Okpekpe 10km Race: Oshiomhole, Ahmed named Ambassadors with 30-day countdown under way
With 30 days to go before the World Athletics Gold Label Okpekpe International 10km Road Race, organisers have appointed former Edo State governor and serving senator Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole and
With 30 days to go before the World Athletics Gold Label Okpekpe International 10km Road Race, organisers have appointed former Edo State governor and serving senator Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole and Yasser Ahmed as ambassadors for the event, underscoring its growing global stature.
Pamodzi Sports Marketing, promoter and organiser of the race, said the appointments reflect the men's contributions to the credibility and success of the competition, which has become one of Africa's premier road races.
Mike Itemuagbor, chief executive of Pamodzi and race director, said: "Ambassadors are chosen not just for their public stature but for their direct impact on the growth, sustainability, and international recognition of the Okpekpe race. Senator Oshiomhole and Mr Ahmed, chief executive of Premier Sports Timing, embody those qualities — one through infrastructural vision, the other through technical excellence."
Oshiomhole is credited with enabling the race by commissioning the road that gave birth to the event in 2013. Ahmed has overseen precision timing since the race's inaugural edition, ensuring performances meet international standards for recognition.
The race is scheduled for 23 May in Okpekpe town, Edo State. It is one of just 40 Gold Label road races sanctioned by World Athletics for 2026 and one of only three on the African continent, holding the distinction of being the first in West Africa to attain Label status.
Kenya's Daniel Simiu Ebenyo holds the men's course record of 28:28, while Caroline Chepkoech Kipkirui — a Kenya-born athlete competing for Kazakhstan — set the women's mark of 32:38 in 2023.
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Beyond athletics, the Okpekpe race has transformed the town into a global destination, drawing attention to the cultural and economic profile of the Edo North Senatorial District. Each edition converts the community into a hub of commerce and tourism, combining elite competition with local hospitality.
Oshiomhole described the race's setting in vivid terms: "It is the best road race in the world. There is no part of the world that has that kind of beautiful terrain, beautiful hills and valleys, and it's greens all over the place — an innocent community with no pollution, clean air. If you want people with African and traditional village hospitality, the natives are the best."
The hilly terrain and altitude conditions are said to offer athletes cardiovascular and respiratory benefits during training and competition.
The Okpekpe International 10km Road Race, now in its second decade, continues to consolidate its position as Nigeria's flagship road running event and one of the continent's most prominent fixtures on the global athletics calendar.
