Athletes, vendors, and residents of Ikom and Agbokim have expressed anger over the sudden cancellation of the 2025 Agbokim Green Marathon by the Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu, just two days before the event.
The marathon, scheduled for Saturday, November 22, was cancelled on Thursday in a statement issued by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Anthony Owan-Enoh, who cited unspecified security concerns as the reason for the decision.
However, stakeholders in the host communities dismissed the explanation, insisting that no security threat existed to justify the abrupt cancellation of the international sporting event.
During a visit to the Ikom Township Stadium, on Friday, the starting point of the race, several local vendors said they had stocked goods, booked stalls and prepared for increased patronage from athletes and tourists.
One of the traders, Stanley Ntangha, said the cancellation had thrown their business plans into disarray.
“We are not happy because many of us invested in goods, booked hotels and stands, expecting sales from visitors. This area has been peaceful. The reason given by the governor does not make sense,” he said.
Another vendor, Tasen Odima, expressed frustration over the financial losses incurred.
“Who will refund what we spent on printing banners, booking hotels and paying for stalls? There is a police station nearby and no crisis has been recorded here. Using insecurity as an excuse is not tenable,” he added.
The anger also spread through the sporting community, as athletes from Kenya, Ghana, Cameroon and across Nigeria who had already arrived for the race lamented the cancellation.
Bryan Dwomoh from Ghana, manager of two Kenyan runners, said his team endured a three-day road trip from Kumasi only to meet disappointment.
“My athletes trained and prepared mentally for this competition. This cancellation affects their morale and ranking prospects,” he said.
Meanwhile, the creator of the Agbokim Green Marathon, Edem Udomiyang, said the announcement had dealt a major blow to sponsors, partners and the marathon’s growing reputation.
He explained that the event, which started in 2024 as a private-sector-driven initiative, had attracted over 400 athletes for the 2025 edition, many of whom were still travelling without knowledge of the cancellation.
“Our major challenge now is how to return the athletes, especially the international ones. Some partners have pulled out, and we risk damaging the brand image,” he said.
Udomiyang added that the marathon was designed to promote grassroots sports, tourism, economic opportunities and forest conservation in the Agbokim axis.
The state government is yet to provide further details beyond the initial security advisory.
