Nigeria, to stage maiden inaugural edition of "Ultimate Scrabble Showdown" in July

Posted : 04 June 2024

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Africa’s number one and world number two English Scrabble-playing nation, Nigeria, is set to stage a first-of-its-kind competition called The Ultimate Scrabble Showdown in July 2024.

Lagos, the city of aquatic splendor, has been chosen to host the inaugural edition of The Ultimate Scrabble Showdown, which is a two-player competition.

The competition will feature two top players: Enoch Nwali, current NSF Green Jacket holder, national number two, and Africa champion, along with Nigeria’s number one, current West African champion, and the Most Valuable Player of the NSF Inter Club Challenge finals 2024, Oluwatimilehin Doko.

During the three-day event, players are expected to arrive on Friday, the 19th of July, while the competition will conclude on the 21st of July with the closing games and presentation ceremony.

The two players selected for the maiden edition of The Ultimate Scrabble Showdown are the finest wordsmiths in Nigeria and on the continent.

Both players, who are students of the University of Lagos in Nigeria, belong to the same Scrabble clubs: UNILAG Scrabble Club in the NSF Inter Club Challenge and Hurricane SC in the MGI Premier League.

They are also the highest-ranked Nigerians by the Pan African Scrabble Association (PANASA) ratings. Doko is rated 11th with 2030 points in the world, while Nwali occupies the 16th spot with 2012 points.

Each player will receive 70,000 naira as an appearance fee and will be accommodated and provided meals in a service apartment throughout the three days of the grueling 21 rounds of games that will be played.

The 2021 Collins Scrabble Word Dictionary is the reference material for the competition, with a 10-point deduction for failed challenges of words during play.

This first-of-its-kind competition, THE ULTIMATE SCRABBLE SHOWDOWN, is the brainchild of Nigeria’s Champion of Champions, multiple National Sports Festival gold medalist, and winner of the IGP opens, Olatunde Oduwole, and it has the blessing of the Nigeria Scrabble Federation (NSF).

The winner of the competition will receive 250,000 naira, a trophy, a designer wristwatch, and a designer shirt, along with other souvenirs of the historic event from the organizers, while the loser will receive 150,000 naira cash, a plaque, a designer wristwatch, a T-shirt, and souvenirs.

In addition to the cash prizes, the winner will receive full sponsorship to an NSF-rated national championship, while the loser will receive 50 percent sponsorship to an NSF-rated national championship.

Olatunde Oduwole, the man behind this unique initiative, is also covering the expenses of the competition alongside the appearance fee, prize money, and all logistics.

Alagbada Babajide has been appointed as the event logistics director, while Joseph Okere will handle the live coverage of the competition, manage all the social media handles of The Ultimate Scrabble Showdown, as well as live streaming of the event.

The competition will be directed by a very passionate and dynamic stakeholder in the Scrabble circuit in Nigeria and Africa, Hakeem Olaribigbe.

Oduwole, a multiple national champion, explained that he put together the event to help encourage Scrabble players to aspire for excellence and reach for the very top of their game, as only the best in Nigeria and Africa will be selected in all editions of the Ultimate Scrabble Showdown.

Nigeria, to stage maiden inaugural edition of "Ultimate Scrabble Showdown" in July

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