Nigeria’s Tobi Amusan claimed silver in the women’s 100m hurdles final at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo on Monday night, finishing behind Switzerland’s Ditaji Kambundji in a dramatic race.
Kambundji, 23, stunned the field to win in a lifetime best of 12.24s, ahead of Amusan who clocked 12.29. America’s Grace Stark took bronze in 12.34s, while Olympic champion Masai Russell faded to fourth after hitting several hurdles.
The result means Amusan has now joined the exclusive list of Nigerian athletes with multiple medals at the World Championships — alongside Ese Brume (long jump bronze in Doha 2019 and silver in Eugene 2022) and Blessing Okagbare (long jump silver and 200m bronze in Moscow 2013). Amusan had previously won gold in Eugene 2022, when she also set a world record of 12.12s.
But as much as her brilliance lit up the track, back home in Nigeria the spotlight has quickly shifted to President Bola Tinubu. Will he reward Amusan with the same $100,000 gift he handed out to the Super Falcons and D’Tigress for their continental triumphs?
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Tinubu last month gifted each Super Falcons player $100,000, a three-bedroom flat and a national honour after their 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations victory. The same package was extended to D’Tigress after their record fifth straight Women’s Afrobasket crown.
Fans have not hesitated to remind the Presidency of Amusan’s worth. On Facebook, one follower wrote: “Definitely she’s getting a date with the president, she has paid her dues… congratulations to her.” Another added, “Abeg make them arrange her own money for her ooo.”
“Congratulations 🎉 beloved 🌹😍❤️🧡🧡 More wins $100,000 us dollars from Mr President assured,” another fan said.
Some fans however argued she might not be considered because she won silver, not gold like the Super Falcons and D’Tigress. “I don’t know if she will be considered, that’s my concern,” one wrote.
But others quickly pushed back, insisting that a World Championships silver carries even more weight than a continental gold.
“That’s like winning silver in the World Cup… you dey winne. Competing with U.S. and Jamaican and winning silver… you think say na beans? Her 100k dollars must be complete.”
“It is more than the gold from the basketball and football. This is not Africa tournament but world.”
The question is not without precedent. In 2022, then President Muhammadu Buhari rewarded Amusan, Ese Brume and other medallists from the World Athletics Championships in Oregon and the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham with national honours and a cash gift of ₦200 million shared among Team Nigeria. Amusan received her Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) award directly from Buhari at the State House in Abuja.
Meanwhile, Amusan is already guaranteed significant prize money for her Tokyo silver: $35,000 from World Athletics, and an additional $20,000 from kit sponsors HiRacer, according to Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) President Tonobok Okowa.
Now the debate is whether a global medal on the world stage should not be considered more prestigious than a continental trophy. Amusan had to beat the best in the world – including reigning Olympic champion Masai Russell and two-time World Champion Danielle Williams — to make the podium in Tokyo. The value of such a performance, many argue, should outweigh what is achieved on the African stage.
The big question now is whether Tinubu will match his earlier generosity and extend the $100,000 presidential handshake to Nigeria’s most decorated track star — or if athletics will once again be treated differently from football and basketball.
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