Musa Francis and Esther Affigbo were the star athletes at the 2nd edition of the MASA Isonyin Marathon as they both snatched the top prize in both the men’s and women’s categories of the 21km race at the ancient town of Isonyin, Ogun State, on Saturday, August 23.
Organised by the MASA Foundation, the 21km race attracted runners nationwide under the theme “Running for Exposure” while athletes battled for the prize money of N1.5m.
In the men’s race, Musa James Francis stormed to victory with a time of 1:09:00.34, narrowly beating Boyi Gyang James (1:09:38.69) and Sadjo Ismael (1:10:02.06) to clinch the title.
In the women’s category, Esther Affigbo triumphed with 1:21:49.05, ahead of Shambor Blessing Solomon (1:22:15.61) and Rose Akusho (1:22:57.17).
While the winners went home with ₦1.5 million each, the second and third-place finishers received ₦1 million and ₦750,000, respectively in both categories.
An elated Affigbo described her victory as “a special moment in my career,” while Musa Francis called his win “a reward for months of sacrifice and discipline.
Musa Francis and Esther Affigbo were the star athletes at the 2nd edition of the MASA Isonyin Marathon as they both snatched the top prize in both the men’s and women’s categories of the 21km race at the ancient town of Isonyin, Ogun State, on Saturday, August 23.
Organised by the MASA Foundation, the 21km race attracted runners nationwide under the theme “Running for Exposure” while athletes battled for the prize money of N1.5m.
In the men’s race, Musa James Francis stormed to victory with a time of 1:09:00.34, narrowly beating Boyi Gyang James (1:09:38.69) and Sadjo Ismael (1:10:02.06) to clinch the title.
In the women’s category, Esther Affigbo triumphed with 1:21:49.05, ahead of Shambor Blessing Solomon (1:22:15.61) and Rose Akusho (1:22:57.17).
While the winners went home with ₦1.5 million each, the second and third-place finishers received ₦1 million and ₦750,000, respectively in both categories.
An elated Affigbo described her victory as “a special moment in my career,” while Musa Francis called his win “a reward for months of sacrifice and discipline.”
This year’s marathon kicked off at the Saderiren’s Palace and concluded at the Isonyin Grammar School Field.
Ogun State Commissioner for Sports Development, Hon. Wasiu Isiaka, who flagged off the race, praised the organisers and described the marathon as “a new benchmark for grassroots sports development in the state.”
Providing official backing for the event, Hon. Joseph Foluso Badejo, Chairman of Ijebu North-East Local Government and chief host of the marathon, applauded the MASA Foundation for using sports to promote tourism, unity, and youth empowerment.
The 2025 edition also enjoyed remarkable private-sector support. Asiwaju Tony Tunde Sokan, a UK-based wealth management expert and proud son of Isonyin, sponsored the ₦1.5 million men’s first prize and pledged to support the marathon for the next five years.
Similarly, Chief Mrs. Ibilola Solaja, a prominent rice merchant, philanthropist, and respected figure from Ijebu Igbo, funded the ₦1.5 million prize for the women’s champion.
Delivering his remarks virtually from California, USA, the convener and President of the MASA Foundation, Dr. Muideen Adegboyega Salami (MASA), celebrated the marathon’s rapid growth.
The MASA Isonyin Marathon Project Director Yeye Adesola Salami described the second edition as “a huge success,” even though she admitted there was room for improvement
“It was better than the first because we put in everything. We didn’t get the response we expected from big organisations, but with support from people like Asiwaju Tony Sokan, Chief Mrs. Ibilola Solaja, and others, we made it a success,” she said.
