The Athletics Federation Of Nigeria Wants Divine Oduduru To Compete For Nigeria

In Nigeria, our government has this annoying habit of not appreciating people until they leave. This is the case with the wave-making athlete, Divine Oduduru, who started his career in Nigeria but had to leave for the US when he wasn’t getting appreciated.

Now, according to Brila, the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) is pleading with him to compete for the country, not the US.

Last year, Oduduru and a bunch of other athletes made the country proud at the African Senior Athletics Championship in Asaba, and all they reportedly got as appreciation was a heartbreaking allowance of N107,000 each. That was also the period Oduduru lost his father.

After rejecting the money and complaining about the treatment, the 22-year-old left Nigeria for the US, and since then he’s been thriving. Not only did he clock the world’s fastest 200 metres for 2019, but he also ran the 2019 world fastest time in 100 metres and 200 metres.

When asked if he’ll return to represent Nigeria in the future, The Guardian quotes him as saying:

“Next year will be very important in my school athletics career, and I don’t think I will be available for the national trials in Nigeria. I think our government should have a rethink on how to reposition athletics.

Our government is paying lip service to athletics, and it must change before serious preparation starts for Tokyo 2020 Olympics.”

In other words, he’s sticking with the US, and we don’t blame him.