University of Lagos (UNILAG) 300 level Health Education student, Enoch Tochukwu Nwali is the new King of African Scrabble. Nwali achieved this feat last week when he crossed the finishing line ahead of 85 other players from ten countries on the final day of the Championship in Lusaka, Zambia. He secured 25½ wins plus a cumulative of plus 2023 points from 32 games, dropping 6 games and a draw in the four days competition. Nwali who led the championship from start to finish, started the final day needing just 3 wins from 6 games in the King of the hill confrontations.

He won the first game against his nearest challenger Wellington Jighere but crumbled in game 28 and 29. Game 30 went to the Ebonyi State Scrabble Eagle and wordsmith. He won the tension soaked game 31 by a very slim margin 415-414. The score forced Wellington Jighere to call for a recount and reconciliation. The victory is the 13th for Nigeria in the championship which is in its 14th edition. Former World Champion, Wellington Jighere came second ahead of another Nigerian, Prince Omosefe to complete the top three. Both players have the same numbers of victories, 22 but Jighere has a higher cumulative points. Kenya’s Allan Oyende with 22 wins and plus 590 finished fourth ahead of Eta Paul Karo and Gitonga Nderitu also from Kenya, Uganda’s Edgar Odongkara was 7th. The brightest Black Star of Ghana at the end of the competition was Stanley Ubiedi in the 8th spot, closely followed by David Kimani of Kenya and Emmanuel Umujose of Nigeria. 6th to 10th players have 20 wins each but were separated by cumulative points.

Hillary Busienei of Kenya brushed aside other Scrabble Amazons to take the top prize in the ladies event. She defeated 7 other players in that fold with 18 wins and a plus 65 cumulative points. Tuoyo Mayuku 16½ wins, Bukunmi Afolayan 16 wins and Chiamaka Gabriel 16 wins ended the championship in that order. Trevor Hovelmeier of South Africa came a distance 13th with 19 wins from 32 gruelling encounters. The highest ranked Zambian at the championship is Paul Kalumba in the 23rd spot. Nsikak Etim, 11th, Olatunde Oduwole,12th, Dennis Ikekeregor 17th and John Curtis 20th. Team Nigeria took the team title, Kenya came second and Ghana third. Meanwhile the Honourable Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, has congratulated Enoch Nwali for winning the 14th edition of the African Scrabble Championship (ASC) which was concluded on Monday, 24th October, in Lusaka, Zambia.

In a statement released by his office in Abuja, the Minister also congratulated Adekoyejo Adegbesan who was elected as the President of the Pan Africa Scrabble Association (PANASA) on Sunday after he defeated the incumbent Muhamed Kamara. Nwali, who is winning the title for the first time, defeated his closest rival and compatriot Wellington Jighere in a tightly contested round 31. A third year undergraduate of Health Education in University of Lagos, Nwali won 25.5 games with a cumulative score of 2023 to finish in first position ahead of former World Champion Jighere and two time African Champion Prince Omosefe. In the statement, the Minister praised the two men for doing Nigeria proud on the African continent in the mind games category. He reiterated his commitment to supporting the Nigeria Scrabble Federation to take the sport to greater heights. “It is so reassuring to see younger Nigerians participating and excelling at this game,” the statement reads.

“If we can get the proper investment and focus, Nigeria can dominate this game for the next 20 years. “On our part, we will continue to provide the support we can. Mind games are great for intellectual growth of our youth and we will give it the very best we can. “Congratulations to the new African Champion, Enoch Nwali, for doing Nigeria proud and maintaining our dominance in the sport. Also, my felicitations to the new President of the Pan Africa Scrabble Association (PANASA), Adekoyejo Adegbesan and to Prince Olabatoke Aka, the President of the Nigeria Scrabble Federation. With his experience, I’m sure the African continent will continue to be a force under his leadership,” concluded the statement.

NSF 2022: FG relists Paralympic Sports

Sequel to the Virtual Meeting of the National Council on Sports held on Wednesday, October 19, 2022, where the decision was taken to remove Para Sports from the 21st NSF, the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, in consultation with Stakeholders in Sports hereby relists the following Para Sports to the National Sports Festival in Delta State: Para Athletics, Para Table Tennis, Para Powerlifting and Deaf Sports of (Athletics and Table Tennis). However, the Ministry wishes to state that their events will be limited to where Nigeria has competitive advantages. This decision was taken in the overall interest of Sports Development in Nigeria, as the National Sports Festival has become the Flagship Games for the discovery, grooming and empowerment of our youth athletes. The Ministry condemns the behaviour of some misguided athletes who engaged in unwarranted acts of protests and blackmail without recourse to due process.

These actions which led to the disturbance of public peace and the good image of Sportsmen and women, especially with the recent public acceptance of the superlative performance of Team Nigeria at the 2022 Commonwealth Games is a breach of our Sports Ethical Code. The Ministry wishes to state further that it will apply the rules in dealing with such acts in due course. Athletes must learn to follow the due process laid down for resolving issues. The facts about this administration’s commitment to the upliftment of the Para Athletes and Parasports are in the public domain, well documented. Para Athletes are therefore, advised to henceforth exhaust the channels of communication and processes laid down for airing grievances, rather than resort to public disturbance.

NFSC set to bring Brazil’s top club, Santos to Nigeria

Chairman of Nigeria Football Supporters Club (NFSC) Rev Sam Ikpea has hinted that his group is set to bring Brazil’s top club Santos to Nigeria. Ikpea in a release said just like way back in 1969 when Santos make her first and only historic visit to the country, the club would during their second coming also visit the ancient city of Benin, Edo State. In Ikpea’s words…”In our ever-exciting character, NFSC, is facilitating a return of the legendary Santos FC of Brazil to Nigeria. This time, though, without the iconic former footballer, King Pele. It is a twin-event. The delegation of the team from Brazil, shall be in Benin City to present their newly launched club Jersey and only the third ever, since the formation of the club in 1912, to His Excellency, the Governor of Edo State. The Santos FC delegation shall be hosted by Aare Onakakanfo Gani Adams on the day of arrival to Nigeria.

The next day, they shall pay a courtesy visit to His Imperial Majesty, Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi. Other places they shall visit include, the Brazil Consulate in Lagos, National Secretariat of Nigeria Football Supporters Club; visit to Oba of Benin and Edo State Governor and then play a ‘Ceasefire’, friendly football match, before returning to Lagos.” Ikpea stressed that the Brazilian embassy in Nigeria is fully in support of the planned visit.