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SCRABBLE: $41,000 For Grabs, As PANASA President’s Cup, African Tourney Begin In Lagos

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Players across the world converge in Lagos, Nigeria to participate in the Pan African Scrabble Association (PANASA) President’s Cup (PPC) and the African Youth Scrabble Championship (AYSC) where $41,000 has been set aside as prize money.

The inaugural editions of the Pan African Scrabble Association (PANASA) President’s Cup (PPC) and the African Youth Scrabble Championship (AYSC) begin Thursday morning at the Orchid Hotel, Ikota-Lekki and the Chrisland School also in Lekki, Lagos State.

Sports Marketing International (SMI) reports that $32,000 dollars is the prize money pool for the President’s Cup and $9,000 dollars has been set aside as prize money for the African Youth Scrabble Championship. The AYSC has lots of spot prizes and gift items ranging from Laptops to tablets and smartphones for the participants.

Over 225 players from Africa and America are competing for honours at the twin events that will last for four days. Players from countries such as Botswana, Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, The Gambia, Uganda, the United States of America and host Nigeria will feature at the events.

The PANASA President’s Cup (PPC) is an elite one-category event open to scrabble players across the globe, while the African Youth Scrabble Championship (AYSC) is reserved for young players in Africa who are 19 years and under, with two categories to compete for, U-15 and U-19.

The governor of Turkana County Province of Kenya, His Excellency Jeremiah Ekamais Lomorukai Napotikan who is the special guest of honour will declare both Championships open beginning with the President’s Cup by 8am and the African Youth Scrabble Championship by 10am all within the Lekki axis of Lagos State.

The governor on arrival paid a courtesy visit to the Oba Oniru of Ireland, His Royal Majesty, Oba Abdulwasiu Omogbolahan Lawal, Abisogun II and he also visited a frontline Pan-African educationist, Dr Mrs Winifred Awosika, the founder of the famous and prestigious Chrisland Schools.

On Saturday, after two scheduled rounds of games, the visiting young players will go on an excursion to landmark locations in the city of Aquatic Splendor like the National Museum, Lekki Conservation Park, Kalakuta Museum, Nike Arts Gallery and do some shopping too.

In a bid to encourage more female participation in the game of Scrabble, the Continental Governing Body of the game of words has earmarked special prizes for the best female at the end of the challenging and gruelling competition that will last for four days with 25 rounds of games.

In addition to the individual prizes, the top team will smile home with 1000 dollars. A team at the President’s Cup is made up of at least three players from the same country and it’s limited to only the African countries at the championship.

The winner of the President’s Cup will get 5,000 dollars and the Gbenga Ojofeitimi trophy, and SM Quartey trophy will be handed to the second prize winner and a cash prize of 2,500 dollars and 1,700 dollars and the Ojior Osikhena trophy goes to the third best player.

Nine rounds of games will be played on Day 1 of the Pan African Scrabble Association (PANASA) President’s Cup and the games start at 9am, each player has 25 minutes per round of game. It’s both PANASA and WESPA rated, and their rules apply in this Championship. The 2021 Collins Scrabble Words Dictionary is the reference material for the tournament.

Former African champion and winner of the Engineer Toke Aka National Jubilee Championship, Nsikak Etim is the President’s Cup number one seed, West Africa Scrabble champion and holder of the NSF Green Jacket Eta Karo is the second seed while Health Education student at the University of Lagos who is also the winner of third edition of Governor Douye Diri national championship, Enoch Nwali completes the top three.

The highest-ranked foreign player in the 135-man strong field that includes eight ladies is Kenya’s Allan Oyende at number 8 and Gitonga Nderitu another Kenyan at 15th while Uganda’s Edgar Odongkara is at number 20.

Ogun State-born coach and player Bukunmi Afolayan who is also into music is the highest-ranked female participant at number 40.

Kenya with 13 players has the largest contingent outside the host nation, Nigeria. Uganda is in Lagos for the President’s Cup will 11 players, 10 from Liberia and Ghana, the next host of the event is in town with a 7-man strong team.

Botswana, Cameroon, The Gambia and the United States of America are represented by one wordsmith each at the President’s Cup (PPC) taking place at the serine and classy Orchid Hotel Ikota-Lekki in Lagos.

The top 20:

1 2353 NGA Nsikak Etim
2 2247 NGA Eta Karo
3 2209 NGA Enoch Nwali
4 2208 NGA Godwin Victor
5 2207 NGA Wellington Jighere
6 2188 NGA Dojo Oluwatimilehin
7 2150 NGA Emmanuel Umujose
8 2147 KEN Allan Oyende
9 2140 NGA John Aiyedun
10 2133 NGA Dennis Ikekeregor
11 2067 NGA Cyril Umebiye
12 2058 NGA Hakeem Olaribigbe
13 2048 NGA James Ewruje
14 2032 NGA Ezinore George
15 2029 KEN Gitonga Nderitu
16 2025 NGA Abiola Adegbola
17 2017 NGA Precious Igali
18 1999 NGA Olumide Oyejide
19 1955 NGA Anthony Ikolo
20 1992 UGA Edgar Odongkara

Six rounds of games will be decided in the African Youth Scrabble Championship on Day 1. 24 rounds of games will be played over four days of competition at the AYSC held at the prestigious Chrisland School Lekki.

