Nigeria’s 200m record holder, Divine Oduduru, has urged Nigerian athletes to come together to fight the common enemy instead of fighting for those oppressing them.

Oduduru took to his Facebook page on Thursday to make this plea in the wake of sprinter, Favour Ofili’s alleged threat to boycott the World Athletics Relays next weekend in Guangzhou, China.

Ofili’s name was erroneously omitted from women’s 100m list at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games despite meeting all the conditions set by both World Athletics and the Athletics Federation of Nigeria for the event.

A source close to Ofili quoted the athlete saying during the week that “developments in Nigerian athletics show that officials don’t reckon with the athletes and therefore choose to do whatever they like because there will not be any consequence.”

Her latest protest came following the selection of some individuals for the trip to China despite being indicted by a panel set up to investigate the events in Paris. “It means we (athletes) don’t matter at all. This is very disheartening,” Ofili was quoted saying during the week.

While some athletes believe Ofili has been wronged and traumatised, some others are querying her decision to threaten the AFN.

According to SportsNow.com.ng, Oduduru believes Nigerian athletes need to be united in matters like this clear injustice to Ofili.

“Until the day Nigeria athletes will wake up and stand up for the right thing, nothing will change. You all should keep on fighting yourself as athlete, forgetting the real problem. Coaches are busy condemning athlete for another athlete,” Oduduru, who is the second fastest Nigerian man in history, stated.