How leadership crisis is hindering Nigerian Archers’ dreams

Damilola Sholademi steadies his bow, draws back the string, and exhales. A Nigerian National Archery Team member and a USA Archery Indoor National Champion, he spent years perfecting his craft. But no amount of training can prepare him for his biggest obstacle—bureaucratic chaos.

“We can’t compete internationally now,” he lamented during an interview with PREMIUM TIMES from his base in the United States. “If you check the World Archery website, Nigeria is not in good standing. No matter how much we practice, we can’t compete.”

His frustration is justified. Over the past year, Sholademi amassed 14 medals in individual archery events. He recently clinched first place in his division at the USA Archery Indoor National Championship for the North-east region, held in Fiskdale, Massachusetts.

Photo: Not in good standing

Despite his international success, he cannot officially represent Nigeria in major global competitions due to knotty administrative issues plaguing the Nigeria Archery Federation (NAFED).

Archery has struggled for recognition in Nigeria for decades. Now, a governance crisis threatens the sport’s very existence.

Leadership dispute

At the centre of the crisis is NAFED President Mohammed Abdullahi, who has remained in office for nearly a decade, defying calls for a change in leadership and fresh ideas.

His prolonged leadership is allegedly the result of electoral manipulations. Congresses were strategically held in Abuja to limit broad participation and secure a controlled outcome.

However, Mr Abdullahi dismisses the allegations, saying his leadership built Nigeria’s archery structure up from the ground.

“My predecessors tried their best, but when we came in in 2016, as it were, there was no single archery club, neither did we have any state association. Neither did we have teams, not to talk about national or state teams… there was no structure on the ground,” he said in an interview with PREMIUM TIMES.

He further defended the electoral process.

“A few states boycotted the election, but the election went on smoothly because we were supposed to have a quorum of 32 people, 32 delegates. But to the glory of God, 19 of the delegates showed up. So, we had a quorum. The election was conducted peacefully.”

Mr Abdullahi highlighted the progress the sport made under his leadership. “By 2017, the world body saw what we were already doing, and they sent us some equipment, free of charge, and also sent us the World Archery Africa development officer.

“We also returned to the Nigerian Olympic Committee and ensured that all our standing bills were paid. So, a general came back on board to the glory of God. I am happy that we had committed board members who actually understand. And they saw my body language that I was actually ready to work.”

However, former NAFED Secretary Olugbenga Boluji, a pioneer of Nigerian archery, remains vocal about the perceived irregularities in archery administration in Nigeria.

“Stakeholders insisted that the elections be held in Lagos, but Mr Abdullahi unilaterally moved the venue to Abuja, where unfamiliar faces participated,” Mr Boluji alleged. “Video evidence showed that only two or three legitimate members were present, while others had no known ties to archery.”

PREMIUM TIMES understands that the World Archery eventually annulled the election results, citing inconsistencies in the electoral process.

However, Mr Abdullahi maintained that the complaints were unjustified.

“Some people from one corner sit down and roll out 10 petitions from the same table, the same laptop to the world body. So we are stakeholders, we are complaining,” he said. “The world body now said, ‘Okay, fine, let’s have a convergence…’ and the complainants never showed up at the meeting.

“Today, I tell you, and I bet you, and you can ask and quote me anywhere. Everybody confirmed they would be at the meeting, and we were all at the meeting, but the complainer never showed up. You understand the complainant never showed up. This is a good ground for you to come and state your case clearly.

”The world president was not happy that they had been listening to people who did not have a genuine case. That was when the world body, the African body, the ANOCCA, the NOC, and all the stakeholders said sorry for what happened. Go ahead with your work. And that was when they gave us a clean slate to go ahead with our work. And the people that were complaining since then kept quiet. They never complain again.”

Multiple allegations

One of the most glaring issues is the absence of an active governing board. According to NAFED’s constitution, the Board of Patrons should oversee the federation’s reconstitution in such circumstances, yet this directive has been ignored. Instead, it is alleged that critical decisions continue to be made behind closed doors, fueling accusations of exclusionary governance.

Mr Boluji criticised the lack of oversight, stating, “The federation is meant to operate with a structured board to prevent abuse of power, but that safeguard has been completely disregarded.”

Adding to the controversy, there are suggestions that individuals with no prior connection to archery have been appointed as voting delegates, raising questions about the election’s legitimacy.

“How can people with no coaching or competition history determine the future of our sport?” a concerned stakeholder asked.

Mr Abdullahi, however, insists that the development of the sport is a priority under his leadership.

Many critics say the administration’s greatest failure is its neglect of grassroots development. Archery remains concentrated in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and is largely absent in Nigeria’s 36 other states.

Mr Boluji said he wrote several letters to the Ministry of Sports to include archery in national games, but a lack of action from the federation has kept the sport marginalised.

“Archery was never included in Nigerian sports festivals or youth games because NAFED failed to push for its integration,” he said.

He accused Mr Abdullahi of focusing on personal interests rather than the development of the sport. “Abdullahi only shows interest during elections. He went to South Africa and Egypt for elections but is absent during championships,” Mr Boluji noted.

Financial support for Nigerian archers is inadequate, forcing many athletes to self-fund their participation in international competitions, a reality that severely limits Nigeria’s ability to compete globally.

World Archery intervention

Recognising the severity of the crisis, the World Archery refused to recognise the results of the NAFED elective congress held in March 2024.

In a 23 April 2024 letter sighted by PREMIUM TIMES, WA cited inconsistencies in the electoral process and urged the Nigeria Olympic Committee to oversee a more transparent election.

WA Secretary General Tom Dielen specifically called for establishing an independent election committee to ensure fairness.

Following a high-level meeting on 12 December 2024, a roadmap was proposed to resolve the impasse.

Under this agreement, WA would provisionally accept the 2024 election results until a general assembly in 2025.
NAFED would be required to organise this assembly under constitutional guidelines, with WA and WA Africa serving as observers.

A vote of confidence would then be conducted on the current leadership, and if the vote fails, new elections would be held.

Amidst the turmoil, NAFED has scheduled its 2025 Annual General Meeting for 10 March at the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA) headquarters in Abuja.

The meeting will be preceded by the National Individual Open Archery Championship, which will be held from 9 to 10 March at Package ‘B’ of Moshood Abiola National Stadium.

The agenda includes a vote of confidence on the current Exco, a presentation of the 2024 President’s Report, auditing of financial statements, and appointment of new patrons.

However, many interested parties fear the meeting may serve as another attempt to entrench the existing leadership rather than resolve ongoing grievances.

Mr Abdullahi remains confident despite the uproar.

“Whether I get the vote of confidence or not is a different situation entirely. At least the world body can stand and talk to us. If I was not the president, they wouldn’t have given me the right to organise the Congress.”

Many stakeholders argue that only a complete leadership overhaul will restore the integrity of the sport.

“Trusting the same individuals who caused this crisis to fix it is a mistake. We need fresh elections, independent oversight, and a renewed commitment to developing archery at all levels,” a key figure within the Nigerian archery community insisted.

“When elephants fight, the grass suffers”

For Sholademi and many other athletes, this crisis is more than politics—it’s about their future.

The leadership wrangling has left them without international competition opportunities, funding, and a clear path forward.

As he lowers his bow, Sholademi’s frustration is evident. With the Nigerian Olympic Committee overseeing the upcoming congress, doubts about transparency persist. “The president is a member of the NOC. How will they be objective?” he questioned. “You can’t be a judge in your own matter.”

Sholademi is ranked seventh in Africa and is Nigeria’s most decorated archer across all bow categories, “We have the talent. We just need the system to work for us,” he said.