Scrabble: Nwali looks beyond continental title
By Ifeanyi Eduzor
Newly crowned African Scrabble champion, Enoch Tochukwu Nwali says his major target is to follow the footsteps of fellow Nigerian and former world champion, Wellington Jighere to rule the world of the mental game.
The 300 hundred level Health Education student of University of Lagos last Monday in Lusaka, Zambia defeated other players from across the continent in a gruelling four days encounter to emerge the new African Scrabble champion.
He told the media shortly after ‘Team Nigeria’ comprising of 15 players and four officials arrived from the Southern African country aboard Kenyan Airways that he will continue working hard towards not only retaining the title next year.
“This is a dream come tgrough . I have been preparing, studying and praying for this victory. It was not easy, the field in Lusaka, Zambia was tough and I give God all the glory”, began Nwali who joined the Scrabble family in 2011.
” I know that staying at the top is not always easy because many players will be aiming to dethrone you but I will not only work towards retaining the title but will emulate my team mate, Wellington Jighere and rule the world of Scrabble which is my ultimate dream
Nwali who won the game of words and mind for the first time
defeating his closest rival and compatriot Wellington Jighere in a tightly contested round 31 where he won 25.5 games with a cumulative score of 2023 to finish in first position ahead of former World Champion Jighere and two time African Champion Prince Omosefe however appealed for government and corporate support for the game to grow further in the country.
” I know that we have a lot of talented youths in our Institutions of Higher Learning who are involved in the game of scrabble and they need the encouragement of government and corporate organisations to excel in the sport to enable us sustain our dominance of the game for a long time “, he stressed.
Nwali who was particularly happy with the role played by the Scrabble Federation of Nigeria in his rise to stardom appealed to the Federation led by Engr. Toke Aka to continue with their grassroots development programme which has seen more than six thousand players taking to the sports in clubs, Universities, Polytechnics, Colleges of Education and similar Institutions which he described as a good development that must be sustained.
” Kudos must go to the Scrabble Federation of Nigeria led by Engr. Toke Aka for all their encouragement to us before and during the championship in Zambia. I must also have to commend them for taking the game to schools and colleges which has helped a great deal in improving the sports in the country and I appeal to the Federation to sustain the momentum because other African countries are planning to not only catch up with us but put a stop to our dominance of the game.
