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Tag: Scrabble

  • It’s a new chapter in Scrabble – NUGA Games MVP, Passfine Chinkere

    It’s a new chapter in Scrabble – NUGA Games MVP, Passfine Chinkere

    A key and influential member of the army of scrabble amazons in Nigeria, Passfine Chinkere, is very excited and elated about the forthcoming historic event, the All-Nigeria Amazons Scrabble Championship.

     

    Chinkere made her feelings known in an interview with journalists in Lagos.

     

    “I call it “A New Chapter in the World of Scrabble” The First All-Amazons Scrabble Championship and the prospect of an All-Amazons Scrabble Championship is incredibly exciting,” she said.

     

    The two-day all female Championship has been scheduled to hold on the 30th and 31st of this month in Benin City, Edo State, South-South Nigeria.

     

    Passfine Chinkere, the Most Valuable Player at the last Nigeria University Games Association (NUGA), strongly believes that the event the brainchild of Words and Wits in conjunction with the Nigeria Scrabble Federation NSF, is the perfect platform for the sport to furnish among the ladies and beyond.

     

    “It signifies a new era for the classic word game, one that merges the traditional with the digital. As the first of its kind, this event has the potential to redefine the competitive Scrabble landscape and introduce the game to a broader audience.”

     

    Nigeria being the number one scrabble playing nation can leverage the game using the AMAZONS as the springboard.

     

    “Amazon’ vast reach and influence could make this tournament a truly global spectacle. The event could attract a diverse pool of players, from seasoned veterans to casual enthusiasts, all united by their love of words. It’s a fantastic opportunity to showcase the intellectual prowess and strategic thinking required to excel at Scrabble.” Passfine Chinkere added.

     

    Over 60 female players are expected to grace the competition, and Passfine Chinkere, currently ranked among the top 10 female wordsmiths says the turning point for female scrabble to blossom and open the door for the girl child to combine education and sports is here.

     

    “I envision that this championship will be more than just a competition; it could be a platform to foster a stronger SCRABBLE COMMUNITY, both online and offline. Interactive features, such as live streaming, fan engagement, and behind-the-scenes content, could enhance the overall experience for viewers and participants alike,” the Amazon who studied English at the University of Port Harcourt stressed.

     

    Despite coming from a medical family background, Passfine Chinkere, a member of Team Rivers has zeal for sport that is garnished with a passion to open up women’s involvement.

     

    “Ultimately, the success of this inaugural event will depend on several factors: the level of competition, the quality of the production, and the ability to captivate a wide audience. If executed well, it could become an annual tradition, elevating Scrabble to new heights of popularity and prestige.”

     

    Already a collage of Nigeria’s finest beauty, brain, boldness, bravery and experience led by multiple National Sports Festival gold medallist Akpos Malafakumo, Africa’s most decorated female scrabble player Tuoyo Mayuku have key in for the bewitching event holding at Oti Hotel, Benin City.

     

    Other household names that will grace the championship are double gold medallist at the African Games Adebisi Adekansi, Joy Ola, a member of the all-conquering female Scrabble Team Nigeria to the African Games in Accra, Ghana, Priscilla Akhabue and Bukunmi Afolayan.

     

    “I eagerly await the outcome of this historic tournament and look forward to seeing how it shapes the future of Scrabble,” the winsome Passfine Chinkere concluded.

     

    Over one million naira has been set aside as prize money with the winner dancing to the bank with 300,000 naira. Lots of spot prizes will be up for grab during the compelling Championship.

     

    Series of eye catching, unique, creative and iconic side events have been put together to tickle your sporting and entertainment taste bud during the two-day championship.

     

    Meanwhile, a token sum of 20,000 naira has been fixed as the registration fee for the championship which covers each player’s exotic alluring accommodation and mouth-watering feeding for the duration of the edge-of-the-seat event.

