Bukunmi Afolayan, a woman with unrivalled talent on the board, was crowned Queen of Nigerian Scrabble at the All Nigeria Amazon Scrabble Championship in Benin City, the Edo State capital.
The All Nigeria Amazon Scrabble Championship (AASC), held on the 29th and 30th of September, left lasting memories and forged new friendships among participants.
Scrabble enthusiasts and stakeholders across Nigeria have lauded the event for its organization and impact.
The singer, songwriter, and coach emerged victorious after a decisive win against Divine Imode, who lost steam and won ten out of twelve games, falling short by slim margins in rounds 2 and 9.
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Afolayan’s victory earned her N320,000, which was presented during an elaborate closing ceremony.
Joy Ola, the 2023 African Games gold medalist, secured second place with a cumulative score of +948 from nine wins and three losses.
Divine Imode, notable for her chic haircut, settled for third place after losing the final games 536-361 and 392-288.
The event, spearheaded by the Vice President of Nigeria Scrabble Federation (NSF), Engineer Bright Idahosa, treated the participants as royalty.
Nigeria University Games gold medalist, Priscilla Akhabue, praised the tournament’s organization and the positive atmosphere.
“The All Nigeria Amazon Scrabble Championship 2024 was a brilliantly organized tournament, particularly loved by the players. Everyone was so cool and chill, and there were good vibes and good Scrabble,” Akhabue said.
The championship drew attention from various stakeholders and corporate bodies, with many praising the effort to promote female participation in Scrabble.
“The All Amazon scrabble championship surely added flavour and glamour to scrabble tournament play and organization in Nigeria.
The organizers left no stone unturned in making preparations for what turned out to be a master-class novel competition geared towards encouraging the female folks to play scrabble,” one scrabbler commented.
Despite some male players expressing concerns about potential gender segregation in future events, the championship was widely recognized as a success.
The closing ceremony featured prominent figures such as Peace Ifidon, General Manager of Vibes FM, who crowned Afolayan, and Engineer Toke Aka, President of the Nigeria Scrabble Federation.
Other notable attendees included Prince Sir Anthony Ikolo, head coach of the national scrabble team, and Samuel Eromosele, youth national scrabble coach.
Vice President of Nigeria Scrabble Federation (NSF), Engineer Bright Idahosa, expressed his delight with the players’ performances.
Over 1.1 million naira was awarded in prize money, with Words and Wits playing a crucial role in organizing the successful championship.
