Ebonyi State-born Enoch Nwali has emerged as the winner of the star prize of the 3rd edition of the Governor Douye Diri National Scrabble Championship.
The 26-year-old undergraduate of Health Education at the University of Lagos was overall best in the Masters’ Category with + 705 cumulative spread points after winning 12 out of 15 games, clinching the top prize of five hundred thousand Naira and a trophy.
Nwali who is based in Lagos and became African Champion at the 14th Africa Scrabble Championship held in Lusaka, Zambia in 2022 dethroned last year’s winner, Nsikak Etim who won 11 games topped with the premium word ‘Sonlier’ said he was excited even as he gets ready to do the nation proud at the 2023 World Scrabble Championship in Las Vegas, United States later this year.
The Opens category was won by Ijegbulem Clement who won 12 and lost 3 to amass a cumulative spread of +863, beating Nwaeze Chuks to the two hundred thousand naira prize.
The Veterans category was won by Ojior Osikena with a cumulative point spread of +524, edging Dokun Esan and Azu Ogbogu to the prize while Adeleke John, a senior secondary school 3 student of Federal Government College, Odi, Bayelsa State retained the title he won last year in the students’ event with a spread of +524 ahead of Edide Perowei and August Benharry to cart home N50,000 prize money. The Special Prize for overall best female player went to Vera Zinny.
Declaring the competition closed at the DSP Alamieyeseigha Banquet Hall, Government House, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State governor, Senator Douye Diri, represented by the deputy governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, emphasised that by investing in sporting endeavours, IOCs and the corporate world would have contributed to the growth and development of society.
