Gateway Scrabble Club (SC) of Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State has emerged as the champion of the highly prestigious 2025 NSF InterClub Scrabble Championship. In a commanding performance at the finals, Gateway SC, led by veteran Masters player Cyril Umebiye, outclassed the surprise finalists Yenagoa SC from Bayelsa State with a 4–1 victory, amassing a cumulative score of +1204 points.
Displaying remarkable team strength, Gateway SC notched up 20 wins out of 25 games. Current African champion Oluwatimilehin Doko led the charge with 5 wins and a +618 points margin. His teammate Abdulmumin Jimoh, also a national team player, secured 5 wins and +591 points. Rising star David Ojih and Hakeem Ogundokun dropped just one game each, while Captain Umebiye wrapped up with two wins and a -243 cumulative. Yenagoa SC’s players managed only a win each, with Ezekiel Eniekebi finishing with the highest point deficit of -350.
Gateway SC clinched the title in grand style, winning matches 1 and 2 by 4–1, narrowly losing match 3 (2–3), before sealing the championship with a flawless 5–0 in match 4. The team’s captain credited their success to strong management and generous support from the club’s chairman, Adekoyejo Adegbesan, who ensured players were well catered for throughout the tournament. “Our focus has always been on the game, thanks to the solid welfare structure put in place,” said Umebiye.
Benin City SC secured third place by defeating Central Scrabble Club A of Abuja, captained by Francis Molokwu. The InterClub MVP title went to Oluwatimilehin Doko, who also contributed to Team Ogun’s triumph in the Asaph Zadok National Championship. National coach Sir Anthony Ikolo praised youngsters David Ojih (Gateway SC) and David Yuwa (Central SC A) as standout talents. At the closing ceremony, George Ezinore was honored with the NSF Green Jacket and awarded ₦100,000 by the Chairman of the Edo State Sports Commission, Hon. Desmond Enabulele.
Edo State’s George Ezinore has emerged champion of the prestigious 2025 Asaph Zadok National Scrabble Championship, solidifying his place among Nigeria’s elite wordsmiths. The tournament, hosted at Florence Hotel and Suites in Benin City, Edo State, featured Nigeria's finest, including African champion Oluwatimilehin Doko, former NSF Green Jacket holder Dipo Akanbi, and seasoned champion John Aiyedun. Ezinore's remarkable consistency saw him finish with 20 wins, one draw, and a cumulative score of +922 from 28 games, edging out Rivers State's Larry Etuwa, who recorded 19 wins.
Representing Ogun State, Samuel Adebola secured third place with 18 wins and a higher cumulative of +1236 points, narrowly surpassing Oyo State’s Jamiu Kareem, who also had 18 wins but a lower cumulative of +525. Ezinore’s commanding performance saw him dominate from game 13 through to the final round, a testament to his preparation and focus amidst stiff competition from top-ranked players.
After several close attempts in previous years, Ezinore expressed fulfillment at finally capturing the coveted NSF Green Jacket. He dedicated his victory to scrabble players in Edo State and the Edo State Sports Commission, whose support he described as pivotal. “This win proves that consistent investment in sports yields great results. I’m proud to bring this honor home to Edo,” he shared. His near-miss at the recent Niger Delta Sports Festival only fueled his determination for this historic win.
The Awards and Gala Night on Thursday 17th of April saw Ezinore officially decorated with the Green Jacket. In the team event, Ogun State claimed top honors, followed by Lagos and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The Edo State Sports Commission, under Honourable Desmond Enabulele’s leadership, was also commended for fostering sports development and enabling a thriving competitive environment.
The NSF Inter-Club Challenge Competition Grand Finale for the 2024/2025 season is scheduled to take place from April 15th - 17th, 2025, in Benin City, Edo State. Below are the general guidelines governing the event.
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The Asaph Zadok National Scrabble Championship is scheduled to take place from April 11th - 13th, 2025, in Benin City, Edo State. Below are the general guidelines governing the event.
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The first edition of the Nigeria Grandmasters Scrabble Championships tagged Champion of Champions was successfully concluded today 5th December 2021 in Benin, Edo State. The competition, endorsed by the Nigeria Scrabble Federation, was organized by Words and Wits, a Scrabble event conglomerate based in Benin and headed by the current Vice President Mr. Bright Idahosa. It featured forty-four (44) players invited by the organizers based on past and current performances in the Nigeria Scrabble circuit including former World and African Scrabble champion, Jighere Wellington, former African champions, Moses Peter and Nsikak Etim, and a host of former National champions including Olatunde Oduwole. Among other invited players were former youth player Enoch Nwali (a member of Team Nigeria at the maiden Gladiators Virtual Scrabble tournament), and team members Omosefe Prince, Ofidi Emmanuel, Umujose Emma, Oshevire Avwenagha, and Anthony Odok.
A total of 21 games were played at the three-day championship. The first phase tagged the King of the Park phase was won by Jighere Wellington. Thereafter the two best players viz Jighere Wellington (who won the first phase and the Scrabble King trophy) and Olatunde Oduwole, the first runner-up moved on to play the best-of-three Challenge phase. Tunde Oduwole eventually triumphed to emerge as the winner of the maiden Champion of Champions competition and the Champions trophy. Over two million naira was shared by the top players with the King of the Park winner Jighere Wellington taking home N500,000 (five hundred thousand).
The organizers have indicated that the competition will be an annual event and the next edition will be bigger to accommodate more established and upcoming Scrabble players with the aim of further development of the game in Nigeria. Click here for round-by-round results, standings, and player statistics of the competition.
