NIGERIA has claimed many title wins at the Winifred Awosika African Youth Scrabble Championship holding in Nigeria.
In the tourney held at Chrislands School in Lekki, Lagos, Nigeria’s David Ojih and Prestige Archibong came out tops at the U19 & U15 categories respectively.
A total of 88 players from five countries took part in the tournament which saw participants from Ghana, Liberia, Uganda, Kenya, as well as the host nation, Nigeria.
After 4 days of 24 rounds of games, Ojih won 19 games, lost 5, with an accumulative score of plus 2022 to claim the U19 Championship.
In the same U19 category, another Nigerian, Joy Ola, came second position with 28 wins and an accumulative score of plus 1097.
In 3ed position came Nigeria’s Lateef Musa with 17 wins and an accumulative score of plus 1012.
In the U-15 category Nigeria’s Prestige Archibong came out top with 16 games win and an accumulative score score of plus 2614.
Second place in the same category went to Quodos Aliu with 13 wins and an accumulative score plus 1358.
Cinton Imode came 3rd to round off the top 3 slots.
The winners shared the cash prize of $9,000 and other spot gifts like laptops, smartphones and tablets.
In other news, in the Pan African Scrabble Association (PANASA) President’s Cup, Nigeria’s Godwin Victor claimed top spot at the elite competition held at the Orchid Hotel Ikota-Lekki, Lagos.
This comes after his victory over former world champion, Wellington Jighere.
Victor won with an accumulative score of plus 101 in the final.
For his triumph, Victor was awarded a cash prize of $5,000 and the Gbenga Ojofeitimi trophy.
The competition saw players from Botswana, Cameroun, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, Uganda, United States of America and hosts Nigeria, feature in it.
The President of PANASA, Adekoyejo Adegbesan, hailed all the contestants for their spirited efforts during the competition.
“We are glad to inform you that for the FIRST time ever, Scrabble will feature at Africa’s “Olympics” as a demonstration sport next March in Ghana.
“It was a master move for us as governments began to admit Scrabble as a need in schools for our children,” Adegbesan said.
Up next for the players are the Ghana National Open and the West Africa Challenger competitions.
