Anikoh promises more exciting Lekki Scrabble Classics
The chairman of Lekki Scrabble Club, Samuel Anikoh, is confident that the next edition of the Club's annual championship The Lekki Scrabble Classics will be better and bigger.
Anikoh gave this assurance in Lagos while speaking on what to expect in the next edition of the Classics
He explained that as a strong formidable team, after the conclusion of this year's edition won by Ghana's Charles Haizel Tachie Menson won, they will review and analyze the competition and work on improving the subsequent editions.
“Our dream is to always be better and bigger. So it's reasonable to expect that next year we'll have a bigger venue, a better venue, and we'll have higher prizes like we did this year as well.”
Anikoh said, one of the attractions of the Classics is the prize money which has significantly improved with each edition and they hope to go a step higher all things been equal.
“Recall that last year the, top price was N500,000 and this year we increased it to 1 million naira. So hopefully if we get all the support from our sponsors, which we are very hopeful because they have supported us last year, they have supported us this year and we believe that we are a viable partner for them in showcasing their brand as well.”
We understand the prize pool has raised concerns among players, this will be address in the next edition.
“So we hope that going into next edition in 2025 we can also cater for more people and do much better and That's our dream. I think one of the attractions, like I mentioned earlier, is that when people see the size of the prize, I mean, it makes it more attractive for people.”
“The demand in organizing such a tournament involves a lot of financial commitments, so when we have people like that actually supporting us we are happy.”
"I believe other organizations should support us, it makes it easier, we are hopeful next year, we should be in a position to increase the prize money, but a lot of that, of course, will depend on our ability to maintain the sponsors that we have and potentially bring on more people to support us.”
The 2024 Lekki Scrabble Classics was proudly supported by LOENSE International Limited an engineering construction, dredging services and marine logistics services and Frontpage Couture a leading fashion house on the continent.
A leading scrabble event organizers, Mind Game Incorporated (MGI), were also part of the competition as well as Elcrest E&P, Ayodele Thomas Consulting, Julyet Peters, Midasfarms, and AGPC.
Mr. Anikoh said Lekki Scrabble Club is profoundly grateful to all the sponsors, suppliers, partners and associates and are hoping they will all be back again in 2025.
"Just to give you an idea, a lot of Scrabble club members who reside in the diaspora, were actually part of the success story of the tournament this year, flying all the way from the US, Canada and other parts of Europe, UK, Netherlands.”
And in a bid to encourage bigger and richer participants from Nigeria and other parts of the world, the Organizers of the Classics are of the opinion that when the figures are right and the prize money attractive, the big guns will congregate in Lekki.
“It's possible to attract the best across the world If we have the right carrots, if we have the right size of the carrot to offer them. So if we are able to get a bigger price for people, they won't mind flying from all over the world to be a part of it. And that's what we hope for.”
James Ewruje won the maiden edition of the Classics, Enoch Nwali another home boy took the second edition by storm while Charles Haizel Tachie Menson of Ghana captured the third edition.
The event has also been staged in three different venues.
