100Meters event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games
On Monday, the panel, through a press release signed by the investigative chairman committee, Dr. Mumini Alao, 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.
“Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) by vicarious implication should pay the athlete, Favour Ofili, a symbolic compensation of N8million Naira only
(about $5,000 US Dollars) for the disappointment and depression that she suffered on account of her omission from the women’s 100 meters event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games”.
Compensate Favour Ofili: The Findings
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.”
Also, the report notes 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 criticized 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.”
