President and founder of the Association of Former Female Athletes of Nigeria (AFFAN), Dr Toyin Aluko, has defended the association’s founding vision and leadership structure, insisting that the organisation was created to give retired Nigerian female international athletes a lasting voice in sports governance.
Aluko, who spoke amid an ongoing controversy surrounding the association, said the idea for AFFAN was conceived in 2017 to provide former athletes with a platform to remain relevant to Nigerian sports after their competitive careers.
According to her, the association was subsequently registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), with the founding documents signed by her and five other former Nigerian internationals — Mrs Ngozi Mamma, Halima Benjamin, Funke Oshonaike, Adeola Opeifa and Cecilia Arinye.
She explained that AFFAN was established to enable retired athletes to serve as role models, mentor younger athletes and contribute to the administration and development of their respective sports.
Aluko stressed that AFFAN was not created to compete with the National Association of Women in Sports (NAWIS), but to operate as a complementary organisation with a distinct membership requirement.
“NAWIS is there for all women; as long as you have passion for sports, you can be part of NAWIS. AFFAN is for ex-international athletes; you must have participated and played sports for Nigeria,” she said.
Aluko also addressed the controversy surrounding eligibility for key positions within AFFAN, particularly the offices of President, Vice President and Secretary-General.
She explained that the association’s constitution, which is currently under review, requires candidates for the highest leadership positions to have represented Nigeria in a sport recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
According to her, the provision has become contentious because some members who did not represent Nigeria internationally have sought to occupy top positions within the association.
Aluko defended the requirement, arguing that it is essential to preserving AFFAN’s original identity and ensuring that its leadership is made up of people who understand the unique experiences of Nigerian international athletes.
She noted that representing Nigeria at competitions such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games and All Africa Games provides experiences that are distinct from participating in sports at school or other levels.
The AFFAN founder also highlighted the association’s efforts to gain recognition within Nigeria’s sports administration and promote greater participation of former female athletes in decision-making.
She credited Chief Bukola Olopade with listening to AFFAN’s concerns and facilitating meetings involving the association and NAWIS in an effort to resolve issues surrounding their recognition and participation in sports governance.
Aluko said AFFAN’s advocacy is consistent with the broader push for greater female representation in sports administration, particularly in leadership and decision-making positions.
She argued that retired female athletes deserve a dedicated platform to continue contributing to Nigerian sports, given their role in the country’s sporting achievements.
Aluko also accused retired Air Commodore Rahinatu Garba (Rtd) of attempting to undermine the association over disagreements concerning its leadership structure and eligibility requirements.
She alleged that Garba was not among AFFAN’s original founding members and did not represent Nigeria as an athlete, claiming that her opposition to the constitutional provision was connected to her interest in contesting the presidency.
Aluko, however, stressed that AFFAN had provided opportunities for non-international athletes to participate in other capacities, insisting that the international representation requirement applies specifically to certain top leadership positions.
She disclosed that the Board of Trustees had agreed to review the constitution and take disciplinary measures against anyone found to be damaging the reputation of the association.
Despite the dispute, Aluko insisted that AFFAN’s founding vision remained intact and could not be derailed by the current controversy.
‘AFFAN Must Be There for Future Generations’
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Looking ahead, Aluko said the association’s priority is to preserve AFFAN as a platform for generations of Nigerian female international athletes who are still active in competition.
She specifically mentioned athletes such as Tobi Amusan and Ese Brume, saying AFFAN should remain available to them when they eventually retire so they can continue contributing to Nigerian sports through governance, mentorship and advocacy.
“Our vision was created for former international athletes so that when they retire, they know they have a place,” Aluko said.
She reaffirmed that AFFAN would continue to defend its founding principles while pursuing greater recognition and opportunities for retired Nigerian female international athletes to contribute to the development and administration of sports.
