The President and founder of the Association of Former Female Athletes of Nigeria (AFFAN), Dr Toyin Aluko, has defended the association’s founding vision and structure, insisting that the organisation was established primarily to provide a platform for former Nigerian international athletes to remain relevant in sports governance after retirement.
Speaking on the ongoing controversy surrounding the association, Aluko said the idea for AFFAN was conceived in 2017 out of a desire to create an avenue through which retired female athletes who represented Nigeria could continue to contribute to the development and governance of sports.
According to her, AFFAN was subsequently registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), with the founding documentation signed by herself and five other former international athletes: Mrs Ngozi Mamma, Halima Benjamin, Funke Oshonaike, Adeola Opeifa and Cecilia Arinye.
Aluko explained that the core objective of AFFAN was to ensure that former athletes could serve as role models, mentor younger athletes and retain a voice within their respective sports even after ending their competitive careers.
She stressed that the association was never established as a rival to the National Association of Women in Sports (NAWIS), but rather as a complementary platform with a more specific mandate.
“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 the eligibility requirements for key leadership positions in AFFAN.
She said the association’s constitution, which is currently under review, requires candidates for positions such as President, Vice President and Secretary-General to have represented Nigeria in a sport recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
She said the provision had become a major source of disagreement because some members who did not represent Nigeria internationally wanted to occupy the highest positions in the association.
The AFFAN president maintained that the requirement was necessary to preserve the original vision of the organisation and ensure that its leadership remained connected to the experiences of former Nigerian international athletes.
She argued that representing Nigeria at major competitions such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games and All Africa Games creates a unique experience that cannot necessarily be equated with participating in sports at school or other levels.
Aluko further disclosed that AFFAN had spent years seeking recognition within the country’s sports administration and had advocated for greater representation of women, particularly former athletes, on the boards of sports federations.
She credited Chief Bukola Olopade for listening to the association’s concerns and holding meetings involving AFFAN and NAWIS as part of efforts to resolve issues surrounding their recognition and participation in sports governance.
According to her, AFFAN’s advocacy also aligns with the broader push for increased female representation in sports administration, noting that international sports governance standards have continued to encourage greater participation of women in decision-making structures.
Aluko argued that former female athletes deserve a dedicated platform because of the significant contributions women have made to Nigeria’s sporting success.
She cited the achievements of Nigerian female athletes across different sports as evidence of the need to preserve their role beyond their competitive careers.
The AFFAN founder also accused retired Air Commodore Rahinatu Garba (Rtd) mni of attempting to undermine the association because of disagreements over its leadership structure and eligibility provisions.
Aluko alleged that Garba was not among the original founding members of AFFAN and did not represent Nigeria as an athlete, adding that her opposition to the constitutional provision was linked to her desire to contest for the presidency of the association.
She, however, maintained that AFFAN had given non-international athletes opportunities to participate in other capacities and that the restriction applied specifically to certain top leadership positions.
Aluko said the Board of Trustees had consequently agreed to review the constitution and take disciplinary action against anyone found to be bringing the name of AFFAN into disrepute.
She insisted that the association could not be destroyed by the current dispute because its founding vision remained intact.
Looking ahead, Aluko said AFFAN’s priority was to safeguard the organisation for generations of Nigerian female international athletes who are still competing.
She specifically referenced athletes such as Tobi Amusan and Ese Brume, saying that when they eventually retire, AFFAN should remain a platform where 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 maintained that AFFAN would continue to defend its founding purpose and work towards ensuring that retired Nigerian female international athletes have a recognised platform from which they can continue to add value to the country’s sports development.
