By Maxwell Kumoye in Benin City 17/4/25
The surprised package of the 2025 Nigeria Scrabble Federation Inter Club Challenge Yenagoa SC will slug it out with tested Gateway SC in today’s final contest in Benin City, Edo State, South South, Nigeria.
Thanks to their convincing and comfortable win over Central Scrabble Club A in the semi-finals decided on Wednesday, with Yenagoa SC winning the first three matches, leaving the two other matches for record and rating purposes.
Led by the very impressive Doubra Enai and supported by Bright Ohaka, Ezekiel Eniekebi, Vincent Munanyo and Precious Igali, the coastal city club took the semi-finals match 4-1 with a cumulative of plus 1634 points, winning 19 out of 25 games.
The story was the same with the dominant Gateway SC as they beat Benin City SC 4-1 with a cumulative points of plus 892 to set up the final battle against Yenagoa SC today.
To reach the last four, Yenagoa SC topped Group A ahead of Benin City SC, Surulere SC and Central Scrabble Club B while Gateway SC led Group B, followed by CSCA A, Pyramid SC and PHC Club.
Oluwatimilehin Doko, Cyril Umebiye, David Ojih, Hakeem Ogundokun and Abdulmumin Jimoh are the stars that stopped CSCA A from reaching the final.
David Ojih of Gateway SC and Doubra Enai of Yenagoa SC went unbeaten in the semi-finals while Christopher Nnamani of CSCA lost all his games in the last four.
SEMI-FINAL – 1
4–1 – 19–6 +1634 Yenegoa
1–4 – 6–19 −1634 CSC A
SEMI-FINAL – 2
4–1 – 17–8 +892 Gateway
1–4 – 8–17 −892 Benin SC
Meanwhile the curtain will fall on the week long Scrabble Festival supported by Edo State Sports Commission with the NSF Awards and Gala Night. The winner of the Asaph Zadok National Championship, George Ezinore of Edo State, will be decorated with the highly esteemed and prestigious NSF Green Jacket last held by Enoch Nwali in the colours of Lagos State.