  • Nigeria to host ‘Ultimate Scrabble Showdown’ in July

    Nigeria to host ‘Ultimate Scrabble Showdown’ in July

    Africa’s number one and World number two English scrabble playing nation, Nigeria, is to stage a first of it’s kind competition tagged The Ultimate Scrabble Showdown in July, 2024.
    Lagos, the city of aquatic splendor, has been selected to host the inaugural edition of The Ultimate Scrabble Showdown which is a two player competition.
    The competition will involve two top players, current NSF Green Jacket holder, national number two and Africa champion, Enoch Nwali and Nigeria’s number one, current West African champion and the Most Valuable Player of the NSF Inter Club Challenge finals 2024, Oluwatimilehin Doko.
    It’s a three day event, players are expected to arrive on Friday the 19th of July and the competition will end 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 wordsmith in Nigeria and on the continent.
    Both players who are student 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 is occupying the 16th spot with 2012 points.
    The two players will each get 70,000 naira as appearance fee and will be accommodated and fed in a service apartment through out 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 while it’s 10 points deduction for failed challenge of word during play.
    This first of it’s kind competition, THE ULTIMATE SCRABBLE SHOWDOWN is the brain child of Nigeria’s Champion of Champions, multiple National Sports Festival gold medalist and winner of the IGP opens, Olatunde Oduwole, and it’s has the blessing and seal of Nigeria Scrabble Federation (NSF).
    The winner of the competition will pocket 250,000 naira, a trophy, designer wrist watch and designer shirt along with other souvenirs of the historic event from the organizers while the loser gets 150,000 naira cash, a plaque, designer wrist watch, T-shirt and souvenirs.
    Besides the cash prizes, the winner will get full sponsorship to an NSF rated national championship while the loser gets 50 percent sponsorship to an NSF rated national championship.
    Olatunde Oduwole, the man behind this unique initiative is also footing the bill of the competition alongside appearance fee, the prize money and all the logistics.
    Alagbada Babajide has been appointed as event logistics director while Joseph Okere will handle live coverage of the competition, handle 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.
    Olatunde Oduwole, the author of Scrabble Evolution text book, further stated that the competition which is completely different from any other competition is a game changer and a path way for healthy rivalry among elite wordsmith.
    “This edition is just the beginning of many more events and programs to help accelerate the growth of scrabble in Nigeria and Africa. Players will not be asked to pay registration fee, they will be accommodated, fed and dressed through out the competition and above all appearance fee is the icing on the cake,” Oduwole a former NSF Green Jacket holder added.
    The competition director, Hakeem Olaribigbe and logistics director, Alagbada Babajide, as well as other members of the Organizing Committee have been meeting to finalize the choice of service apartment to be used for this unique initiative.
    KEY TAKE AWAY OF THE ULTIMATE SCRABBLE SHOWDOWN:
    ★ Participants – Enoch Nwali and Oluwatimilehin Doko
    ★ Number of games – 21 rounds of games in two days
    ★ Total prize money – N400,000:00
    ★ Winner – N250,000:00, trophy, wrist watch, designer shirt and other souvenirs and will also get full sponsorship to an NSF rated national championship
    ★ Loser – N150,000:00, plaque, designer wrist watch, T-shirt and souvenirs and will get 50% sponsorship to an NSF rated national championship
    ★ Appearance fee for both players, N70,000:00 each
    ★ Accommodation and feeding in a service apartment for three days
    ★ Both players to be dressed by the organizers throughout the competition
    ★ Competition which is an annual July date is rated by NSF
    ★ Event to be streamed live from game 1 to game 21
    ★ Date – 19th – 21st of July 2024
  • Nigeria’s Jack Mpakaboari wins major scrabble event in Canada

    Nigeria’s Jack Mpakaboari wins major scrabble event in Canada

    Nigeria’s Jack Mpakaboari has engraved his name in the top honour list at the 2024 Division A Class C of the Niagara Falls International Scrabble Tournament in Ontario, Canada.

     

    Mpakaboari won 12 rounds of games and a draw with a cumulative points spread of plus 225 ahead of England’s Rick Blakeway and Daniel Blake of America both on 12 wins each from 22 games each, separated by cumulative points.

     

    Going into the final game 22, Mpakaboari was on 11 wins and a draw, the Rivers State born wordsmith had to dig deeper to brush aside highly rated tournament number 8 seed Bradley Whitmarsh of America 499-396, that’s 103 cumulative points difference.

     

    The widely traveled Mpakaboari’s win in a strong 34 man field is a clear indication of the strength and depth of the growth of the game of words in Nigeria and the continent.

     

    Mpakaboari, is the first Nigerian and indeed the first African to win Division A Class C of the Niagara Falls International Scrabble tournament.

     

    Matthew Tunnicliffe who dropped only two games throughout the three day event won the Division A ahead of Joshua Sokol and Quinn James while Travis Chaney took the top honour in Class B.

     

    Moses Owugah, Willy Nwabor, Fidelis Olotu and Samuel Anikoh are other passionate Nigerian scrabble players who graced the annual tournament that attracted players from Africa, America, Europe and Asia.

     

    Jack Mpakaboari who recently won the Scrabble event at the Nigeria Oil Games dedicated the win to the Almighty God, who has been his source of strength in his journey into the world of scrabble.

     

    “Special thanks to my wife and daughter. I equally appreciate my Nigerian playmates at Niagara Falls International tournament in Canada, Moses Owugah, Willy Nwabor, Fidelis Olotu and Samuel Anikoh.” Mpakaboari, the accountant said.

     

    Jack Mpakaboari, a member of Team Nigeria to the maiden edition of the West African Scrabble Championship in Accra, Ghana in 2022 where he secured 14 wins in 28 games has been very active on the international scrabble circuit.

     

    At the inaugural edition of the MGI International Scrabble Classics UK in Milton Keynes, Mpakaboari recorded 12 wins with a minus 671 points to finish among the top 40 players at the well attended historic event.

