NSF boss Engineer Toke Aka says Nigeria ready to host 2nd of West Africa Scrabble Championship

Posted : 12 September 2023

The President of the Nigeria Scrabble Federation (NSF), Engineer Chief Toke Aka, says they are ready to host a befitting second edition of the West Africa Scrabble Championship (WASC) later this year.

Aka said NSF was working hand in hand with the Scrabble Associations of Ghana, The Gambia, Liberia, and Sierra Leone for a hitch-free event.

75 wordsmiths from five countries are expected to compete for honours at the championship, which was last won by Eta Karo in the individual category and Team Nigeria in the team event. Abuja is likely to host the competition scheduled to hold in the month of November, and the Nigeria Scrabble Federation has set in motion plans for a memorable championship.

"The federal capital city may have gotten the nod to host the regional tournament because of its strategic importance, location, excellent hotel facilities, strong government presence, and sporting culture."

The 28 rounds of the games competition are open for sponsorship, and Chukwudi Ehibudu, who heads the marketing drive at NSF, says about fifty million naira will be needed to stage the event.

"The Local Organizing Committee (LOC) for the Championship will be announced by the President of the Nigeria Scrabble Federation (NSF), Engineer Toke Aka, who is the Chairman of the Main Organizing Committee (MOC), early next month," he said.

Engineer Aka explained that the West Africa Scrabble Championship (WASC) is one of the major events on the calendar of the Nigeria Scrabble Federation (NSF).

At the first edition of the West Africa Scrabble Championship in Accra, the Ghanaian capital, Nigeria's Eta Karo took the top prize with 21 wins from 28 games and a cumulative score of plus 1,357 points.

Enoch Nwali, another Nigerian, came in second with 19 wins and a cumulative score of plus 1,190 points, ahead of Wellington Jighere, a former World and two-time African Champion who recorded 18 wins and a cumulative score of plus 1,020.

Nine Nigerians were among the top ten at the close of the championship. The new kid on the block, Doko Oluwatimilehin, now a 400-level pharmacy student at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), who made his first major outing for the national team, came in an impressive fifth in a 40-man strong field.

The best Ghanaian player at the competition, Charles Tachie-Menson, came tenth with 15 wins and a draw, plus 611 cumulative, and a year later he went ahead to have an impressive run at the WESPA Championship in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, where he finished among the top ten players at number 8.

The team event crown went to Team Nigeria, while Sierra Leone came in second ahead of The Gambia and host Ghana. This was the top ten table after three days of gruelling jamming sessions that were laced with upsets in each of the 28 rounds.

1. Eta Karo
21 wins and +1,357 pts

2. Enoch Nwali
19 wins and +1,190 pts

3. Wellington Jighere
18 wins and +1020 pts

4. Nsikak Etim
18 wins and +930 pts

5. Doko Oluwatimilehin
17 wins and +837 pts

6. Ehibudu Chukwudi
17 wins and +411 pts

7. Olatunde Oduwole
17 wins and +317 pts

8. George Ezinore
16 wins and +507 pts

9. Emmanuel Ofidi
16 wins and +236 pts

10. Charles Tachie-Menson
15½ and +611 pts

Due to lack of funds Nigeria's team to Ghana travelled by road. Team Nigeria standing.

Eta Paul Karo (1)

Enoch Tochukwu Nwali (2)

Wellington Jighere (3)

Nsikakabasi Solomon Etim (4)

Doko Oluwatimilehin (5)

Chukwudi Ehibudu (6)

Olatunde Oduwole (7)

George Ezinore (8)

Emmanuel Ofidi (9)

Emmanuel Umujose (11)

Dipo Akanbi (12)

John Curtis (13)

Oshevire Avwenagha (14)

Jack Mpakaboari (22)

Daystar Atti (25)

NSF boss Engineer Toke Aka says Nigeria ready to host 2nd of West Africa Scrabble Championship

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