The Chairman of the National Sports Commission, NSC, Mallam Shehu Dikko has inaugurated the newly elected board of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, AFN, after the successful conduct of its elective Congress on Thursday.

The AFN held it's elective Congress in a very peaceful, transparent and democratic atmosphere in Abuja, under the watchful eyes of both the National Sports Commission, NSC, and the Nigeria Olympics Committee, NOC as Tonobok Okowa returned elected as the President of the AFN alongside other board members.

The NSC Chairman while inaugurating the new board charged them on the Renewed Hope mantra of Mr President which is hinged on the Reset, Refocus and Relaunch mandate of the Sports Commission.

" Let me say a big congratulations to you all for making it into the board of the AFN and as you all know Athletics is not just another sport but one of our major sports and we cannot afford to get it wrong this time around".

" You all are carrying the passion of over 200 million Nigerians therefore I want you to know that the expectation are very high. This is why you must make sure your works are felt across the country and in the zones both in terms of regular domestic competitions and talent Discovery and nurturing".

The Director General of the NSC Hon. Bukola Olopade, who witnessed the entire process charged athletics stakeholders to work together as a family to protect the AFN brand despite individual differences that must have arisen from the elections.

" I believe that no matter the anger or differences, if you truly love your sport, the de-marketing of your sport cannot come from you. Today should be the sign off of all negativity and we move on if you claim to truly love athletics as a stakeholder".

" I have no doubt that this new board will achieve greatness because I have seen qualities in the composition of those on the board. No sport in the country has brand feasibility like Athletics and this is why I am confident that with the AFN having a Chief Operating Officer, COO, there will be better funding for athletics under the new board and Nigeria will win more laurels", he concluded.

The members of the new AFN board include

1. Chief Tonobok Okowa- President

2. Ladan Abubakar zurmi - Vice President 1

3. Akuchukwu Aghazu- Vice President 2

4. Gabriel Okon - Member

5. Samuel Onikeku- Member

6. Fatima Yusuf - Member

7. Prof Frank Stare - Member

8. Lekan Soetan- Member

9. Adamu Babayo - Member

10. Oluyomi Sule- Member

11. Victor Okorie- Member

Four Honorary Members of the new board were also appointed which include; Dr Nneka Anibeze, the new Chief Operating Officer ( COO), Dele Edokpayi, the Legal Adviser , Kolawale Oredipe, the Board's Auditor and Babajide John Odedeji, the Safeguarding Officer of the board.

Dr (mrs) Kehinde Ajayi FCAI, ANIPR ,

Director Press,

National Sports Commission, NSC.

June 13,2025.