Athletics development: Lawal urges Nigeria to urgently go back to the basis

By Ben Efe 27.5.2026
Worried by the abundance of youth athletics talents yet Nigeria continues to struggle for results, renowned athletics coach Olapade Lawal has urged the country to go back to the era where things are properly done.
Lawal who was speaking against the background of the recent CAA African Championships in Accra, Ghana submitted that Nigeria could regain its dominance in Africa and also challenge the world in track and field only if officials study the play book that threw up athletes in the past.
At the CAA Championships Nigeria could only muster four gold medals won by Tobi Amusan, the 4x100m women, 4x400m women and 4x400m mixed. Though Athletics Federation of Nigeria officials blamed the scanty results on the absence of foreign based athletes, observes believe that the country could have done better with better preparations of the home-based athletes some of whom confessed that Accra was their first opportunity to compete for the year.
“We need to go back to the basis, to the era Nigerian athletics did the right things, if we desire results,” said Lawal who discovered sprinter star Kanyisola Ajayi, an athlete whom she plucked from the football field.
“We need more competitions at the national level; competitions where athletes can test themselves. In the past we had time trials every week and then followed up with national competition like the AFN classic and later golden league. Apart from the MTN CHAMPS there’s not much we can say about competitions.
“It is at these competitions you see athletes coming up from all parts of the country. There are some many youths athletics talents, just waiting to be exposed, but without regular competitions you cannot see them.”
She noted that from these competitions, a pool of athletes could be selected and given long term camping where they can be trained and conditioned for international competitions.
“We can groom sprinters four or three who can run below 10 secs if we have a long-term plan; and just imagine that is achieved… Nigeria will be unbeatable in relays and individual sprint events.
She added that coaches should attend regular training courses to improve on their knowledge
“Last year I was in Kenya to attend a level two course organised by the World Athletics and there were quite a lot of things that I learned.
“It would be nice if such courses are available for more of our coaches, then we would be on the right trajectory for athletes’ development in the country.”