Team Lagos completes trophy haul in Asaph Zadok/ Inter Club scrabble challenge

One week of scrabble festivities came to a befitting end on Sunday as the NSF Awards and Gala Night drew the curtain on the Nigeria Scrabble Federation (NSF), National Scrabble Festival “Gateway 2024”, a 4 in 1 event, sponsored by the Ogun State Government.

The Festival which included the Asaph Zadok National Scrabble Championship, the Federation’s Annual General Meeting, the NSF Inter-Club Challenge Finals and the Awards and Gala Night.

The well attended Awards and Gala Night that had in attendance the Ogun State Commissioner of Sports, Honourable Isiaka Wasiu, the Head of the Dipo Dina Stadium, Ijebu-Ode, Gbolahun Okeowo, the President Nigeria Scrabble Federation, Engineer. Toke Aka, the chairman Ogun State Scrabble Association (OSSA) Adekoyejo Adegbesan, the Technical Director of the Federation, John Curtis, among others rewarded the best scrabble players in the last season and the winners at the Scrabble Festival.

The star of the night was none other than the current African Scrabble Champion and winner of the 1st of the 4 events; the Asaph Zadok National Scrabble Championship, Enoch Nwali, a UNILAG Health Education student.

Enoch Nwali, who won the Asaph Zadok National Championship with 20 wins and a draw from 28 games with a + 1220 cumulative points was decorated by the Ogun State Commissioner of Sports, Isiaka Wasiu, the guest of honour at the Awards night with the NSF Green Jacket and became Nigeria’s National Champion.

Enock Nwali, a student of Health Education from the University of Lagos and the winner of the 2023 Lekki Scrabble Classics, had kind words for the sponsors of the weeklong festival, he said “First of all, I want to thank Ogun State for their wonderful hosting, it was a lovely experience being in Ijebu-Ode, for the first time.”

“Finally I want to thank God that I won this Cup, last year the title slipped out of my fingers and thank God we are here today.”

To my teammates, those in ‘Team Lagos’ and ‘Team UNILAG’, thank you for the support and God bless you all.”

The 2nd title in the individual category went to Lagos State’ John Aiyedun, and the 3rd placed title was the property of Ogun State’ Oluwatimilehin Doko.

In the Team event of the National Championship, ‘Team Delta’ came 1st with Lagos State second.

Host Ogun State finished a commendable 3rd with 93 victories and a +2684 points.

The NSF Inter-Club Challenge title went to Pyramid Scrabble Club of Lagos, John Aiyedun, Dipo Akanbi, Ayomisipo Akinfemisoye, Olawole Ogedengbe, Adegboyegha Akintokun and Osaghaede Omijeh were the scrabble warriors that set their engines at just the right pace to sweep the top spot once again in style.

Surulere SC that fielded a star studded team with the likes of captain Olumide Oyejide, Hakeem Olaribighe, Opeyemi Oloro Joseph Okere, Olatunde Adigun and Sunday Ituah grabbed the 2nd position in the Inter-Club Finals.

UNILAG SC who lead on Day 1 and 2 until Pyramids SC snatched the first spot, finished 3rd. Stars like African Champion, Enoch Nwali, West Africa Champion, Oluwatimilehin Doko, winner of the 2023 Scrabble in the Jungle Genz edition, Musa Lateef, Africa Youth Scrabble Champion, David Ojih, winner of the 2023 Jubilee National Scrabble Championship, Tunde Saporu, Kareem Jamiu and Babajide Alagbada, were the backbone of the University scrabblers.

Oluwatimilehin Doko of UNILAG Scrabble Club won the Most Valuable Player of the NSF Inter-Club Challenge, winning 24 of 30 points and also won the Award for the player who stayed longest in the number one spot of NSF National ratings for the 2023 season.

The most improved male player for 2023, went to Sylvanus Ikpere.

13th African Games gold medalist, Joy Ola, was named the most improved female player of the outgoing scrabble season.

Tega Okiemute, from WordCrafts SC, played the most rated games in the 2023 season.

All the winners were rewarded handsomely for their outstanding performances, in the 2023 season and the Scrabble Festival.