The Nigeria Scrabble Federation (NSF) has showered praises on the individuals, groups and corporate bodies that supported Team Nigeria to the just concluded 15th African Scrabble Championship in Kigali, Rwanda.
The President of NSF, Engineer Toke Aka told journalists in Lagos on Tuesday that the Federation and the Scrabble family in Nigeria are grateful for the role played by the players, their friends, families, scrabble stakeholders and a few corporate bodies in ensuring that Team Nigeria made the trip to Kigali.
He said, “We value the financial support and assistance from the players, friends of the game of words and others who heard our cry for help and they rallied round us.”
Since the inception of the Pan African Scrabble Championship about 30 years ago, the Federal Government of Nigeria hardly support Team Nigeria to its biennial championship which the country has dominated, winning 14 of the 15 editions.
“It’s the same old story, of no money anytime we approach the Federal Ministry of Sports for funds to the African Championships and the World Championships and so the request made for the trip to Kigali, Rwanda did get a positive response from the Government,” the NSF boss added.
Despite the fact that the Federal Government shy away from its responsibility to the scrabble players and team, the Nigeria Scrabble Federation was able to fund the trip with the help of the players, friends of scrabble and spirited individuals.
“From 2007 to 2016, we enjoyed a lot of goodwill and financial backing from the Akwa Ibom State Government and Governor Godswill Akpabio. He made sure that Team Nigeria Scrabble never lacked funding to the African Scrabble Championship and the World Championship,” the hydro engineer who is also an Executive Member of the World English Scrabble Players Association (WESPA), stated.
President Aka, further emphasized that now a Senator, Godswill Akpabio has been supporting them after leaving office as the governor of Akwa Ibom and for that reason, they are dedicating the victory in Kigali to him and we shall present the trophies to him.
“The Senate President Godswill Akpabio, is our grand patron and a passionate sports lover and above all an ardent scrabble player who truly cares about the game and the teeming sporting youth population of Nigeria and so this comprehensive victory in Kigali by the Scrabble Team is dedicated to him,” Engineer Toke Aka said.
Team Nigeria won top three titles in the men’s event and the top two diadems in the women’s category as well as the team crown in Kigali.
Oluwatimilehin Doko, George Ezinore and Noble Onoshevwe finished in that order in the men’s event while Tuoyo Mayuku retained the ladies diadem ahead and multiple African Games gold medallist Adebisi Adekansi.
Nigeria also won all the top honours of the Side Event during the African Scrabble Championship. Anthony Ikolo took the top prize.
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