By Tayo Ogunseye
Calm and calculated Abdulmumeen Jimoh has successfully defended his Lekki Scrabble Classics title after he confirmed his class on the final day of the two-day championship with a game to spare.
He recorded a total of 15 wins, 3 defeats and with a cumulative points of +1537 in Division A to continue his reign as the champion of the prestigious tournament.
Jimoh who dropped just a game on the Opening Day made nonsense of the “Day One Champion hoodoo” as he picked up more wins despite dropping two games against Wasiu Hassan and Precious Igali in the final seven rounds.
Emmanuel Ede was ranked second (14/4 +155) while African champion Oluwatimilehin Doko (13/5 + 902) finished third.
His success has now placed him as a strong contender for the African Championship title slated for next month in Liberia.
The games were viewed by a global audience on YouTube with a large viewing screen also provided for live-streaming with commentary in the playing hall Peninsula hotel.
“I feel happy! There is no word to describe how I’m feeling right now.I gave it my best. I’m very perplexed to see that this has happened. All thanks to God for the victory and opportunity.
“I’m dedicating this victory to my late elder brother Engr.Saliu who died after I returned from the Causeway Challenge in Thailand. He introduced me to scrabble and was my driving force. I know he would be proud of me if he was here. My staying power is continuous reading. That’s what I have been doing and that’s what I will keep on doing. I want to thank the Lekki Scrabble Club for organizing the best scrabble tournaments in Nigeria.”
In Division B, veteran Frank Ishekwene picked the top prize with 15 wins, 3 defeats with a cumulative points of +825 while Peter Awonusi (15/18 + 995) and Julius Adeyemi (15/18 + 733) finished second and third respectively.
In the newly-introduced Children Category, Toyyibah Abdulsalam became the first winner with seven wins and a +928 cumulative points in the final standings ahead of Bilal Olojoku (7/8, +897) and Yusuf Abdulsalam (6/8 +1203) in a field of 24 players.
A 5-man contingent from the Ghana Scrabble Association who were spotted said they were impressed with the high number of top players.
The Classics they believed played a critical role in their preparation for the Africa Championship taking place in Monrovia, Liberia from October 22-25.
At the well-attended closing ceremony, President of Lekki Scrabble Club Engr. Samuel Anikoh commended every participant for putting up a great performance in the tournament where international players from different countries also featured.
He praised all sponsors like Boaz, AGPC, Julyet Peters, Frontpage Couture, Elcrest E&P, Mindgames International, Loense International and Activebelles for their backing while calling on more sponsors ahead of the next edition in October 2027.
He acknowledged all members of the club for their sacrifices and steadfastness in improving the quality of the tournament since it evolved from a simple retreat to an international championship in 2022.
He also commended the Nigeria Scrabble Federation (NSF) and the Pan African Scrabble Association (PANASA) for their support.
Lekki Scrabble Club President Engr. Samuel Anikoh during the Closing Ceremony
“We want to reward excellence in the scrabble community and I think we have achieved that. The opportunity we had this weekend showed that we have taken a step towards achieving excellence in scrabble and we are not done yet for the sky is our limit.”
NSF President Bright Idahosa thanked the club for leading the way in scrabble development. He called on other clubs to improve on the spread of the mindgame.
All other deserving participants were rewarded with plaques and various cash prizes at the colourful closing ceremony.
