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Nigeria Premier League

MGI Scrabble Grand Slam: Six African Scrabble Kings, American Champion Battle For Honours At Golf View Hotel, Lagos

The last and equally glamorous event in the scrabble calendar of Mind Game Incorporated (MGI) the Grand Slam begins today at the Golfview Suites and Conference Centre, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos with 30 top players in attendance.

The list is made up of six players who have won the African Scrabble Championship and one of them is a former world champion. The cast also include current American national champion and a host of multiple National Championship winners.

The current African Scrabble Champion and double 2023 National Championship winner, Enoch Nwali. The player fondly called the Drummer boy is student of University of Lagos. Two time African King and World Champion who is the defending champion, Wellington Jighere will be seeking to strike the second time.

Nsikak Etim, the current national number one and a former African Champion who wants to add this prize to his Toke Aka national championship crown is in alongside two time African Scrabble Championship winner Dennis Ikekeregor who is very hungry for another major title, Moses Peter, the super picker who has also ruled the continent will be in attendance with Femi Awowade who conquered Africa some 27 years ago.

UK base Awowade, a sporting and scrabble legend who helped in shaping the sport in Nigeria and Africa is in Lagos to ruffle some feathers and also throw some scrabble tigers under the bus.

Another household name in the mindgame that will be searching for the right tiles at the Grand Slam is Sammy Okosagah who represented America at the last WESPA Championship in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA in July this year. The Edo State born, Sammy Okosagah, current America national champion is a contender for the top prize of one million naira.

Old timer, Azu Ogbogu, five time Kano Open champion Segun Durojaye, 2023 South West Closed winner Cyril Umebiye, 2022 National Sports Festival gold medalist and a member of the all conquering Hurricane SC, Jimoh Abdulmumin, James Ewruje winner of the maiden edition of Lekki Scrabble Classics and the 2022 MGI Patrons Cup and Doko Timilehin the West Africa Scrabble University Games champion who is also a key member of Hurricane SC are ready for the rough jamming and challenging scrabble battle this weekend.

A report on First Zealmediacast Blog says that only one female player, Bukunmi Afolayan, Africa’s number two scrabble amazon will be in the mix when hostilities starts on Friday at the Golfview Suites & Conference Centre.

NSF President Olobatoke Aka, Technical Director John Curtis, Chukwudi Ehibudu, Enai Doubra, John Aiyedun, Sunday Oshodi, Hakeem Olaribigbe, Tega Okiemute, Squiz Ewarah, Lukeman Owolabi wearing the colours of Ireland, Samuel Adebola, Ojior Osikhena, David Ojih, Lester Morris of Liberia, Ayotunde Adeyeri of America and Adeyemi Adeosun, semi finalist at the PANASA President’s Cup and the winner of the first edition of the South West Closed Championship completes the roll call.

Young, dynamic, skillful and equally experienced Khaleel Adedeji is serving as tournament director for the competition that will be powered by TSH.

It’s a 24 rounds of games event with the top two players going for the best of 5 games final round to determine the winner of the MGI Scrabble Grand Slam for 2023 that has the seal and rating points of Nigeria Scrabble Federation (NSF), World English Scrabble Players Association (WESPA) and Mindgame Incorporated (MGI).

Over N2 million will be doled out as prize money and the top 15 players are covered in the prize money pool.

Khaleel Adedeji, the Grand Slam tournament director, who is still celebrating his team’s promotion into the MGI Scrabble Premier League, says all necessary and needed logistics for a hitch free event have been put in place.

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Nigeria Premier League

Abiodun Celebrates The NPFL’s New Era As Remo Stars Clinch The 2024/25 Trophy

Abiodun Celebrates The NPFL's New Era As Remo Stars Clinch The 2024/25 Trophy

Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has expressed delight at the steady transformation of the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL), commending the league’s organizers for aligning its calendar with international standards.

Governor Abiodun made the remarks in Abeokuta while receiving a delegation from the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), led by its President, Ibrahim Gusau, and the Chairman of the NPFL, Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye.

The officials visited to congratulate the Governor following the official presentation of the 2024/25 NPFL trophy to Remo Stars—champions of this season.

Speaking on the sidelines of the visit, the Governor praised the NPFL’s decision to synchronize its season with global leagues, many of which conclude by May or early June.

“While the champions, our own Remo Stars from Ogun State, were crowned on Sunday, there is just one more game to conclude the season—meaning the NPFL will wrap up in May, just like most European leagues. This is commendable,” he said.

Abiodun, who attended the trophy presentation in Ikenne, also applauded the NPFL board for conducting a smooth and rancor-free season.

“It is to the credit of the NPFL Board, led by my brother, Elegbeleye, that we had this beautiful celebration today. All stakeholders agree that Remo Stars are worthy champions,” the Governor stated.

Present at the reception were several NFF Board members, including Ganiyu, Aisha Falode, and Silas Agara.

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Nigeria Premier League

NPFL Drama: Late Spot-kick Seals Shooting Stars’ Win Over Sunshine Stars

Sunshine Stars narrowly lost 0-1 to Shooting Stars in a tightly contested Matchday 36 fixture of the 2024/25 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, Ibadan

Sunshine Stars narrowly lost 0-1 to Shooting Stars in a tightly contested Matchday 36 fixture of the 2024/25 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) season at the Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, Ibadan.

