The President of the Nigerian Olympic Committee (NOC), Engr. Habu Gumel, says the election of Nigeria’s Olumide Oyedeji as the Secretary-General of the World Olympians Association (WOA) is a significant milestone for the country.
Oyedeji, who serves as the 3rd Vice President of the NOC and President of the Nigeria Olympians Association (NOA), secured the position in a landslide victory during a virtual General Assembly on Sunday.
Oyedeji won on the first ballot with 55 votes, comfortably defeating his closest opponents, Salvador Salguero of El Salvador and Liston Brochette of Puerto Rico, who received 32 and 19 votes, respectively.
A statement on Tuesday by Tony Nezianya, the Public Relations Officer of NOC, stated that the election involved more than 107 delegates from National Olympians Associations (NOAs) across the globe.
The WOA is a prestigious body under the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
It is notably the same constituency that produced the newly elected IOC President, Kirsty Coventry (the legendary Zimbabwean swimmer and two-time Olympic gold medalist).
Olumide Oyedeji’s ascent to this global role reinforces Nigeria’s growing influence within the International Olympic Committee.
As a former NBA star and captain of the Nigerian men’s basketball team (D’Tigers), Oyedeji has long been a vocal advocate for athlete welfare.
His election comes at a time of “African excellence” in sports governance, following Kirsty Coventry’s historic election as the first female and first African President of the IOC in 2025.
Only recently, one of Nigeria’s star table tennis prodigies, Funke Oshonaike, was nominated by the IOC president, Chirsty Coventry, to join the Athletes Commission.
By Dianabasi Effiong
