The president of Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Chief Tonobok Okowa has lauded the introduction of Ben Aghazu Prize for Excellence ahead of the forthcoming national trisls in Lagos.

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Sports247 reports that Okowa also showered encomiums on AFN’s second vice-president, Akuchukwu Chineze Aghazu for floating the elaborate cash prizes in honour of her late father, Ben Aghazu.

It was further gathered that, under the scheme, outstanding athletes will get N100,000 each for achieving performance standards in 14 events during the natuonal trials holding from June 20th to 22th at Yaba College ofTechnology, Lagos.

Aghazu also announced that two exceptional coaches, one male and a female, have already been selected to receive the athletics excellence award for tacticians in various track and field events.

In reaction to the development, Okowa expressed delight with the initiative, which he described as a commendable gesture that will inspire athletes to put in extra efforts towards getting better results during the trials.

Okowa declared, “I am excited by this thoughtful initiative from our second vice-president, Aku Aghazu. This is the kind of support that motivates our home-based athletes to give their very best during these all-important Commonwealth Games Trials.”

Okowa, who is also the senior vice-president of Confederation of African Athletics (CAA), used the opportunity to call on corporate organisations and philanthropists to support athletics and invest in the country’s sporting talents.

“We appeal to individuals, corporate bodies and stakeholders in the private sector to throw their weight behind athletics and our athletes. There is enormous talent in Nigeria and with the right support, our athletes can continue to make the nation proud on the global stage,” Okowa solicited.

AFN’s media committee chairman, Maxwell Kumoye added in a press statement, “The Ben Aghazu Prize for Excellence in Athletics covers the men’s and women’s 100m, 200m, 400m, 1500m and 5000m, as well as the long jump and javelin events.

“To earn the N100,000 reward in the men’s 100m, an athlete must clock 10.10 seconds, while the women’s benchmark is 11.20 seconds.

“In the 200m, male athletes must run 20.60 seconds, while female athletes are required to achieve 22.70 seconds. The qualifying standards for the 400m are 45.30 seconds for men and 51.00 seconds for women.

“For the 1500m, athletes must run 3:50.00 for men and 4:20.00 for women to claim the prize, while the 5000m standards have been fixed at 14:00.00 for men and 17:50.00 for women.

“Field event athletes have also been included in the incentive package. Male long jumpers must soar to 7.90 metres, while female athletes are expected to reach 6.50 metres. In the javelin throw, the targets are 81 metres for men and 55 metres for women.

“Should athletes meet the required marks across all 14 events, a total of N1.6 million could be disbursed during the three-day competition, (ahead of which) the scheme sends a powerful message that outstanding performances will be recognised and celebrated.”

Sports247 gathered further that, with the Commonwealth Games trials fast approaching, athletes now have an added incentive to produce world-class performances with Aghazu’s gesture, which honours the legacy of her late father.

The post AFN President Tonobok Okowa Lauds Introduction Of Ben Aghazu Cash Prizes Ahead Of National Athletics Trials  first appeared on Sports247 Nigeria.

The post AFN President Tonobok Okowa Lauds Introduction Of Ben Aghazu Cash Prizes Ahead Of National Athletics Trials  appeared first on Sports247 Nigeria.

Director General of the National Sports Commission, Bukola Olopade, has stressed that athlete welfare and proper preparation will remain central to Team Nigeria’s ambitions ahead of the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

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Speaking during a strategic meeting with sports federation executives and technical officials in Abuja, Olopade revealed that the Commission is determined to provide athletes with the right environment and support needed to compete successfully.

“Athlete welfare remains a top priority for us,” Olopade said.

According to the NSC boss, the Commission’s preparation plans will focus heavily on discipline, improved support systems, and performance standards across all sports federations.

“We want our athletes to compete under the best possible conditions,” he implied.

Olopade also challenged Team Nigeria to aim for at least 20 medals at the Games, insisting the target remains ambitious but achievable.

“We are targeting a minimum of 20 medals,” he noted.

The sports administrator explained that current projections suggest Nigeria could secure around 16 medals, but the Commission wants athletes to push beyond expectations.

“The idea is to motivate the athletes to achieve more,” he added.

Olopade stressed that athlete welfare, discipline, and strong preparation would remain major benchmarks in the Commission’s roadmap ahead of the Games.

“Every federation must raise its standards,” he stressed.

The NSC remains optimistic that the groundwork currently being laid will help Nigeria produce one of its strongest Commonwealth Games performances in recent years.

“Good preparation and proper welfare can improve performances significantly,” many sports observers believe.