     

    It will interest you to know that Jack Mpakaboari and seven other players had the same number of victories but cumulative points separated them in the grueling battle at MGI International Classics UK which took place at Leonardo Hotel in Milton Keynes.

     

    Mpakaboari also had an impressive outing at the last Israeli International Scrabble Championship in Tel Aviv in 2023 where he was ranked 8th. In 2020 he topped the table at the 12th Isreali Open. He also won the MSI World Scrabble Championships (B-Div) in 2016 in Lille, France.

     

    At the last World English Scrabble Players Association Championship in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, he won 15 rounds of games and a draw to cap his American experience.

     

    FIRST ZEALMEDIACAST BLOG understand that Jack Mpakaboari has 51.49 percent winning ratio and has shown his word strength and dexterity on the scrabble board in France, Malta, United Kingdom, South Africa, Scotland, Thailand and the United States of America.

  • Our goal is to give the game of words lift – President of Scrabble Association of Ghana, Haruna Adamu

    Our goal is to give the game of words lift – President of Scrabble Association of Ghana, Haruna Adamu

    Egypt, the next host of the Games in 2027, took the top spot with 103 gold medals, 6 more than what they won in the Morocco 2019 African Games, while Nigeria came a disappointing distant second with 47 gold medals ahead of South Africa and Algeria.
    Host Ghana, finished sixth with 19 gold. Tunisia came fifth at the end of the sporting feast that took place in two cities, Accra and Cape Coast and it has ‘Experience the African Dream’ as theme. 44 countries registered their names on the medal table.
    Out of the seven demonstration sports at the 13th African Games, the game of words, Scrabble made it grand and stylish entry into the sporting spectacle on the 15th of March at the exotic, classy and serene Alisa Hotel with eleven countries, eight english and three french countries in attendance.
    Host Ghana, Nigeria, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Uganda, South Africa, Kenya and Zambia are the english invaders while Benin Republic, Gabon and Togo competed in the french event at the Games.
    Besides the main demonstration event, the Pan African Scrabble Association (PANASA), and the Scrabble Association of Ghana (SCAG) staged a side event that had 64 participants from ten countries.
    At the end of three days of grueling rounds of games, ten countries appeared on the podium, seven english and three french. Only South Africa, left Accra the Ghanaian capital without any colour of medal.
    Emmanuel King of Sierra Leone and Adebisi Adekansi of Nigeria were decked with the gold medal in the men and women singles events, Uganda’s men took the team gold at the expense of Liberia.
    Nigeria amazons trio of Joy Ola, Adebisi Adekansi and Tuoyo Mayuku returned to Abuja with the women’s team gold in addition to the Best Board gold won by the most successful female player and a living legend of the mind game, Tuoyo Mayuku, from Delta State, South-South of Nigeria.
    Nigeria’s ladies were the most successful team at the Games, while Uganda have the bragging rights in the men’s field.
    It was frustration, despair and disappointment for Nsikak Etim, Wellington Jighere and Tega Okiemute of Team Nigeria as they failed to reach the medal bracket in both the team and individual event in Accra despite their high ratings.
    Some analysts and scrabble commentators attribute Nigeria’s poor outing in the men’s event due to the shorter version of numbers of games adopted and the small number of players (3) par team.
    That argument can been described as watery, weak and should be confined to the dust bin. A school of scrabble pundits believe that nearly all sports have shorter versions like T20 for cricket, 60m, & 300m in athletics, 5 Aside in football, 3×3 in basketball, just to mention but a few and top players must be ready to swim in all kind of waters and weather.
    It was a big battle between two neighbours, Benin Republic and Togo in the french event with Benin Republic topping the table.
    Behind this fantastic outing by wordsmith from East, Central and Southern Africa, there lies some big, powerful and deep pocket individuals who contributed to the success story of scrabble at the 13th African Games.
    One of such individual is the executive member of World English Scrabble Players Association (WESPA) and the President of Scrabble Association of Ghana (SCAG), Haruna Adamu.
    Adamu, explained that they threw their full weight and might behind the project because it has the power to transform the economy of Ghana and other African Scrabble playing Nations.
    Interestingly, Ghana will be hosting the next edition of the PANASA President’s Cup and hopefully the WESPA Championship in 2025.
    “We are involving the Ghana Ministry of tourism, the home office and all relevant government agencies to make Ghana 2025, which is an African bid a reality.” Adamu a security expert stressed.
    Scrabble Association of Ghana (SCAG), under the stewardship of Haruna Adamu and it’s grand patron, Architect Samuel Mbrayeh Quartey, fondly called SM Quartey ensured that the two-in-one event did not encounter any hitches.
    At the end of the Scrabble event, Architect Samuel Mbrayeh Quartey, hosted the entire scrabble contingent to a dinner on Sunday night, one to remember at Sally’s Nest, his mansion off Spintex road, Accra.
    During the dinner, Sierra Leone, host of the African Scrabble Championship (ASC), in October gave a firm commitment about their readiness to stage the best ever ASC, while PANASA may add the West African Scrabble Championship (WASC), to the bouquet in Freetown.
    The presence of these passionate and devoted scrabble supporters and sponsors, Engineer Gbenga Ojofeitimi, Engineer Osikhena Ojior, Emmanuel Egbele and Engineer Ebikeme Adowei underscore the importance the scrabble family attached to this historic outing.
    THE DOWNSIDE OF SCRABBLE IN ACCRA AND GOING FORWARD:
    ★ The continental governing body of scrabble Pan African Scrabble Association (PANASA) needs to be RESTRUCTURED and REDEFINED, it should not be seen as a One-Man Show, as it was in Ghana.
    ★ A functional secretariat with a Secretary General who will oil and activate all the activities and programs of the Association, this will help in making international events inviting.
    ★ The tenor of the President of PANASA, should be increased from two to four years in line with other national and international sporting Federations and Olympic charter.
    ★ Each Sub Region, should produce a Vice President for PANASA and all African Executive Council Members of WESPA should be included in an expanded PANASA Executive Committee.
    ★ Merchandise and the rules of merchandising must be clearly spelt out before any competition. Scrabble like other sports flourishes with the help and sales of merchandise and memorabilia, which was not defined at the African Games, in Accra, raising some bad blood.
    ★ The Local Organizing Committee, that is the host Association and country should be fully carried along just like is obtainable in football, basketball and other sports, scrabble shouldn’t be different.
    ★ At all international events, PANASA and the host Association and country must harmonize the media coverage, create a Media Hub or Centre to spread it message, this was lacking or rather missing at the Games.
  • The lineup for NSF Inter Club Challenge now complete