In the U-19 category, nine Kenyans and 24 Nigerians will be vying for the top prize while three countries, host Nigeria, Kenya and Uganda are represented in the U-15 event, 12 Kenyans, three Ugandans and 46 Nigerians including 8-year-old scrabble whiz kid, Saviour Onazi.

The Scrabble feast will be brought to a befitting end on Sunday with the first PANASA Awards and Gala Night starting at 7pm Nigerian time. During the Gala Night. PANASA will unwrap the details of the next host of the President’s Cup, the African Youth Scrabble Championship and the dates for the African Scrabble Championship to be hosted by Sierra Leone next year among other plans and programs of the continental body of Scrabble.

The Pan African Scrabble Association (PANASA) President’s Cup (PPC) and the African Youth Scrabble Championship (AYSC) have enjoyed huge corporate and individual backing.

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Jos, Plateau Comes Alive As NNL AGA Holds This Friday

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All is set for the Annual General Meeting of the Nigeria National League which is scheduled to hold in the capital city of Plateau state.

Already, stakeholders have started arriving the Tin City for the one-day deliberation.

The AGA which is the first activity of the season will see the NNL board meet with the 40 club representatives to fashion our all formalities for a successful season.

Kickoff date, format, funding and other matters of critical importance will be decided at the assembly.

NNL Chairman George Aluo who is already on the ground, gave further insight on the agenda.

“At the NNL AGA we will be rubbing minds with the club owners, share our thoughts and plans with them and be on the same page and decide when the league will start basically, as that is the most important thing so that after the AGA in Jos, we should be able to tell Nigerians when the league will kickoff.”

He continued, “The President of the NFF Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau has given us a mandate to start the league on time and ensure it aligns with the international calendar and that is the direction we want to go. So we have come up with our own plans and by the time we finish with our AGA in Jos, we’ll tell Nigerians what the plans are and how the league will be played.

He revealed that the board ” has put some plans in place as the NNL has been able to partner with the National Institute for Sports (NIS) for a pre-season capacity building seminar for our coaches. We want to upscale our coaches to make them better. Already, we have invited some resource persons from the NIS and the Technical Director of the NFF Augustine Eguavoen who will be involved in that and a Portuguese coach Thiago Conde so, at the end of the day, we would have upscale our coaches technically and before the start of the season by the time you’ve taken them to the classroom, I’m sure it will rub-off on the NNLas the 2023-2023 season gets underway.”

He appreciated the Plateau state Government for hosting the board as they begin deliberation this Friday.

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Colombia 2024: Falconets progress to third round as Mauritius withdraw

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The Mauritius Football Association has notified the Confederation of African Football of the withdrawal of the country’s U20 Women National Team from the ongoing African qualifying series for next year’s FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup finals.

“Kindly note that CAF was informed of the withdrawal of Mauritius FA from the African qualifiers of FIFA U20 WWC 2024. Consequently, Nigeria is qualified to the next round of the competition and the missions of all officials of matches 37 & 38 are cancelled,” read a communication from CAF to the Nigeria Football Federation.

The Falconets were to fly to Mauritius next week for the first leg in Saint Pierre against the Mauritius U20 girls, with the return leg scheduled for the MKO Abiola National Stadium, Abuja on Saturday, 14th October.

With this situation, 2022 World Cup quarter-finalists Nigeria now progress to the next round of the qualification series.

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Confed Cup: Insurance players vow to beat RS Berkane for their chief motivator, Obaseki

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As Federation Cup champion, Bendel Insurance of Benin plays RS Berkane on Friday in a Caf Confederation Cup match, the players and officials said they are ready to shed blood to win for the good people and government of Edo State especially their number one supporter and motivator Governor Godwin Obaseki.

Though Insurance has a mountain to climb in the decisive leg in Morocco after they were forced to a 2-2 draw by RS Berkane at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin, in the first leg on Saturday, September 16, they are confident that will beat their host and qualify for the next round of the competition.

Monday Odigie’s side will miss the services of striker Osarenkhoe Imade, who scored their opener in the first leg as well as their other goal in the last round.

The 22-year-old just penned a deal with United Arab Emirates side, United FC.

Despite missing their highest goal scorer from last season, stand-in captain and goalkeeper, Amas Obasigie, echoed the confidence of the team.

“Knowing the honour that awaits us if we beat our opponents to qualify for the group stage, we are going to fight for everything in the field of play to go home happy. We made two mistakes in Benin and will not want a repeat. We are facing very strong opponents who have been champions twice in a space of three years, but we will not allow their intimidation to affect our play. They should expect a good fight from us the way they also fought in Benin.

“Above all, we want to fight to win for our state Governor, who has been wonderful in giving his all, in sponsorship and motivation that has taken us thus far both in the domestic league and continental level,” Obasogie said.

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