Nigeria Boasts World Champs in Scrabble, Says LSC

Posted : 12 August 2024

In light of the criticism surrounding Team Nigeria's performance at the Paris 2024 Olympics, Samuel Anikoh, President of the Lekki Scrabble Club, believes that if Scrabble had been included in the Summer Games, the sport could have won gold medals and alleviated some of the dissatisfaction among Nigerians.

Eighty-eight athletes represented the country in 11 disciplines, but their efforts sadly equaled the London 2012 outcome when the team returned without a medal.

Interestingly, Nigeria is recognized worldwide as a leading nation in Scrabble and became the first Black nation to win the World Championship in 2015. Just last month in the United States, Nigeria demonstrated its strong presence in the letter-and-number game by claiming victory in the WORD CUP through Eta Karo.

Gold medals were also not in short supply at the 2023 Africa Games, where Team Nigeria achieved a milestone as Adebisi Adekansi became the first woman to win two gold medals in Scrabble. Players, enthusiasts, and other stakeholders have continually kept the game vibrant through retreats, meets, duels, and championships at various levels, including the next edition of the Lekki Scrabble Classics scheduled for September.

Anikoh, who presides over the Lekki Scrabble Club, emphasized the need for the government to increase support for the game, even if it is eventually included as an Olympic sport. "While it will be quite difficult to make any bold declarations, I do believe we have what is required, and with the right level of support and preparation, we would stand an excellent chance of winning several medals at the Olympics if Scrabble were one of the games on display."

He noted that the game has experienced significant growth over the last decade. "Scrabble in Nigeria has continued to grow in leaps and bounds. We have always had great players, including Wellington Jighere, the only African to have won the World Scrabble Championship. The influx of young players makes me confident that we will see another Nigerian winner in the not-too-distant future. Two prodigious Nigerian talents, Enoch Nwali and Timilehin Doko, currently hold the titles of African Scrabble Champion and West African Scrabble Champion, respectively."

"The recent successes of the Nigerian contingent at the Scrabble Word Cup in Albuquerque, USA, further enhance our reputation as a Scrabble powerhouse, with Nigerian players winning in both divisions. Although significant effort, innovation, and investment by some players are making the game more attractive, there is still substantial room for improvement in the level of sponsorship from corporate organizations."

While acknowledging the efforts of organizations such as Loense International Ltd, Boaz Integrated & Allied Services, Frontpage Couture, Midas Farms, Mindgames International, and Elcrest E & P for their contributions, Anikoh called on other corporate bodies to invest in this valuable game, which offers significant benefits in improving language skills, enhancing critical thinking, and promoting social bonding.

Nigeria Boasts World Champs in Scrabble, Says LSC

ADD A COMMENT :

Hot Topics