    The lineup for NSF Inter Club Challenge now complete

    The lineup of teams competing for honours at NSF Inter Club Challenge Abeokuta-2024 is now complete after the conclusion of the South-South Zonal Play-Off in Benin City, Edo State.
    Benin SC, Victory SC of Warri and Uyo SC are the latest clubs to book their tickets for the Inter Club Challenge finals in Abeokuta, Ogun State, South West, Nigeria.
    Host, Benin Scrabble Club were the first to punch their ticket for the grand finals from the South-South Zonal Play-Off with 10 wins and a plus 1287 cumulative points, ahead of Victory SC of Warri.
    Fresh from Accra, the Ghanaian capital with Team Nigeria at the 13th African Games Tega Okiemute, was just too hot to handle and his dexterity on the board was awesome. Dropping only 2 out of 15 games with a plus 960 cumulative points.
    Zuofa Peres and captain George Ezinore also put in a good shift for Benin SC.
    Victory SC secured 9 wins and a cumulative points of plus 1390.
    Godwin Victor, Akpojotor Ochuko, Jacob Tone, Larry Etuwa and captain Emmanuel Umujose, all played their part in ensuring victory for Victory SC in the Play-Off directed by multiple African Games gold medal winning coach, Prince Anthony Ikolo.
    The scrabblers from the land of promise, Uyo Scrabble Club with this gang of word warriors, Prestige Archibong, Ryan Jacob, Victor Owokere, Ekpo Emmanuel and Elvis James, garner 6 wins with a minus 1642 cumulative points.
    Despite the good showing of the captain of Team Nigeria to the last West African Scrabble Championship, Ben Quickpen, Yenagoa SC could not secure a place in the finals in Abeokuta as they came first from the bottom with a minus 1035 cumulative points from 3 victories from 15 rounds of games.
    It’s imperative to state that under the captaincy of current African Scrabble Champion, Enoch Nwali, UNILAG Scrabble Club marched into the finals by dominating group A of the South West Play-off, recording three wins over Ibadan SC and BSP SC.
    Nwali, was supported by Kareem Jamiu, who came third in the second edition of ‘Scrabble In The Jungle’ in Lagos last year, Babajide Alagbada, Tunde Saporu, the winner of the 2023 Engineer Toke Aka Jubilee National Open in Abuja. Ebenezer Toyeme and Victor Ukpe completes the UNILAG Scrabble Club team.
    Pyramid SC captained by Dipo Akanbi a former NSF Green Jacket holder, navigated their way into the final phase of the NSF Inter Club Championship with victories over Surulere SC and Egbin SC in group B of the South West Play-Off.
    Akanbi won 9 games out of 10 and he had the chance to do 10 over 10 but missed the word SAPIENS against Olaribigbe Hakeem of Surulere SC to seal the game.
    The 2017 NSF Green Jacket holder played 22 bingos in the game against Olaribigbe Hakeem of Surulere SC.
    Young and talented John Aiyedun, experienced Ayo Akinfemisoye and the never say it’s over Femi Simpson, as well as Femi-Ade Wahab and Omijeh Osaghaede were hand, fully charged to light up their pathway to the finals at Sarank Hotel, Egbin, Ikorodu, Lagos State, venue of the South West Play-Off.
    Ikorodu SC with 3 wins was too strong for big guns from Lekki SC and Alausa SC that is making their maiden appearance in the NSF Inter Club Championship in group C.
    Surulere SC sneaked into the NSF Inter Club Challenge finals as winners of the second chance Play off of the South West Zone. They edged out Ibadan SC and Lekki Scrabble Club with, three wins and a plus 450 cumulative points.
    Kaduna Central Scrabble Club were the first team to pick their ticket to the finals of the NSF Inter Club Championship after brushing aside South Side Scrabble Club to pick the Northwest slot last month.
    Apex Scrabble Club of Abuja, that parades the Nigeria Scrabble Federation (NSF), Technical Director, John Curtis, his brother, Peter Ebomah, young and talented National Sports Festival gold medalist and a member of Team Nigeria to the African, Games Jimoh Abdulmumin, 2023 winner of the MGI Patrons Cup, Anthony Odok, qualified for the Challenge finals from the North Central Zonal Play-Off.
    Jos SC fondly called Rock Solid Jammers, also booked their place in the National finals by beating Central Scrabble Club Abuja A, B and C teams. Winning 11 rounds, 54 games and a cumulative of plus 1211 points.
    Anambra Scrabble Club, the sole entrance from the South East are also through to the national NSF Inter Club Championship finals.
    Warri Scrabble Club, also known as Victory SC that parades famous wordsmith, Emmanuel Umujose, winner of the PANASA President’s Cup, Godwin Victor, Jacob Tone, Larry Etuwa and Akpojotor Ochuko are the defending champions of the NSF Inter Club Championship.
    Teams that are through to the finals are:
    ✓ BENIN SC
    ✓ VICTORY SC
    ✓ UYO SC
    ✓ JOS SC
    ✓ APEX SC
    ✓ ANAMBRA SC
    ✓ ABEOKUTA SC as host city club
    ✓ KADUNA CENTRAL SC
    ✓ SURULERE SC
    ✓ IKORODU SC
    ✓ PYRAMID SC
    ✓ UNILAG Scrabble Club
    28 Clubs from 13 States and the Nigeria Police started the race to reach the finals of the NSF Inter Club Championship.
    The NSF Inter Club Challenge is one of the four events lined up for this year’s NSF Scrabble Festival holding at the landmark, June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto-Abeokuta, Ogun State.
    The other events are:
    ★ Asaph Zadok National Championship, which produces the national champion who wears the NSF Green Jacket and State Champion
    ★ Annual General Meeting (AGM)
    ★ Awards and Gala Night
    Delta State are the defending champions of the Asaph Zadok National Championship, with Eta Paul Karo as the holder of the NSF Green Jacket 2023.
  • Sports engagement and sponsorship takes youth off the street and social vices

