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Nigeria Scrabble Federation showers praises on its sponsors to the African Scrabble Championship after Federal Government neglect

By Oluwatobiloba Zeal-Adepetu Kumoye

...Dedicates success in Kigali to their grand petron, Senate President, Godswill Akpabio 
By Maxwell Kumoye
 
 
 
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 is grateful for the role played by the players, their friends, families, scrabble stakeholders and a few corporate bodies in ensuring that Team Nigeria make the trip to Kigali.

“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,” Toke Aka said.

Since the inception of the Pan African Scrabble Championship some 30 years, the Federal Government of Nigeria hardly support Team Nigeria Scrabble to its bi-annual 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 respond 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 good-wiil and financial backing from the Akwa Ibom State Government and Governor Godswill Akpabio. Akpabio 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 influencial 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.

The Senate President, kind hearted and ever ready and willing to help, has personally supported the academic and sporting careers of a host of young Nigerians
 
Senator Godswill Akpabio is not just an ardent scrabble player turn politician but is also a successful business entrepreneur whose experience in both worlds has helped shapen the current growth of sports in Nigeria.

The number one lawmaker in Nigeria and an executive member of the African parliament has mentored a good number start-ups that are now big players in different economic sectors of the country. His unrivalled desire for the beautiful mind game led to the birth of the Godswill Akpabio International Scrabble Classics.

There are a number of landmark sporting infrastructure put in place during his tenure as the number one citizen of the Land of Promise. One of the projects is the best stadium in Africa and indeed the world 'THE NEST OF CHAMPIONS' was constructed by Akpabio in Uyo.

The International Airport in Uyo is another massive project executed by Godswill Akpabio as governor.

One major project which Godswill Akpabio instituted that had a huge impact on the teeming youth population in Nigeria as a governor is the Akpabio International Scrabble Classics which ran for eight years between 2007 and 2015. The Classics attracted the very best of scrabble players from all part of the world to Nigeria.

The Akpabio International Scrabble Classic helped prepare Nigerian players like Rex Ogbakpa, Nsikak Etim, Moses Peter and Wellington Jighere to conquer Africa and the World.

The President of Nigeria Scrabble Federation (NSF), Engineer Toke Aka stressed that, the Scrabble Classics remains a reference point in the history of the game of words in Nigeria and the World and the sponsor Godswill Akpabio's name is engraved in GOLD.

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