Kaduna Central Scrabble Club picks first ticket to the finals of the NSF Inter Club Championship

The identity of teams that will compete in the finals of the 2024 Nigeria Scrabble Federation, (NSF), Inter Club Championship scheduled to hold in the ancient Rock City of Abeokuta, Ogun State, Southwest Nigeria, is getting clearer.

The first team to pick it’s ticket to the finals scheduled for April is Kaduna Central Scrabble Club, from the North West zone under the leadership of Othman Abdulaziz.

They secured their passage into the much awaited finals with the help of Sadiq Abubakar, Baba Adamu, Suraj Aminu, Orkuma Gideon, Abdulsalam Abdulkadir and Attahiru Abdullahi at the expense of South Side Scrabble Club also of Kaduna at the weekend after a titanic battle at the Jollywood Gardens, Sabon Tasha.

Despite the efforts of Danjuma Idris, Donatus Idogbe, Adeka Akochi, Odunayo Wellington, Bathlomew Okafor, Jonathan Sani and Neino Jonathan the South Side failed to click.

Eleven other clubs are expected to emerge from the North Central, South West, South East, and South South of the Geo-Sporting zones of Nigeria for the grand finale.

For your information, Warri Scrabble Club that parades the like of famous wordsmith, Emmanuel Umujose, winner of the PANASA President’s Cup Godwin Victor, Daystar Atti, Jacob Tone, Etuwa Larry, Akpojotor Ochuko and Peremor Ekpesaba are the defending champions of the NSF Inter Club Championship.

The technical director of the Nigeria Scrabble Federation, John Curtis, told newstap.com.ng that 28 clubs from over 13 states of the Federation and Nigeria Police are participating in this year’s event.

The states are: Lagos (8 clubs), Ogun, Oyo, Ekiti, Edo ( 2 clubs), Delta ( 3 clubs) , Bayelsa, Plateau, Kaduna ( 2 clubs), Rivers ( 2 clubs), Ondo, Anambra, and the Federal Capital Territory with four clubs

Notable Scrabble Clubs that are competing in this year’s edition of the NSF Inter Club Championship is led by the dreaded UNILAG Scrabble Club captained by current African Scrabble champion Enoch Nwali. Recently crowned West African Scrabble King, Oluwatimilehin Doko is another heavy weight in the team.

The winner of the second edition of Scrabble in the Jungle, Musa Lateef, African U-19 champion and runner up of Scrabble in the Jungle, David Ojih, Kareem Jamiu, Babajide Alagbada and Grace Jompe completes the UNILAG SC crack squad .

Other clubs that will participate in the championship are: Apex SC, Yenagoa SC, Egbin SC, Ikorodu SC, Nigeria Police SC, Sunshine SC, Benin SC teams A and B and Pyramid SC.

Others are; Sapele SC, Surulere SC, Ibadan SC, Jos SC, Shell SC, Lekki SC, South Side SC and Kaduna Central SC.

Also to participate are; BSP SC, Asaba SC, CSCA SC teams A, B and C, Port Harcourt SC, Alausa SC, Warri SC and Abeokuta SC

The Inter Club Championship is one of the four events lined up for this year’s NSF Scrabble Festival. The others are:
Asaph Zadok National Championship,
Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Awards and Gala Night

Delta State are the defending champions of the Asaph Zadok National Championship, with Eta Paul Karo as the holder of the NSF Green Jacket 2023.