    Sports engagement and sponsorship takes youth off the street and social vices

    A key stakeholders and very passionate scrabble lover in the sporting firmament in Nigeria Engineer Ojior Osikhena, says the game of Scrabble and Sports in general is one of the major vehicle to take the youth off the street and engage them meaningfully.
    Ojior Osikhena a civil engineering made this submission at the weekend in Accra the Ghanaian capital during the ongoing African Games.
    “Sports and scrabble in particular has the power to arrest the minds of our teeming youth population, give a platform to earn a living and equally take them off the street.”
    The former Shell Petroleum manager stated that scrabble was what he and his friends as well as business associates used to take hundreds of young off the street and social vices.
    “We the support of Shell and my friends with deep pocket, we grow the game of words and turn Warri and the near bye towns and cities in Nigeria’s Scrabble hub and Warri eventually produced the first African world scrabble champion in Wellington Jighere.” Ojior Osikhena stated.
    Currently, Ojior Osikhena who is a permanent secretary in the ministry of urban planning in Edo State, South South, Nigeria stressed that he will continue to support the game of Scrabble at all levels in Nigeria and on the continent.
    It’s will interest you to know that the third prize trophy of the Pan African Scrabble Association PANASA President’s Cup 2023 was named after Engineer Ojior Osikhena because of his huge contribution to the mind game in Africa.
    “I’m eagerly waiting and looking forward to a time in Nigeria and the continent when major corporate bodies will identify with scrabble and support it fully.” He added.
    Engineer Ojior Osikhena told your authoritative Scrabble News Channel FIRST ZEALMEDIACAST BLOG that his love and passion for scrabble was ignited while in the University by a Scrabble first Nigeria Scrabble Grand Master Azu Ogbogu, although it all stated at home.
    Besides supporting and sponsoring scrabble, the kind hearted Ojior Osikhena has helped in financing the education and careers of many young Nigerians in different part of the country.
    At the ongoing African Games in Ghana Engineer Ojior Osikhena rewarded handsomely one of the finest and most accomplished scrabble amazon Tuoyo Mayuku for her unbeaten in the team event won by Nigeria.
    “My happiness and joy increases when ever I the players and the game of Scrabble blossom and when the players excel, you just have to acknowledge it and encourage them.” The winner of the 2021 veteran category of the Governor Douye Diri National Scrabble Championship stressed.
    Despite his very demanding and busy working schedule, the Edo State born engineer and sports administrator regularly grace all major national and international Championships that also enjoys and benefits from his kind and large heart.
    Ojior Osikhena a civil engineering made this submission at the weekend in Accra the Ghanaian capital during the ongoing African Games.
    “Sports and scrabble in particular has the power to arrest the minds of our teeming youth population, give a platform to earn a living and equally take them off the street.”
    The former Shell Petroleum manager stated that scrabble was what he and his friends as well as business associates used to take hundreds of young off the street and social vices.
    “We the support of Shell and my friends with deep pocket, we grow the game of words and turn Warri and the near bye towns and cities in Nigeria’s Scrabble hub and Warri eventually produced the first African world scrabble champion in Wellington Jighere.” Ojior Osikhena stated.
    Currently, Ojior Osikhena who is a permanent secretary in the ministry of urban planning in Edo State, South South, Nigeria stressed that he will continue to support the game of Scrabble at all levels in Nigeria and on the continent.
