By Maxwell Kumoye
Scrabble Team Nigeria members arrived in Kigali, the Rwandan capital on Tuesday to participate in the 15th edition of the African Scrabble Championship (ASC), which starts on Thursday.
The contingent led by the Nigeria Scrabble Federation (NSF) president Engineer Toke Aka, have in its fold current African Scrabble champion and World number 6, Enoch Nwali, West African champion Oluwatimilehin Doko, World number 9, Pan African Scrabble Association (PANASA), President Cup holder Godwin Victor and African Games Side Event winner John Aiyedun.
The most successful and the continent’s first lady in the word game Tuoyo Mayuku, Abdulmumin Jimoh and Tage Okiemuta who were part of Team Nigeria to the 13th African Games are in this young but very talented and experienced wordsmith in the royal white and energetic green colours of Nigeria in Kigali.
Despite the fact that the team lack the Federal Government of Nigeria financial and moral support, the President of Nigeria Scrabble Federation NSF Engineer Toke Aka believes they will surely write and engrave its name in GOLD in the “Land Of A Thousand Hills” – Rwanda.
“We want to sincerely thank all the well-meaning individuals in the global and Nigeria Scrabble family that rally round us financially to ensure that this all-conquering team defend its diadem in Kigali and make Nigeria proud in a few days’ time,” Aka told journalists at the Muritala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos before they left for Kigali.
Although the team in Kigali is relatively young and new to the African Scrabble Championship, the NSF Boss strongly believe no country on the continent can dare Nigeria.
“It’s true that we are missing the likes of Wellington Jighere, Dennis Ikekeregor, Nsikak Etim, Eta Karo, Olatunde Oduwole and Prince Omosefe, we are still loaded to the hilt with tasted, trusted dynamites and wolves who are ready to explode positively and maintain our dominance in Africa,” said Aka, the hydro engineer who is an influencial executive member of the World English Scrabble Players Association (WESPA).
Captain of Team Nigeria to the championship, Enoch Nwali is supremely confident of the strength of the ‘Scrabble Eagles and Army’ he is leading into the continental battle in Kigali.
“We are determined to make history in Rwanda, we are young, talented and experienced enough to rule Africa again and again. Yes, we are missing Olatunde Oduwole, Jighere, Karo and Ikekeregor but the group that have been selected by NSF will engrave Nigeria’s name in gold, on and off the scrabble board while in Rwanda,” the singles event defending champion stated.
“Nigerians should continue to support us and put us in their prayers at all times. It’s a huge task and responsibility ahead of us but we are ready and equal to the task.” the captain added.
Enoch Nwali’s optimism is shared and echoed by the finest and most fearsome, most successful as well as the most decorated scrabble amazon in Africa, World number 165, Tuoyo Mayuku. She is the highest ranked female player at the championship.
“Female scrabble players in Nigeria are the best on the continent and now we have more Masters players than any other country in Africa. We will show them how we rule Africa in Accra, Ghana, during the African Games this year,” the Delta State scrabble heavyweight said.
“My main goal is to help Team Nigeria win the individual category, male and female including the Team crown at the end of the championship and our camping in Lagos has helped us alot. The spirit and moral is sky high in the group that is going to Kigali. The African Scrabble Championship women’s title holder stressed.
A scrabble stakeholder, Osikhena Ojior, who is part of the extended Nigeria delegates to Kigali is also sure of the team’s victory. ”My appeal is that, the corporate bodies in Nigeria should identify and support the sport of scrabble. Scrabble is not just a sport or game, it’s a catalyst for economic stimulation and technological advancement and nation building.”
There are currently 14 Nigerians in the top 50 in the scrabble World rating, 5 in the top 25, 4 of them are in the top 20 while current African King, Enoch Nwali is at number 6th, his school mate at the University of Lagos, Oluwatimilehin Doko is ranked 9th in the global rating of the World English Scrabble Players Association (WESPA).
The head coach of Team Nigeria, Anthony Ikolo, is equally confident of a good outing in Kigali. “This team will win, I can assure Nigerians. They tick all the right boxes in the scrabble analysis, young and ready to conquer.”
The Federal Government of Nigeria through the Ministry of Sports did not only failed to fund the trip to Kigali but equally refused to provide attire for the team and no federal presence was seen or felt during their departure from Lagos.
We gathered that the players contribute money to saw a dress and T-shirts that they will be wearing during the competition.
It’s noteworthy to mention that this is the first time in the history of scrabble in Africa that Rwanda that is not part of the Pan African Scrabble Association (PANASA), and it events in the last 30 years is hosting the flagship Championship.
They were awarded the hosting after PANASA shocking withdrew the hosting right from Sierra Leone Scrabble Association (SSA), despite the assurance and financial backing of the Government and people of Sierra Leone.