The Chairman of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Mallam Shehu Dikko, received members of the victorious Team Nigeria to the 15th Pan African Scrabble Championship in Kigali, Rwanda on Friday at his office in Abuja, Sports247 reports
Team Nigeria won the top honours in the male, female individual categories and the overall team title at the Championship attended by 92 players from 11 countries.
Oluwatimilehin Doko won the diadem ahead of two other Nigerians George Ezinore and Noble Onoshevwe while Delta born Tuoyo Mayuku was the best female and Adebisi Adekansi was second.
Nigeria also retained the team title for the 15th time in a row while Doko a graduate of pharmacy at the University of Lagos became the youngest winner of the male’s crown at age 24, it’s the 14th time Nigeria is winning the male event.
The elated Chairman told the team that the Sports Commission is very proud of their achievements and he promises they will support the team in their future outings.
“I’m very impressed with the team’s performance. You know we are very new but from my personal earnings, I will give the team two million naira as a token of appreciation for being the first national Federation to win continental honours for the National Sports Commission,” Dikko said.
Thirty seven self sponsored players represented Nigeria at the African Scrabble Championship after the Sports Ministry under the inept leadership of Senator John Enoh, refused to fund the trip to Kigali, citing lack of funds.
This is not the first time the defunct Sports Ministry will be citing lack of funds for major Scrabble Championships.
The Nigeria Scrabble Federation (NSF), will also be presenting the trophies won by Team Nigeria to the Nigeria Senate President, God’swill Akpabio who is the grand patron of Nigeria Scrabble Federation.
The Nigeria Scrabble Federation (NSF) on arrival from Kigali, Rwanda told the media they are dedicating the victory to the Senate President for his contribution to the growth and development of the mind game in Nigeria and the continent.
