Pan African Scrabble Association stakes N2.5M prize for African Games

Posted : 13 January 2024

Over 35 Nigerian wordsmiths have entered the Special Side event scheduled to be held before the scrabble event of the 13th All Africa Games, taking place in three Ghanaian cities.

The list of scrabble players heading to Accra for the Special Side event is led by the African Youth Scrabble Championship (AYSC) winner, David Ojih.

University of Lagos (UNILAG) student, Musa Lateef, the 2023 King of Scrabble In The Jungle, is also heading to Accra for the Special Side event alongside Emmanuel Enyi.

Joy Ola, one of the talented young Scrabble Amazons, along with Grace Jompe, is also making the trip to the West African country of gold and Cocoa-rich Ghana.

Other household names in the scrabble fraternity in Nigeria who will be in Ghana are Engineer Ojior Osikhena, Engineer Adowei, Engineer Dipo Akanbi, Emmanuel Egbele, Austin Isiekwe, Hakeem Olaribigbe, Tunde Saporu, and Olumide Oyejide.

The Technical Director of Nigeria Scrabble Federation (NSF), John Curtis, and the coach of Scrabble Team Nigeria, Prince Anthony Ikolo, along with Uganda's Chris Ntege, will also be competing for honors at the event.

The side event, put together by the Pan African Scrabble Association (PANASA) in conjunction with the Scrabble Association of Ghana (SCAG), was initially open to fifty participants but was expanded due to the huge number of entries received so far for the three-day competition.

The President of PANASA, Adekoyejo Adegbesan, noted that about 2,500 dollars have been set aside as prize money, with the winner taking home 1,000 dollars, and half that amount going to the second-placed player.

Adekoyejo Adegbesan, who is also the chairman of Ogun State Scrabble Association (OSSA), stated that the side event is part of the continental governing body of the game of words to add panache as well as drive the growth of the sport.

“As many already know, our sport will feature at the 13th African Games in Ghana some weeks from now.

"To ensure we give members of our community an opportunity to be part of this groundbreaking event, we have decided to host a side event alongside the games of the championship,” Adegbesan noted.

The tech expert, who has been the boss of PANASA for 15 months, further explained, “Players for the side event will be added to the Accreditation list and will be considered as athletes participating in the games.

"Such players will at all times wear their Accreditation badges throughout the games.

"There is a deadline for the submission of your Form B. This deadline is sacrosanct to allow the LOC to complete their own documentation,” Adegbesan said.

The 13th All Africa Games Scrabble Main Event will see competitive Scrabble played between Male and Female Teams.

Each country (except the host who is allowed more) will produce a Team of 3 players each for their Men and Female Team.

Countries that do not have a male and female team are allowed to come with either, as PANASA will be providing everything free for players in this category.

Pan African Scrabble Association stakes N2.5M prize for African Games

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