Members of the Ogun Scrabble family were on Thursday hosted to a feast by the executives of the State Association as a way of celebrating the modest successes achieved in this outgoing year.
Players from different part of the state as well as their families and well-wishers converged at the remodelled “Old Trafford” playing Arena at Ijeja, Ake in Abeokuta where they socialised and counted the gains in the outgoing year while setting plans for the coming year.
In a relaxed ambience devoid of tension, players, coaches and administrators engaged themselves in a 8-round scrabble competition where Oluwatimilehin Doko came top with 7 wins, a solitary loss and a cumulative spread of 610.
Tunde Saporu and Babatunde Adeagbo occupied the second and third positions respectively.
As part of the celebration, a commemorative cake was cut to mark the collective achievements by the scrabble family in 2022.
OSSA Chairman Adekoyejo Adegbesan who also became the president of the continental ruling body, Pan African Scrabble Association (PANASA) was full of commendations as he thanked the entire team for the progress recorded by the association which was only sworn-in on August 26.
He appreciated the doggedness of the players at the recently concluded 21st National Sports Festival in Delta State where the association won two gold and two silver medals in scrabble events.
He enjoined everyone to keep their hands on the plough as the OSSA would ensure that the welfare of the players remain paramount.
Adegbesan revealed that “there are plans to make this coming year 2023 a more remarkable one as we will ensure that our players feature at major scrabble tournaments in the country and continue to provide the suitable atmosphere required to reach our potential ahead of the 2024 when the state will be hosting the 2024 National Sports Festival.”
Under his leadership, the sport has undergone a tremendous change which started with the renovation of the Scrabble Hall at Ijeja, Abeokuta where a paid staff currently oversee.
Players in the state were also registered while those who featured at the trials for the “Asaba 2022” were duly paid their allowances and accommodated.
As part of the preparations, two coaches were flown to Lusaka, Zambia for capacity building at the African Scrabble Championship.
As they rounded up the celebration, there was a consensus among all that 2023 would be a greater year for the sport in the state.