    It’s will interest you to know that the third prize trophy of the Pan African Scrabble Association PANASA President’s Cup 2023 was named after Engineer Ojior Osikhena because of his huge contribution to the mind game in Africa.
    “I’m eagerly waiting and looking forward to a time in Nigeria and the continent when major corporate bodies will identify with scrabble and support it fully.” He added.
    Engineer Ojior Osikhena told your authoritative Scrabble News Channel FIRST ZEALMEDIACAST BLOG that his love and passion for scrabble was ignited while in the University by a Scrabble first Nigeria Scrabble Grand Master Azu Ogbogu, although it all stated at home.
    Besides supporting and sponsoring scrabble, the kind hearted Ojior Osikhena has helped in financing the education and careers of many young Nigerians in different part of the country.
    At the ongoing African Games in Ghana Engineer Ojior Osikhena rewarded handsomely one of the finest and most accomplished scrabble amazon Tuoyo Mayuku for her unbeaten in the team event won by Nigeria.
    “My happiness and joy increases when ever I the players and the game of Scrabble blossom and when the players excel, you just have to acknowledge it and encourage them.” The winner of the 2021 veteran category of the Governor Douye Diri National Scrabble Championship stressed.
    Despite his very demanding and busy working schedule, the Edo State born engineer and sports administrator regularly grace all major national and international Championships that also enjoys and benefits from his kind and large heart.
  • All African Games: Scrabble event moved to Alisa Hotel

    All African Games: Scrabble event moved to Alisa Hotel

    The Scrabble event of the 13th African Games scheduled to hold in three Ghanaian cities, Accra Cape Coast and Kumasi from the 8th to 23rd of March 2024 has been moved from Hillview Guest Center to Alisa Hotel Accra.
    This piece of information was made public by the President of Pan African Scrabble Association (PANASA), Adekoyejo Adegbesan, in a telephone chat FIRST ZEALMEDIACAST BLOG your authoritative Scrabble News Channel.
    “The Pan African Scrabble Association (PANASA) hereby announces that the African Games Scrabble event will now take place at the Alisa Hotel, North Ridge, Accra, Ghana. The championship is scheduled to be held between March 15th – 17th, 2024. The country disciplines and side events will both take place at the Alisa Hotel.
    Adegbesan stated that the change in venue will not affect any previous plan for the scrabble event and all the participants.
    “We are pleased to inform you that the Alisa Hotel offers upgraded facilities and amenities compared to the initial venue. We believe this change will enhance the overall experience for all participants and guests.” The PANASA President said.
    Alisa Hotel – North Ridge has continually enhanced its services and facilities and is now proud to offer a total of 264 guest rooms and 14 conference rooms in addition to a fully equipped gymnasium, tennis court, swimming pool and salon spa.
    The Scrabble event as well as the African Games Open, a side event during the Games will hold simultaneously between the 15th and 17th of March.
    “We want to assure all teams and players who had previously reached out to PANASA regarding accommodation arrangements that their requests are being addressed. The price for accommodation will remain unchanged, and we are finalizing arrangements to ensure your comfort during your stay.”
    About 150 players and officials from 12 countries are expected to compete in the main Scrabble event of the Games and the African Games Open the side event.
    Over 2,500 dollars has been set aside as prize money for the African Games Open side event with registration pegged at 50 dollars per player.
    A host of scrabble lions, tigers and bulls across the continent have entered for the African Games side event
  • Kaduna Central Scrabble Club picks first ticket to the finals of the NSF Inter Club Championship

    Kaduna Central Scrabble Club picks first ticket to the finals of the NSF Inter Club Championship

