Oshanugor salutes Team Nigeria’s scrabble masterclass in Accra

…Promises big support for national teams

By Maxwell Kumoye

Nigeria’s dominance of global Scrabble has once again been stamped in bold ink and one of the sport’s biggest admirers, Charles Oshanugor, is leading the applause.

Oshanugor, a respected Match Commissioner with the Nigeria Soccer Federation USA (NSF-USA), hailed Team Nigeria’s historic performance at the 2025 World English Scrabble Players Association Championship (WESPAC) in Accra, where the Green Locusts outclassed 26 nations, including long-time giants, the United States.

Team Nigeria didn’t just win. They raided Accra.

With 350 wins, a massive +8975 spread, and a dominant 54.7% win rate, the team stormed to the Best Country Crown, leaving hosts Ghana and perennial rivals Kenya trailing far behind in what has been described as the best-organized WESPAC in history.

“For Nigeria to wrestle the crown from the USA and the rest of the world is simply monumental,” Oshanugor said, his voice bursting with pride. “This achievement proves once again that Nigeria is a force to reckon with, the undisputed leader in global Scrabble.”

He praised the NSF for assembling the perfect mix of “young, hungry talents and wise veterans,” calling it the formula that will keep Nigeria on top for years to come.

And Oshanugor is not just talking, he’s investing.

The Delta-born sports administrator pledged a full sponsorship package to support the national teams, promising the NSF President, Engineer Bright Idahosa, that he would also mobilize friends and business partners to join the movement.

“This victory sends a powerful message to young Nigerians, with hard work, focus, and determination, they too can shine on the world stage.”

He also commended the newly constituted NSF board, describing its members as “true builders of the sport in Nigeria and across Africa,” while urging more private individuals and corporate bodies to back a sport where Nigeria has a natural competitive edge.

NSF President Engr. Idahosa revealed that Nigeria will compete in four major international championships in 2026, the West African Championship, the African Scrabble Championship in Monrovia, the World Youth Scrabble Championship in Nairobi, and the World Crossway Championships in Thailand.

WHO IS CHARLES OSHANUGOR?

A leader. A reformer. A man who doesn’t just step into a system, he transforms it.

Born into the Oshanugor royal family of Delta State, Charles began as a gifted footballer before channelling his competitive fire into sports administration. And when he joined NSF-USA as Match Commissioner, the entire federation felt the impact.

Before Oshanugor, tournaments functioned. After Oshanugor, tournaments ran like precision-engineered machines.

He modernized NSF-USA operations, pushed for simultaneous final-group matches to eliminate “advantage watching,” and left his fingerprints on facilities in Chicago, Maryland, and Dallas, now cleaner, sharper, and more professional.

Some people take charge.

Some people take responsibility.

But Charles Oshanugor?

He elevates everything he touches.

Comments

Nigeria backs ANOCA rotation policy as Uganda lands 2031 African Games hosting rights

By Maxwell Kumoye Uganda's emergence as host of the 2031 African Games has been linked to the rotational hosting policy of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA), a framework designed to ensure equitable distribution of the continent's biggest multi-sport event among Africa's regions. Investigations have revealed that the East African nation benefited significantly from the policy, which seeks to spread hosting opportunities across the continent rather than concentrating them in a few countries. The decision is also understood to have been aided by Nigeria's withdrawal from the race, leaving Uganda as the sole candidate for the prestigious event. For Nigeria, supporting the rotational arrangement aligns with the country's longstanding contribution to the growth of the African Games movement. The nation has already hosted the continental showpiece twice, first in Lagos in 1973 and again in Abuja in 2003, making it one of only a handful of c...

Glazer family members studying Manchester United stake sale, Bloomberg News reports

Some Glazer family members have been debating whether ‌to sell their stake in Manchester United FC (MANU.N), opens new tab after more than two decades ⁠of ownership, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter. Several stakeholders in the Glazer family have been studying ‌the ⁠possibility of divesting part or all of their holdings in the English ⁠Premier League football club, according to the report. — Reuters

Protests and last-minute construction work disrupt Mexico City ahead of World Cup

Eight days before Mexico City kicks off the World Cup, mass protests by teachers and retired judges, road closures and last-minute construction work caused chaos in the capital on Wednesday for millions of residents who face long delays and complex rerouting of their daily commutes. On June 11, Mexico City will host the inaugural World Cup match between ‌Mexico and South Africa at Azteca stadium in the capital. With Mexico in the global spotlight, teachers and other groups have staged marches and blocked major avenues. They have said their protests, which are unrelated to the tournament, could intensify unless President Claudia Sheinbaum's government addresses their demands. The CNTE, a dissident wing of the national teachers' union, has threatened mass demonstrations at the opening of the World Cup in official statements shared on social media. The union is demanding the government fulfill a campaign pledge to repeal a 2007 law that overhauled the pension and ⁠social securit...

Iran to play World Cup warm-up behind closed doors, head to Mexico on Saturday

Iran will play their final World Cup warm-up behind closed doors in Turkey on Thursday before departing for their tournament base in Mexico on Saturday, the Iranian FA (FFIRI) said on Wednesday. Although it was one of the first teams to ‌qualify, Iran's participation in the World Cup has been in doubt since the U.S. and Israel launched air strikes on the Islamic Republic in late February. The squad have played three friendlies in two training camps in Antalya since the start of the war - losing to Nigeria and beating Costa Rica and Gambia - and on Thursday will face Mali ⁠in the Turkish sea resort. "Considering the importance of the Iranian national football team's friendly match against Mali, and in line with the tactical objectives of Iran's head coach, tomorrow's match against Mali will be held behind closed doors and without media attendance," FFIRI said in a statement. The FFIRI persuaded FIFA to allow the team to swap its tournament base from Tucson, A...

Z-PRO MEDIA

Search This Blog