THE EMERGENCE OF A NEW SCRABBLE WORLD CHAMPION

THE EMERGENCE OF A NEW SCRABBLE WORLD CHAMPION

It first started as an argument  on various online forums globally and the question is WHO CAN BE CALLED A SCRABBLE WORLD CHAMPION? 

Is it Nigerian Wellington Jighere  who won the World English Scrabble Players Association's (WESPA) edition in Perth Australia 2015 or Brett Smitheram who was crowned few days back in Lille France at mind Sports International edition?

The pundits of the game especially on Scrabble Snippetz an international meeting points for Scrabble geeks concluded that anybody emerging from either of the two bodies is a recognised World  Champion. 

That argument  set the pace for the recently concluded MSI SCRABBLE WORLD TOURNAMENT held last weekend in Lille France. It was in deed a clash of Titans as who is who in global Scrabble were all on ground and leading the pack of Scrabble aficionados is none other but the most acclaimed  best Scrabble Playet in the whole universe Nigel Richard and our own current WESPA World Champion Wellington Jighere. Also on ground were other former World Champions, North American Champions, British Champions, Australian Champions, Malaysia Championsand our own twice African Champion Dennis Obiyoma Ikekeregor. 

For Nigeria, a nation accorded the numero uno position of the best Scrabble playing nation in the world, trouble started when World Champion Jighere posted on his facebook page that Nigerian contingent to Lille France had been denied visas to attend and all hell was let loose as his cry of agony was being echoed tweeted and retweeted  by different  online forums spearheaded  by Nigeria Scrabble Friends on facebook and what'sapp forums. 

Solidarity Action of Nigeria (SAN) a forum convened by Dr. Omolola Omoteso aka Anne Muyiwa chorused the cries of anguish and indignation that how on earth can a Scrabble World Championship hold without the current World Champion and his compatriots from the touted  best Scrabble playing nation. 

The reverberation was heard at the Nation's Ministry of Sports and the nation's seat of government. Before you say Jack Robinson, the French Embassy hearkened to the strident calls and a phone call was put to the President of Nigeria Scrabble Federation Alhaji Suleiman Gora to come and pick the visas the following Monday morning when the youth edition already kicked off a day earlier as a result of which most of our best hands ended up missing out of this year's edition. 

The above scenario set up the untoward taking off of our contingent to France. 

There were three main divisions: Youths, Division B and The Premier Division A. Four Nigerians: Wellington Jighere, Dennis Obiyoma Ikekeregor, Eta Paul Karo and Femi Awowade competed in the A division while Jack Mpakabori, Ayomiposi Akinfemisoye and Gideon Alo Oluwapese contested in the B division. Angela Osaigbovo our best upcoming youth player and her mother were denied visas hence she was unable to participate in the youth category.

At the end of three days of serious competitions, a total of 55 players from different parts of the world contested in the Division A Premier category. A new format resembling football finals was introduced whereby players went through quarter, semi and finals after 24 rounds of switch plays. 

Mr. Brett Smitheram of UK emerged as the new world Champion as he defeated Mr. Mark Nyam also a British in the final playoff of 5 games when he played a word making waves in the Scrabble World presently: BRACONID. Mr. Jighere  was beaten to the 23rd position having won 13 of 24 games played in the A Division while Mr. Ikekeregor led the Nigerian players having won 15 of 24 rounds. He surprised Nicky Decko with a fantastic six play outs winning with a whopping 705-291 with COATEES, SPAVINS, RURALISE, BENTIER, TEAZLED and ELOIGNS. He won the award for the longest word played at the tournament. 

Nigeria won the Division B where we were represented  by Mr. Jack Mpakaboari of Shell Club Porthatcourt and the current Scrabble champion  of Nigeria Oil & Gas Games  (NOIGIG), Mr. Ayomoposi Akinfemisoye the Lagos State Scrabble Coach and a youth Gideon Alo Oluwapese, a former Nigeria Youth Scrabble Champion.

It was battle royale as Mr. Jack Mpakabori fought from back on the last day to place 6th in the rounds of 24 games thus qualifying for the last eight. He played and defeated Mohammed Kamara from Sierra Leone  and eventually  defeated Nang Sandy 3-0 in the playoffs of 5 rounds to emerge the new World Champion of this category. 

But the titanic contestant of Division B is Mr. Ayomiposi Akinfemisoye who though affected by the delay in issuance of visa still arrived at the tournament with 10 games already played. He won 13 out of the remaining 14 games played making one to ponder what could've happened if he had arrived on time to play his whole 24 scheduled games. 

The players who missed out in the A Division were Tunde Oduwole the current National and Scrabbuthlon Champion and Mr. Otehiri a renowned National Champion. 

The WESPA World Champion Jighere Wellington philosophised on his facebook page that he will look forward to 2017 WESPA edition coming up in Kenya in 2017 acknowledging Mr. Smitheram as a worthy World Champion.

As a Scrabble nation we believe that our Sports Ministry and Government need to pay more attention to the development  and sponsoring of Scrabble in view of the game's innumerable advantages as a mind enhancing  game. 

Also all efforts should be put in place to avert such untoward  development in issuance of visas to our athletes.

Congratulations to us all! Cheerios!!!

Kayode S. Fashola (The Nemesis)

Players' Representative 

Chairman Welfare Sub-Committee 

Nigeria Scrabble Federation