    The identity of teams that will compete in the finals of the 2024 Nigeria Scrabble Federation, (NSF), Inter Club Championship scheduled to hold in the ancient Rock City of Abeokuta, Ogun State, Southwest Nigeria, is getting clearer.
    The first team to punch it’s ticket to the finals scheduled for April is Kaduna Central Scrabble Club, from the North West zone under the leadership of Othman Abdulaziz.
    They secured their passage into the much awaited finals with the help of Sadiq Abubakar, Baba Adamu, Suraj Aminu, Orkuma Gideon, Abdulsalam Abdulkadir and Attahiru Abdullahi at the expense of South Side Scrabble Club also of Kaduna at the weekend after a titanic battle at the Jollywood Gardens, Sabon Tasha.
    Despite the efforts of Danjuma Idris, Donatus Idogbe, Adeka Akochi, Odunayo Wellington, Bathlomew Okafor, Jonathan Sani and Neino Jonathan the South Side failed to click.
    Eleven other clubs are expected to emerge from the North Central, South West, South East, and South South of the Geo-Sporting zones of Nigeria for the grand finale.
    For your information, Warri Scrabble Club that parades the like of famous wordsmith, Emmanuel Umujose, winner of the PANASA President’s Cup Godwin Victor, Daystar Atti, Jacob Tone, Etuwa Larry, Akpojotor Ochuko and Peremor Ekpesaba are the defending champions of the NSF Inter Club Championship.
    The technical director of the Nigeria Scrabble Federation, John Curtis, told your authoritative Scrabble News Channel, FIRST ZEALMEDIACAST BLOG , that 28 clubs from over 13 states of the Federation and Nigeria Police are participating in this year’s event.
    The states are:
    ★ Lagos with eight clubs.
    ★ Ogun
    ★ Oyo
    ★ Ekiti
    ★ Edo with two clubs
    ★ Delta with three different clubs
    ★ Bayelsa
    ★ Plateau
    ★ Kaduna with two clubs sides
    ★ Rivers with two teams
    ★ Ondo
    ★ Anambra
    ★ Federal Capital Territory and four clubs
    Notable Scrabble Clubs that are competing in this year’s edition of the NSF Inter Club Championship is led by the dreaded UNILAG Scrabble Club captained by current African Scrabble champion Enoch Nwali. Recently crowned West African Scrabble King, Oluwatimilehin Doko is another heavy weight in the team.
    The winner of the second edition of Scrabble in the Jungle, Musa Lateef, African U-19 champion and runner up of Scrabble in the Jungle, David Ojih, Kareem Jamiu, Babajide Alagbada and Grace Jompe completes the UNILAG SC crack squad .
    Other clubs:
    ★ APEX SC
    ★ YENAGOA SC
    ★ EGBIN SC
    ★ IKORODUN SC
    ★ NIGERIA POLICE SC
    ★ SUNSHINE SC
    ★ BENIN SC team A and B
    ★ PYRAMID SC
    ★ SAPELE SC
    ★ SURULERE SC
    ★ IBADAN SC
    ★ JOS SC
    ★ SHELL SC
    ★ LEKKI SC
    ★ SOUTH SIDE SC
    ★ KADUNA CENTRAL SC
    ★ BSP SC
    ★ ASABA SC
    ★ CSCA SC team A, B and C
    ★ ANAMBRA SC
    ★ PORT HARCOURT SC
    ★ ALAUSA SC
    ★ WARRI SC
    ★ ABEOKUTA SC
    The Inter Club Championship is one of the four events lined up for this year’s NSF Scrabble Festival.
    The others are:
    .
    ★ Asaph Zadok National Championship
    ★ Annual General Meeting (AGM)
    ★ Awards and Gala Night
    Delta State are the defending champions of the Asaph Zadok National Championship, with Eta Paul Karo as the holder of the NSF Green Jacket 2023.
  • Ghana expresses interest to host World English Scrabble Players Association Championship in 2025

    Ghana expresses interest to host World English Scrabble Players Association Championship in 2025