Team Nigeria is expected to compete across several sporting events as preparations continue intensifying ahead of Glasgow 2026.

For Bukola Olopade, the message is clear.

Athlete welfare is important.

Nigeria must aim for at least 20 medals.

And strong preparation remains essential for international success.

Because athletes perform best when they are motivated, supported, and properly prepared to compete at the highest level.

The post Bukola Olopade Prioritises Athlete Welfare While Targeting 20 Medals At Commonwealth Games first appeared on Sports247 Nigeria.

The post Bukola Olopade Prioritises Athlete Welfare While Targeting 20 Medals At Commonwealth Games appeared first on Sports247 Nigeria.

The recently concluded NCAA Outdoor Athletics Championships once again underscored the strength of the American collegiate sports system, a model widely regarded as one of the world’s most successful talent development pathways.

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From record-breaking performances to qualification standards achieved for major international events, Nigerian and African athletes competing in the United States continued to showcase the benefits of combining education with structured sports development.

However, amid the success stories, experts have raised concerns about the state of university sports in Nigeria, arguing that poor administration, corruption, inadequate infrastructure, and weak institutional support continue to hinder the growth of student-athletes.

One of the most vocal critics is respected athletics coach Mutiu Oluwa, who believes Nigerian universities have failed to harness the vast potential within tertiary institution sports.

According to him, corruption remains one of the biggest obstacles to progress.

“Our academicians are too fraudulent. They steal at any given opportunity,” Oluwa stated.

He cited the organization of recent Nigerian University Games Association (NUGA) competitions as an example, alleging that facilities were left unfinished despite significant investments.

“The last NUGA was held with uncompleted facilities. Before Jos, it was UNILAG. The contractors are often the same professors, and many university projects end up abandoned,” he claimed.

Oluwa also lamented what he described as a culture that discourages sporting excellence within many public universities.

“Jealousy and resentment are everywhere. Lecturers often envy successful athletes even when they struggle financially. It’s a sad situation,” he said.

His concerns were echoed by Olabanji Oyebusi, Chief Executive Officer of Dynamic Athletics Hub, who argued that meaningful reforms are urgently needed across Nigeria’s education and sports sectors.

“Coach Mutiu speaks from experience as a university coach. Nigeria’s university system requires a comprehensive overhaul,” Oyebusi noted.

Drawing comparisons with institutions in other African countries, he highlighted better student welfare and sports infrastructure in nations such as Ghana and Botswana.

“In Ghana, many university hostels have modern facilities, while sports infrastructure is taken seriously. At the University of Botswana, the campus is located next to the national stadium and also possesses world-class sporting facilities of its own,” he said.

Oyebusi believes the quality of educational environments directly influences national development and sporting success.

“When students study in unconducive environments, many graduate focused solely on escaping poverty rather than contributing to collective growth. Better facilities and support systems would encourage collaboration, innovation, and sporting excellence.”

Veteran sports journalist Ben Efe also emphasized the stark contrast between the American and Nigerian systems.

“School sports is big business in the United States. In Nigeria, we’re yet to fully embrace that reality,” Efe observed.

Despite his criticism, Oluwa pointed to examples of success within Nigeria, recalling periods when institutions such as Obafemi Awolowo University and Ahmadu Bello University maintained strong sporting traditions through scholarships and athlete-support programmes.

He argued that effective management, rather than huge budgets, is often the deciding factor.

“The last NUGA champion won with just 22 scholarship athletes. They travelled by air, competed, and returned. That shows sports management in universities doesn’t have to be complicated,” he said.

Oluwa contrasted this with practices at some public institutions, where large contingents travel to competitions under poor conditions while athletes receive minimal support.

“Some universities take hundreds of students to competitions, lodge them in uncomfortable environments, and pay athletes far less than what is officially approved. Investigative journalism is needed to expose these practices.”

As the NCAA continues to produce world-class athletes and provide opportunities for Nigerians abroad, stakeholders insist that the country must develop a sustainable university sports structure of its own.

They argue that the achievements of Nigerian athletes overseas demonstrate what is possible when talent is nurtured through quality facilities, transparent administration, scholarship opportunities, and genuine institutional commitment.

The challenge for Nigeria now is whether its universities can create similar conditions at home and transform tertiary institutions into genuine centres of sporting and academic excellence.

The post Athletics Experts Dissect Stunted Growth of University Sports in Nigeria, Point to Corruption and Poor Infrastructure first appeared on Sports247 Nigeria.

The post Athletics Experts Dissect Stunted Growth of University Sports in Nigeria, Point to Corruption and Poor Infrastructure appeared first on Sports247 Nigeria.