The decisive goal came in the 84th minute after the referee awarded a late penalty to the home side, following a scramble in the box.

Just two minutes earlier, Sunshine Stars were reduced to ten men when defender Yusuf Olowoshile received a red card.

Shooting Stars capitalized on the advantage, converting the penalty with composure to secure all three points.

Despite the defeat, Sunshine Stars displayed grit and determination, going toe-to-toe with their hosts and creating several scoring opportunities.

Goalkeeper Emma Offori was a standout performer, making several key saves to keep the Owena Whales in the contest.

Speaking after the match, Shooting Stars head coach Gbenga Ogunbote praised Sunshine Stars for their resilience, labeling their current league standing as “unfortunate.”

On his part, Sunshine Stars coach Bobola Akinfolarin expressed frustration with the result, particularly the timing of the penalty. Nevertheless, he stressed that the team must now shift focus to their final two games of the season.

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Nigeria Premier League

Football World Stunned As NFF PSAC Reverses Rivers United Decision

Football World Stunned As NFF PSAC Reverses Rivers United Decision

In a stunning and unprecedented move, the Nigeria Football Federation’s Players Status and Arbitration Committee (NFF PSAC) has reversed its own judgment in the high-profile contractual dispute between Rivers United FC and former player Deputy Echeta—six months after issuing a definitive ruling, Sports247 reports.

The controversial reversal, handed down on March 1, 2025, but only made public at the end of April, has left legal experts and football stakeholders baffled.

It directly contradicts PSAC’s earlier decision from December 2, 2024, which ruled in favor of Echeta, citing multiple breaches of FIFA regulations by Rivers United.

The Original Judgment: A Clear-Cut Case

In its initial ruling, the PSAC made the following key findings:

1. Unlawful Suspension: Rivers United’s indefinite suspension of Echeta was declared illegal, violating FIFA’s cap of 30 days for player suspensions pending investigations.

2. Wage Breach: The club was found guilty of failing to pay the player for over four months—qualifying under Article 14bis of FIFA’s Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (RSTP) as just cause for unilateral contract termination.

3. Contractual Compensation: While Echeta was entitled to seek compensation under Article 17bis of the RSTP for unlawful termination, he waived that right.

4. Excessive Transfer Fee: The club demanded N15 million to loan Echeta to Sunshine Stars, despite the latter offering N1 million—a move deemed a deliberate effort to block his career progression.

5. Provisional Clearance: PSAC issued Echeta clearance to sign with any club of his choice immediately.

6. Admonishment: Rivers United was chastised for bad faith and actions that jeopardized Echeta’s career and economic freedom.

Despite the ruling, Echeta remained without a club as Sunshine Stars delayed signing him until the transfer window opened. In January 2025, a lifeline came from a foreign club offering a short-term contract.

However, when Echeta submitted his PSAC-issued clearance to register abroad, the NFF’s Transfer Matching System (TMS) manager refused to issue his International Transfer Certificate (ITC), contrary to standard protocol.

Only through intervention under revised FIFA guidelines was the player eventually registered, rendering the provisional clearance practically redundant.

The Shocking Reversal

In a twist that many are calling a “procedural disgrace,” the NFF PSAC quietly reconvened the case on March 1, 2025—without notifying or inviting Echeta to the hearing. Instead, only Rivers United was granted audience, and the committee took the unprecedented step of overturning its previous decision.

This move flies in the face of standard arbitration procedure. PSAC had initially acknowledged that only a higher legal authority—such as the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) could review or overturn ithe ruling.

Moreover, procedural time limits for lodging appeals had already lapsed by the time the case was reopened.

The New Ruling: A Legal Contradiction

The committee’s new ruling includes the following points:

1. Revocation of Clearance: Citing Article 9 of the RSTP, PSAC rescinded the provisional clearance, arguing it was misused to facilitate an international transfer without the club’s consent.

2. Mandatory Reconciliation: Echeta was instructed to return to Rivers United to negotiate a mutual contract termination so the club could “benefit from his economic rights.”

3. Financial Penalties: The player was fined N5 million for “gross misconduct and misrepresentation,” along with an additional N1 million payable to the NFF for allegedly breaching trust.

Confusion Breaks the Bone

Legal experts point to the existence of two conflicting rulings of equal legal weight as a glaring flaw that now complicates enforcement and undermines the integrity of the arbitration body.

More troubling is that the latest judgment was issued in the absence of one party, a breach of basic principles of fair hearing.

A Precedent of Chaos

The fallout from this case could be seismic for Nigerian football’s dispute resolution framework.

By overturning its own decision without proper procedure or jurisdiction, the PSAC may have set a dangerous precedent, where settled cases could be re-opened without cause or due process.

“This is not just a misstep, it’s a collapse of credibility,” said a legal analyst who asked not to be named. “You cannot act as judge and appellate court on the same matter. It’s unheard of.”

The Unanswered Question

As stakeholders try to make sense of this stunning reversal, one critical question lingers:

What changed between December 2024 and March 2025 to prompt this legal about-face?

Was there external pressure? Political influence? Or internal interference from powerful actors within the football ecosystem?

Whatever the cause, the PSAC’s credibility now hangs in the balance. Once seen as a bastion of fairness, the committee’s integrity is now under intense scrutiny, and unless this decision is reviewed.

Nigerian football risks descending into an era where justice is neither predictable nor guaranteed.

Sports247.com

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