    Ghana has sent in an Expression of Interest to host the most competitive, prestigious and glamorous scrabble competition on planet earth, the World English Scrabble Players Association Championship (WESPA), to the world governing body of the game of words in 2025.
    This cheering news was made public by the President of Scrabble Association of Ghana (SCAG), Haruna Adamu, in a telephone interview with your authoritative news channel FIRST ZEALMEDIACAST BLOG on Wednesday.
    Adamu who is an executive member of the World English Scrabble Players Association (WESPA), explained that Ghana in conjourntion with the Pan African Scrabble Association (PANASA), are working round the clock to put up a watertight bid that even the most jaded palate will find very difficult to resist.
    “The interest in Ghana and across the continent is huge, we are going to work with all to get it done. There will be other landmark events around our bid and our sporting heritage is an added advantage.” Haruna Adamu stated.
    One of the biggest scrabble competition in Africa, the PANASA President’s Cup (PPC), has been scheduled to hold in Accra, Ghana in the week leading to the last Chance Qualifiers and the World Championship.
    As part of Ghana’s bid to secure the 2025 World English Scrabble Players Association Championship, hosting rights, the President of Scrabble Association of Ghana (SCAG) Haruna Adamu will be in Kampala, Uganda and Nairobi, Kenya this weekend to drum up support for the bid.
    Haruna Adamu the CEO of Jeyz Security Management was in Lagos, Nigeria, two weeks ago to rub minds with his Nigerian counterpart, High Chief, Engineer Toke Aka, who is the President of the Nigeria Scrabble Federation (NSF) and who also doubles as an executive member of the World English Scrabble Players Association, Executive Committee, on the bidding process and the plans for the three-in-one event and we understand that the deliberation was very fruitful and successful.
    An elated President of the Pan African Scrabble Association (PANASA), Adekoyejo Adegbesan, says it’s time for Africa, the powerhouse and biggest contributor to the game of words to host the world again.
    “The Pan African Scrabble Association will work alongside Ghana to ensure a robust bid document is put together ahead of the February deadline for submission of bids. We will also reach across our allies in other part of the world to ensure we get the required votes needed to succeed.” Adegbesan noted.
    For your information, during the Pan African Scrabble Association (PANASA) President’s Cup in Lagos, Samuel Mbrayeh Quartey, a renowned architect and a philanthropist stated that he is very excited about the Ghana bid, which he called a Pan African Bid that should be given the much needed fillips.
    Samuel Mbrayeh Quartey, is asking the Scrabble fraternity in Ghana, Africa and the World to buy into, is the plan by the Pan African Scrabble Association (PANASA), to push for Accra, Ghana, to be the next host of the World English Scrabble Players Association (WESPA) Championship in 2025.
    PANASA, the Scrabble Association of Ghana (SCAG), the Ghana Ministry of Sports, the Ghana National Sports Authority and all relevant bodies as well as well individuals and WESPA member nations are being consulted for Accra, Ghana 2025 to be born.
    “You know we have scrabble greats in Ghana like Charles Haizel Tachie-Menson, he is among the top ten players at the last world championship, he will be more than happy to welcome the rest of the World to Ghana in 2025. The conversation is in it’s very early stages, there are consultations going on, the thought of it alone is exciting and one thing that making it more interesting is the fact that the PANASA President Adegbesan is very passionate about it and he is driving the move, it not just a Ghanaian bid but a United African Project. He emphasized.
  • ANOCA secures hosting rights for two editions of the All African Games

    ANOCA secures hosting rights for two editions of the All African Games

    For the first time in the history of the All African Games, the identities of the host countries of two editions of the continental Games is certain as the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA), successful midwife the deal that gave birth to this feat.
    Three key stakeholders, Egypt’s Sports Minister, Professor Dr. Ashraf Sobhy, Minister of Sports of the Democratic Republic of
    Congo, veteran journalist François-Claude Kabulo Mwana Kabulo and the Mr. Moustapha Beraf, President of the
    Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA), are the lubricants that set up this historic partnership.
    Egypt that last hosted the Games in 1991 got the nod to stage the quadrangle Games in 2027 while the Democratic Republic of Congo is positioning itself for the organization of the 2031 All African Games.
    ANOCA President, Moustapha Beraf, said, “Following fruitful discussions and within the framework of
    the sports agreements between the various entities, the three parties jointly decided to support Egypt’s candidacy for hosting the 2027 African Games. This decision is in line with the common desire to promote sporting excellence on
    the African continent.”
    Moustapha Beraf, went on to state that, “The Democratic Republic of Congo reaffirms its commitment to the African sports movement by positioning itself for the organization of the 2031 African Games and that the two countries will work closely, in consultation with ANOCA and all stakeholders, to ensure the total success of the 2027 African Games in Egypt, an initiative that will set the stage for the 2031 Games in the Democratic Republic of Congo.”
    Your authoritative news channel FIRST ZEALMEDIACAST BLOG understands that this enhanced collaboration between Egypt and the DRC aims to foster a spirit of fraternity and cooperation within the African sports movement, contributing to the achievement of common goals for sports. development on the continent with over half a billion youth population that is in love with sports.
    It’s noteworthy to mention that, years back, some host countries have failed to show up when it matters most but the signatories to this new beginning in the history of the All African Games, express their confidence in the success of
    the upcoming African Games and reiterate their commitment to the flourishing of sports in Africa.
    Three cities in Ghana, Accra, Kumasi, and Cape Coast will be staging the delayed 13th edition of the 2023 All African Games between 8th and 23th of March next year.
    The 12th African Games was held from 19 to 31 August 2019 in Rabat, Morocco. This was the first time that the African Games were hosted by Morocco following the country’s readmission to the African Union in January 2017.