By Maxwell Kumoye
Recently crowned African champion, Oluwatimilehin Doko is one of the high profile wordsmiths who will be attending the Janet Adowei Memorial Scrabble Classics (JAMSC).
The Kigali history maker and Ultimate Scrabble Showdown contender confirmed in the competition scheduled to hold November 16-17, at the Chevron Recreational Club Gbagada, Lagos, Nigeria.
Another former African champion and the youngest captain of Team Nigeria, Enoch Nwali is another heavyweight player who will grace the Janet Adowei Memorial Scrabble Classics which is the last major competition in the ephemeris of the Nigeria Scrabble Federation.
Over 150 players are expected to compete for honours in three different categories, Masters, Intermediate and Opens at the Classics with over 3.5 million naira as prize money.
It’s an 18 rounds of games competition rated by Nigeria Scrabble Federation (NSF) and will run for two days, games start by 10am daily with the 2021 Collins Scrabble Dictionary as the reference material.
750,000 Naira is the top prize money for the Masters category and lots of spot prizes will be up for grabs at the Classics that is supported by Nigeria Scrabble Federation, Mind Games Incorporated and Lekki Scrabble Club.
Ryan Jacob who is the defending champion in the Masters category has promised to make any player seeking or desirous, wrestle the Adowei Memorial Crown from him and sweat profusely all through the 18 rounds of games.
The President of Nigeria Scrabble Federation (NSF), Engineer Toke Aka, is leading a high powered, passionate cast of mind game stakeholders and dignitaries to the competition that is gradually building a formidable reputation for itself among a plethora of competitions in the NSF circuit.
Instituted by Engineer Ebikeme Adowei in honour of his mother, the Classics has become a fertile ground for the game of words in Nigeria to grow on.
The JAMSC which began five years ago, has assumed a national status where players from across the country find true satisfaction and fulfilment participating in.
Engineer Adowei, immediate past President of the Lekki Scrabble Club said this year’s edition is bigger in prize and will be better in the area of organization.
Meanwhile, the Ultimate Scrabble Showdown Solutions Limited owners of the famous Ultimate Scrabble Showdown have promised to reward Oluwatimilehin Doko with the sum of 250,000 naira for winning the 15th edition of the African Scrabble Championship concluded last month in Kigali, Rwanda.
The chairman of the Ultimate Scrabble Showdown Solutions Limited, Olatunde Oduwole explained that the company is rewarding the new African Scrabble King because of his dedication, hard work and commitment to the sport.
The CEO of Ultimate Scrabble Showdown Solutions Limited, Olatunde Oduwole, described the young Oluwatimilehin Doko as an enigma, a conqueror, potentate and all these attributes makes him a complete scrabble player.
Doko, the contender at the maiden edition of the Ultimate Scrabble Showdown in Nigeria is currently the second highest ranked African player in the world at number 9 behind Enoch Nwali at number 6.
“Oluwatimilehin Doko is unique, talented, gifted and most of all very humble. He’s passionate about the game of words, reads and studies a lot, he’s friendly, always willing to learn. That’s the mark of a true champion,” Oduwole stated.
“I’m very elated and excited with this massive achievement by Doko, it sends the right signal and message to young players and students that hard work, commitment and dedication coupled with divine blessings and favour will elevate you as well as reward you too,” Olatunde Oduwole, the multiple national champion added.
He said, the money is a token of appreciation and promise to continually encourage and support young talented and dutiful players who adds value to the game of scrabble in Nigeria and the continent.
“Our goals and objectives at the Ultimate Scrabble Showdown Solutions Limited is to add value to scrabble, reward excellence, encourage youths to embrace and combine sports with education as well as compete for honours with fairness and honesty.” Oduwole explained.
It’s noteworthy to state that, Ultimate Scrabble Showdown Solutions Limited has provided two comprehensive sponsorship deals for Enoch Nwali to the Governor Douye Diri National Championship and also sponsored Oluwatimilehin Doko to the Lekki Scrabble Classics this year.