Nigeria Retain African Scrabble Supremacy as Jimoh Wins Individual Crown
Oru Leonard
Nigeria has reaffirmed its dominance in African Scrabble after Abdulmumin Jimoh emerged individual champion at the 16th African Scrabble Championship in Monrovia, Liberia, while the country also clinched the Best Country award.
Jimoh led an all-Nigerian podium, finishing ahead of compatriots George Ezinore and Emmanuel Umujose in the four-day continental competition, which featured 110 players.
The Nigerian star secured the title with 23 victories and an impressive cumulative spread of 1,760 points. Ezinore, the reigning Nigerian national champion, also recorded 23 wins but finished second with a spread of 1,005 points, while Umujose took third place to complete Nigeria’s clean sweep of the top three positions.
Jimoh’s victory was the product of a determined comeback after a challenging start to the tournament. He ended the opening day in 12th position with five wins before climbing to third place on the second day.
Although he dropped to sixth on day three, the eventual champion rallied in the closing stages to strengthen his title ambitions.
A decisive victory over Larry Etuwa in round 31 proved crucial to his campaign. Despite losing his final game to Ezinore, Jimoh’s superior cumulative spread secured him the championship.
The triumph further strengthens Nigeria’s reputation as a leading force in African Scrabble and sees Jimoh succeed his clubmate, Oluwatimilehin Doko, who won the previous edition in Kigali two years ago.
Doko, however, endured a difficult outing in Monrovia after falling ill during the tournament.
Beyond the individual honours, Nigeria’s emergence as Best Country underscored the depth of talent within its national team and its continued competitiveness at continental level.
President of the Nigeria Scrabble Federation, Engineer Bright Idahosa, praised the players for their determination and commitment, describing their performance as a demonstration of the country’s strength in the sport.
He also expressed appreciation to the National Sports Commission (NSC) for its support of Nigerian sports and the federation’s participation in the championship.
Idahosa specifically commended NSC Chairman Mallam Shehu Dikko and Director-General Hon. Bukola Olopade for their encouragement and interest in the team’s progress throughout the competition.
According to him, the Director-General maintained regular contact with the federation to monitor results, assess the team’s performance and discuss the way forward.
He said the support reflected a commitment to purposeful leadership and the development of sports in Nigeria.
In the women’s category, Ghana’s Betty Kyeremateng emerged Best Female Player after recording 20 victories from 32 games.
Nigeria’s Sophia Ekeruche, recognised as the World’s Best Female Junior Player in 2025 and 2026, finished second in the female standings with 18 wins.
Nigeria’s overall performance in Monrovia represents another significant milestone for the Nigeria Scrabble Federation as it seeks to consolidate the country’s position in African and international competitions.
The federation is expected to build on the latest success by sustaining the development of players and strengthening Nigeria’s competitive presence at future championships.
Credit: Kola Daniel
