NYG: 70 players search for honours as scrabble event begins today

70 players from 17 States of the Federation have confirmed their participation in the scrabble event at the ongoing 7th National Youth Games in Asaba, the Delta State capital.
The players will be competing for honours in six categories. Boys and girls doubles, mixed doubles, boys and girls singles and the team event for boys and girls.
A look at the number of players in Asaba, Nigeria’s Sporting capital shows that 37 of the scrabble contingent are boys and 33 are girls representing all the geopolitical zones of the country.
South South Zone is heavily represented by Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo and Rivers while Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger and Plateau are holding it down for North Central Zone and it’s Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun and Oyo are from the West.
Anambra and Imo are the touch bearers from the South East, Kebbi are the only state from North West and Adamawa are North East sole team for the scrabble event of the 7th National Youth Games.
A good number of players who shone brilliantly at the maiden edition of the African Youth Scrabble Championship in Lagos State last month are in attendance in Asaba.
That exclusive list is headed by Clinton Imode, Abdul Qudus Aliuo, Saviour Onazi, Pereowei Edide, Philip Akhabue, John Daniel, Peace Adegunte as well as Demilade Lawrence.
All eyes will be on Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Kwara, Lagos, Plateau, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Oyo and Rivers for a good showing at the Games.
The new Multi Purpose Hall of Stephen Keshi Stadium that played host to the scrabble event at the 21st National Sports Festival last year is the same venue for the Youth Scrabble competition.
The President of Nigeria Scrabble Federation (NSF), Engineer Toke Aka says the young wordsmith in Asaba for the National Youth Games (NYG) are the future of the game of words not only in Nigeria but the world.
“The NSF will continue to open up the space for the game of scrabble to blossom, by reaching out to schools where we can catch them young.” Toke Aka said.
The NSF President stated that at the last African Youth Scrabble Championship in Lekki-Lagos, ‘Team Nigeria’ took all the honours at stake and so the battle of Asaba will be hard, challenging, tough and equally exciting.
“We know most of the youngsters in attendance, we also know what they can bring to the board, however there will be lots of upsets as new faces are ready to show their word power, tactical play, board management, mental strength and as well as their dexterity on the board.” Engineer Toke Aka added.
At the last National Sports Festival,14 out of the 27 States that competed had at least a medal to show for participating in the scrabble event.

Fact file:
Number of States 17
Number of Players 70
Number of female 33
Number of male 37

Regional spread:
South South 5 States
South West 4 States
South East 2 States
North Central 4 States
North West 1 State
North East 1 State

ENTRIES BY STATES:

1. ADAMAWA
1. Francis Isaac – Male
2. Simthe Jimjel – Male
3. Noel Leonard – Male

2. AKWA IBOM
1. Umorok Justice – Male
2. Moses Joshua – Male
3. Moses Emmanuel – Male
4. Bassey Beulah – Female
5. Frank Goodnews – Female

3. ANAMBRA
1. Jude Chidera – Male
2. Daniel Chima – Male
3. Ubanmmayie Michael – Male
4. Chukwuemeka Victoria – Female
5. Michael Cynthia – Female
6. Ubanmmayie Catherine – Female

4. BAYELSA
1. Pereowei Edide – Male
2. August Shannon – Male
3. Kemewariofa Josephine – Female
4. Igbe Elliana – Female

5. DELTA
1. Imode Clinton – Male
2. Avworo Joseph – Male
3. Ikekeregor Elohor – Female
4. Ohwevwo Alexandra – Female
5. Ohwevwo Ivy – Female

6. EDO
1. Ejenakevbe Ese – Male
2. Omoregie Miracle – Male
3. Ejenakevbe Gold – Male
4. Nwabuzor Joy – Female
5. Eghe Gifted – Female

7. EKITI
1. Adegunte Peace – Male
2. Oke Opeyemi – Male
3. Dada Oluwaferanmi – Female
4. Omoleye Purpose – Female
5. Adegunte Nora – Female

8. IMO
1. Dike Blessing – Male
2. Benson Marvellous – Male
3. Ajibola David – Male
4. Duruaku Blossom – Female
5. Onyekwere Michelle – Female
6. Duruaku Chikaima – Female

9. KEBBI
1. Ibrahim Abubakar – Male

10. KWARA
1. Aliu AbdulQudus – Male
2. Sufyan Boluwatife – Male
3. Khalid Olosun – Male
4. Balqees Ajao – Female
5. Sakariyau Haleema – Female
6. Olojoku Hadiyah – Female

11. LAGOS
1. Akhabue Philip – Male
2. John Daniel – Male
3. Ekeruche Sophia – Female
4. Agbabiaje Oluwanifemi – Female

12. NASARAWA
1. Umar Musa – Male
2. Mairiga Zainab – Female
3. Musa Aisha – Female

13. NIGER
1. Onazi Saviour – Male
2. Bello Khalifa – Male

14. OGUN
1. Demilade Lawrence – Male
2. Mohammed Gbadebo – Male
3. Nifemi Ogundele – Male
4. Sanusi Aishat – Female
5. Osoba Anjola – Female
6. Fafiolu Erioluwa – Female

15. OYO
1. Raji Uthman – Male
2. Lawal-Ibrahim Ahmid – Male
3. Lawal-Ibrahim Ahmidah – Female

16. PLATEAU
1. Abdullahi Junior – Male
2. Abdullahi Hauwa – Female
3. Monday Happiness – Female
4. Monday Precious – Female

17. RIVERS
1. Jumbo-Egwurugwu Peculiar – Male
2. Richard Treasure – Female