Rashidi Oshoba, Nigeria’s first Olympic torchbearer, has alleged that he has continued to suffer neglect despite promises of compensation from former President Muhammadu Buhari and assurances from the Lagos State House of Assembly, adding that the recent removal of his statue has deepened his disappointment.
Oshoba made the claims in an interview with Punch Newspapers, on Thursday, 18 June 2026, where he recounted his prolonged wait for the fulfilment of promises he said were made after he met Buhari in 2016. He also alleged that members of the Lagos State House of Assembly invited him and assured him of support, but nothing came of the engagement.
The former sports icon said he was further saddened when he discovered that the statue erected in his honour at Alhaji Masha Junction near the National Stadium had been removed.
“Two or three weeks ago, I went to the stadium for training, and when I came outside to Alhaji Masha Junction, I saw that they had removed my statue,” Oshoba said.
According to him, the removal of the monument was painful because it represented one of the few visible recognitions of his contribution to Nigerian sports. He did not state who removed the statue or why it was taken down.
Oshoba maintained that despite years of appeals and meetings with government officials, he has yet to receive the compensation and other benefits he said were promised to him.