By Samuel Akpan
Days after the death of long-serving CAA President Hamad Malboum, AFN chief Tonobok Okowa has stepped into the role of Senior Vice President.
Okowa secured the continental post during Saturday’s CAA Executive Council election, claiming six of the 11 cast votes.
He outpolled South Africa’s Dlamini Dakhele (four votes) and the Central African Republic’s Bruno Konga (one vote).
Okowa’s latest appointment caps off years of steady advancement within African athletics.
His rise includes a pivotal 2023, during which he was appointed president of CAA Zone 2 (covering West Africa) and subsequently elected as one of the confederation’s six junior vice presidents.
He first emerged as AFN president in 2021 after two parallel elections produced rival boards—one in Abuja led by Okowa, and another in Kebbi led by Ibrahim Shehu-Gusau.
The then Sports Minister Sunday Dare later recognized Okowa as the federation’s duly elected and government-backed leader.
Okowa secured a second term as AFN president in June 2025, cementing his influence in Nigerian athletics ahead of his latest continental role.
What Okowa’s New Role Means to Nigeria:
The Confederation of African Athletics, or CAA, is the continental body that governs track and field across Africa’s 54 member federations.
Headquartered in Dakar, Senegal, it runs the African Championships and manages qualification pathways for World Championships and the Olympics. The CAA sits under World Athletics and works closely with the African Union Sports Council.
The organization has been split into 5 zones for administration. Nigeria falls under Zone 2, West Africa, which is why Okowa’s election as Zone 2 president in 2023 was a key step toward continental influence.
The zones elect regional presidents who sit on the CAA Council, ensuring each region has a voice in policy, event hosting, and funding decisions.
The CAA Council is the main executive body.
As of the May 2026 Council meeting in Accra, the hierarchy was operating under acting leadership following the death of longtime president Hamad Kalkaba Malboum, who led the body from 2003 until May 2026. With the presidency vacant, the council is currently run by:
CAA Council Leadership Structure:
– Acting President / Senior VP: Tonobok Okowa was elected senior vice president on Saturday, defeating South Africa’s Dlamini Dakhele 6-4 and CAR’s Bruno Konga 6-1. As senior VP, he steps into the No. 2 role and leads in the president’s absence.
– Other Vice Presidents: The last confirmed council listed Vivian Gungaram of Mauritius, Théophile Montcho of Benin, David Okeyo of Kenya, Violet Odogwu-Nwajei of Nigeria, and Fathi Hachicha of Tunisia as VPs.
– Treasurer General: Doudou Joof of The Gambia.
– Director General / CEO: Lamine Faty of Senegal, who handles day-to-day operations.
– Council Members: Include representatives from Algeria, Mozambique, Sudan, Congo, Chad, Uganda, South Africa, Burkina Faso, Namibia, and others.
– Regional Presidents: Momar Mbaye for Zone 1, Richard Damas for Zone 3, Bisrat Gashaw Tena for Zone 4, and Moses Bantsi for Zone 5.
The CAA has been pushing governance reforms, term limits, and fixed quotas for African representation on the World Athletics Council.
It also runs African Athletics Development Centres in Nigeria, Kenya, and Senegal, and funds scholarships and training in China, Jamaica, and Cuba for top athletes.
For Nigeria, Okowa’s elevation gives the country direct leverage on where championships go and how development funds are split.
The council recently awarded the 2028 African Championships to Gaborone, Botswana, and 2030 to Port Louis, Mauritius, with Algeria hosting the 2027 U18/U20 Championships. The next senior championships are set for Accra from May 12-17, 2026.
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