Jimoh wins NSF President’s Special Scrabble Retreat

Abdulmumin Jimoh has won the NSF President Special Scrabble Retreat tagged ‘the Celebration of a Consummate Administrator’ decided in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory of Nigeria over the weekend.

Jimoh a member of ‘Team Nigeria’ to the 13th African Games and the West African Scrabble Championship (WASC), dropped only 2 games in the 10 rounds of games at the one day competition to take the top prize with a healthy cumulative points of +1297 from 8 wins.

Abdulmumin Jimoh a gold medalist at the 21st National Sports Festival took an early lead after round one with a cumulative points of +327, David Yuwa and Simeon Oyediran as second and third after round 1 at the event that took at the Zalika Gardens.

Onyeka Ibe, took over the pole position in round 2 with Eugene Okim and Negro Igbinadolor sitting behind him.

Onyeka Ibe’s was given quit notice in round 3 by Negro Igbinadolor, a member of ‘Team Nigeria’ to the second edition of West African Scrabble Championship in Lagos and he stayed as the leader until he was dethroned by Jimoh when it matters most in round 10.

Negro Igbinadolor with 8 wins and Abdulmumin Jimoh with 7 wins, who are currently mid table players in the NSF ratings but are gradually punching above their weight met in round 10.

Jimoh defeated Igbinadolor a key member of Rock Solid Jammers of Jos by 56 points margin to win the well attended Special Scrabble Retreat in honour of the President of Nigeria Scrabble Federation (NSF), Engineer Toke Aka.

Onyeka Ibe who was the leader after round 2 games were concluded eventually finished the retreat in the 35th spot with 2 more wins and cumulative of -324.

David Yuwa came third, thanks to his tenth round win over Toke Aka the celebrant, Yuwa  had a +642 cumulative points with the same number of wins like Jimoh and Igbinadolor who won 8 each.

From the 4th position which Friday Ogbonyomi annexed to the 8th spot, it was 7 wins each while 10 players record the same number of victories; 6 but 3 fell off the prize money bracket due to lower cumulative points. The trio are Prince Majemite, Olu Chinedu and Austin Isiekwe.

Olatunde Oduwole, one of numerous friends and associates of Engineer Toke Aka who lubricanted the Retreat has some kind words for all the players, competition officials and those who supported the Special Scrabble Retreat.

“Your presence and support for a beacon in the sporting firmament, NSF President Toke Aka is a clear indication and testimony that you appreciate and value him on and off the scrabble board.”

Oduwole, the initiator of Ultimate Scrabble Showdown and a multiple National champion, went on to state that Aka’s sporting legacies will never be forgotten and will spur many more to give their best for Scrabble and Sports in general.

“Aka is not just a scrabble or sport lover, the milk of human kindness over flows in him, we all want to emulate and learning from his good deeds,” Oduwole added.

“Congratutions to all the winners and and those who could not make the podium, we are all winners as long as we honour and celebrate a consummate administrator Engineer Toke Aka,” Oduwole, the author of Scrabble Evolution text book concluded.

45 players competed for honours at the Retreat that had over half a million naira as prize money and gifts.