By Tayo Ogunseye
Khaleel “Dynamite” Adedeji has emerged winner of the Technical Director category at the World English Speaking Scrabble Players Association (WESPA) Community Excellence Awards, becoming the first Nigerian to receive the prestigious honour.
Adedeji secured the award after polling the highest number of votes among nominees in the category from the global Scrabble community, in recognition of his contributions to the technical development and administration of the game.
The software engineer earned the recognition for his resourcefulness in providing technology-driven solutions to tournament administration, helping to simplify operations and improve the management of Scrabble competitions.
He was among the Technical Directors at the last WESPA Championship held in Accra, Ghana, in November 2025.
Adedeji has been instrumental in developing technological solutions that make tournament management more efficient. His calm and analytical approach to resolving complex disputes with the aid of technology has also earned him invitations to international tournaments in several countries.
Reacting to the award, Adedeji who is the Nigeria Scrabble Federation (NSF) Technical Director expressed gratitude to those who had supported his journey and pledged to intensify his efforts towards
advancing the game through technology.
“I’m greatly thankful for this recognition and for being voted as the winner of the WESPA Community Excellence Award. I appreciate everyone who has been supportive in my journey towards improving the game of Scrabble.
“I’m more encouraged to increase my passion for making the game better understood while using solution-driven technology to make it appealing to players and organisers,” he said.
His victory has been celebrated by members of the Nigerian Scrabble community, who commended him for bringing international recognition to the country through his technical expertise and commitment to the sport.
Meanwhile, WESPA has congratulated the other award winners for their outstanding contributions to the growth, promotion and development of Scrabble worldwide.
The recipients include Haruna Adamu, who won the Pillar of Scrabble Advancement award; Josh Greenwood, Star Streamer of the Year; Tarek Pervez, Youth Development Award winner; and Will Anderson, Content Creator of the Year.
Adedeji’s achievement highlights the growing importance of technology in modern Scrabble, particularly in tournament administration, dispute resolution and the delivery of a more efficient experience for players and organisers worldwide.
