Yusuf Ali, the Head of Elite Athletes and Podium Board at the National Sports Commission (NSC) and an Olympian, has stated that Team Nigeria's performance at the recently concluded 24th African Senior Athletics Championships in Accra, Ghana, is not as poor as some Nigerians perceive it to be. Nigeria finished fourth overall with nine medals, including one individual gold by Tobi Amusan and three gold medals in relay events.
Positives from Accra 2026
Ali, speaking to The Guardian on Friday, emphasized that there were numerous positives for Team Nigeria at the championships. He said, "I witnessed all that happened in Accra, and I feel the performance was not as bad as some Nigerians are presenting it. Although some athletes, like Rosemary Chukwuma, had opportunities to increase our gold medal count, which she missed in the 100m final, overall, the results in Accra have given us insight on what to do to secure enough medals at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. That is our ultimate goal, and I am optimistic things will take a different shape in Glasgow."
Discipline Issues Addressed
Ali, who competed in three Olympic Games, provided insight into what transpired in Accra. He noted that indiscipline among athletes can hinder a country's progress at international competitions. "We had one such issue in Accra, and we quickly dealt with it. One of our athletes, Treasure Okereke, a 400m runner, was sent home for refusing to compete. The athlete claimed she had malaria fever, but our medical team examined her and found no traces of malaria in her body, indicating she was trying to sabotage Nigeria. She was sent back immediately."
Regarding the women's 100m final, Ali stated, "We expected Rosemary Chukwuma to win the title based on her current form, but she couldn't deliver. That lack of extra push cost us the gold medal. An athlete like Tobi Amusan or Ese Brume would have put in extra effort at that stage to secure the gold. I am sure Rosemary Chukwuma learned a lot from that performance in Accra."
Junior Athletes Shine
Ali expressed satisfaction with the performance of junior athletes who made the trip to Accra. "I must commend the role played by our Junior Athletes. We went to Accra with 10 of them, and some actually made it to the podium, winning gold medals," he said.
One standout from the Invited Junior Athletes (IJA) squad was Chigozie Rosemary Nwankwo. She achieved incredible milestones within a month. Nwankwo made her senior debut for Nigeria at the World Relays in Botswana, running the lead leg to help Team Nigeria qualify for the 2027 World Championships in China. In Accra, she won her first senior gold medal for Nigeria, again running the lead leg brilliantly in the women's 4x100m. The following day, Nwankwo, an SS2 student at Tulip International School, Abuja, ran in the 200m, clocking an impressive 23.96 seconds to win her heat. In 2024, she was crowned Nigeria's fastest girl at the National Youth Games in Asaba. In 2025, she became the new African secondary school champion by winning gold in the girls' 100m at the African Schools Games in Algeria. In March 2026, she officially qualified for the World U20 Championships in Eugene, Oregon, USA. Earlier this month, she delivered the crucial first leg in the women's 4x100m relay that helped Nigeria qualify for the World Championships in China. She has since returned to school in Abuja to continue her SS2 classes.
Another IJA athlete, Miracle Oluebube Ezechukwu, proved her worth as a young star to watch. After writing JAMB exams last month, Ezechukwu made her first 100m final at a senior championship in Accra, where she helped Nigeria win a gold medal in the relay. Earlier this month, she delivered the crucial first leg in the 4x100m race to qualify Nigeria for the World Championships in China. She is back in Abuja for her SS2 classes.
Future of Nigerian Athletics
For Yusuf Ali, the brilliant performance by the IJA athletes in Accra was a "beautiful example" of how to nurture future stars from the secondary school level. "It is another strong reminder that Nigeria must take grassroots sports seriously. The NSC is investing heavily in younger athletes, and we can see that the future is bright when young talents are given the right platform and support. I must commend both the chairman of NSC, Shehu Dikko, and Director General, Hon. Bukola Olopade, for the steps taken so far in reshaping Nigeria's sports for the better," Ali concluded.
