Scrabble Team Nigeria lands in Rwanda for African Scrabble Championship

By Tosin Omojola

Members of Scrabble Team Nigeria touched down in Kigali, the Rwandan capital, on Tuesday via Ethiopian Airlines, ahead of the 15th edition of the African Scrabble Championship (ASC), which starts on Thursday.

The contingent, led by the President of the Nigeria Scrabble Federation (NSF), Engineer Toke Aka, includes current African Scrabble champion and world number 6, Enoch Nwali, West African champion Oluwatimilehin Doko, world number 9 and Pan African Scrabble Association (PANASA) President Cup holder Godwin Victor, and African Games Side Event winner John Aiyedun.

Also in the team are the continent’s most successful female scrabble player, Tuoyo Mayuku; Abdulmumin Jimoh; and Tage Okiemuta, who were part of Team Nigeria at the 13th African Games. These talented and experienced wordsmiths will be representing Nigeria in the royal white and energetic green colors in Kigali.

President of the NSF, Engineer Toke Aka, expressed confidence that the team will make Nigeria proud in Rwanda, also known as the “Land of a Thousand Hills.”

“We sincerely thank all the well-meaning individuals in the global and Nigerian scrabble community who supported us financially to ensure that this victorious team defends its title in Kigali and makes Nigeria proud,” Aka told journalists at Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos before the team’s departure for Kigali.

Although the team in Kigali is relatively young and new to the African Scrabble Championship, Aka firmly believes that no country on the continent can challenge Nigeria.

“It’s true that we are missing players like Wellington Jighere, Dennis Ikekeregor, Nsikak Etim, Eta Karo, Olatunde Oduwole, and Prince Omosefe, but we are still packed with trusted and proven talents ready to explode positively and maintain our dominance in Africa,” said Aka, an influential executive member of the World English Scrabble Players Association (WESPA).

Captain of Team Nigeria, Enoch Nwali, is confident in the strength of the ‘Scrabble Eagles’ 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. Yes, we are missing Olatunde Oduwole, Jighere, Karo, and Ikekeregor, but the group 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 keep us in their prayers. It’s a huge responsibility, but we are ready and equal to the task,” the captain added.

This is the first time in the history of scrabble in Africa that Rwanda, which is not part of PANASA and its events over the last 30 years, is hosting the flagship championship.

The hosting rights were awarded to Rwanda after PANASA unexpectedly withdrew them from Sierra Leone.