Our Sponsors, partners, associates and players are our sport personality of the year, says NSF President, Aka

President of Nigeria Scrabble Federation (NSF), Engineer Toke Aka, says all their sponsors, associates, partners, players including the media are their Sports Personality of the Year the 2023 and beyond.
Aka gave this verdict while reviewing the activities of the Scrabble Federation in the last 12 months and also outlining their plans for 2024.
“Without our numerous sponsors, associates, partners, players and the media, scrabble would not have flourished in the out going year and we are deeply grateful to them.” The Scrabble encyclopedia said.
The NSF President says, “Our Grand Patron and Senate President Godswill Obot Akpabio, Engineer Ojior Osikhena, Engineer Gbenga Ojofeitimi, Engineer Adowei, Dr. Mrs Winifred Awosika, Samuel Anikoh, Mohammed Abbas, Austin Isiekwe, Dr Musa Olasupo, Chrisland Schools, Adekoyejo Adegbesan the Pan African Scrabble Association (PANASA) President, Frontpage Couture, SM Quartey, Charles Uzamere, Abba Hydara and Haruna Adamu are some of the friends who helped in making the game of words thicker in 2023.”
“The list of individuals and corporate bodies that have been backing scrabble over the years is pretty long, we at NSF appreciate you all, we cannot thank you enough. Our friends is the media, you are our backbone, thank you so very much and like Oliver Twist we shall keep asking for more.” He added.
Aka, a former President of the Pan African Scrabble Association also heaped praises on the Governor of Bayelsa State, His Excellency Senator Douye Diri who has opened his door to the scrabble fraternity in the last three years with the staging of the Douye Diri Bayelsa National Open Scrabble Championship.
He explained that over 99% of the 2023 Scrabble Championships, events within and outside the shores of Nigeria were carried out to the letter. “All the competitions in the NSF calendar were executed except the South/ South National Open Championship, Words and Wits Champion of Champions and South/ East Closed that failed to happen this year.”
He noted that the Zadok National Championship, the NSF Inter Club Challenge, the NSF Annual General Meeting and the Awards and Gala Night that were the curtain raiser of the year changed the face of the game positively and it became the catalyst for other competitions throughout the year.
That well attended four-in-one event that took place at the Bentley Hotel, Abuja saw Eta Karo become the new holder of the National Green Jacket, Warri Scrabble Club won the club title of the year while Delta State were crown State champions.
“I’m very elated that a record number of players and states participated in the 7th National Youth Games in Asaba, Delta State with 8 States registering their name on the medal table at the end of the Games, that for me is a massive boast for the game and it tells you that the future is very bright.“ Aka explained.
“From the African Youth Scrabble Championship Trophy Tour, the Championship it’s self, the PANASA President’s Cup (PPC), the West African Scrabble Championship (WASC), Nigeria and Nigeria Scrabble Federation (NSF), were a near perfect hosts, all in attendance experienced unique memories that will leave with us and Africa forever.
And like I said before, without these individuals and corporate bodies’ support as well as the media, the story will not be sweet to tell.”
It’s interesting to mention that ‘Team Nigeria’ won the AYSC, President’s Cup, the West African Scrabble Championship and came second at the World Championship in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA despite the challenges the team faced before and during the championship with the funding and traveling arrangement.
“We are looking forward to a bigger and better 2024 Scrabble Circuit and I hope more sponsors, associates and partners will come on board and back project like the Inter Collegiate Championship among Universities, Polytechnic, Colleges of Education and other higher institutions of learning which is the future of scrabble in Nigeria.” Engineer Toke Aka stressed.
The NSF boss went on to appeal to the Ministry of Sports to support the Federation and other sporting Federations financially and make strong and workable policies.
He also called on other corperate bodies including well meaning individuals with deep pockets to show more love to scrabble and sport generally, stating that sport has the power to transform the economy positively.
For your information, Engineer Toke Aka was re-elected as an executive member of the World English Scrabble Players Association (WESPA), during it’s Congress this year, a plus for the game of words and mind in Nigeria and the continent.