Nigeria Tipped to Defend African Scrabble Title Despite Player Departures
PANASA president Adekoyejo Adegbesan expects Nigeria to challenge strongly for another continental Scrabble title in Liberia.
Nigeria remains capable of defending its continental Scrabble title despite the departure of several leading players from the country, according to Pan African Scrabble Association president Adekoyejo Adegbesan.
The 16th African Scrabble Championship is scheduled for October 22 to 25 in Monrovia, Liberia. Adegbesan said Nigeria's depth of talent still gives the team a strong chance of succeeding at the tournament, even though a number of experienced competitors have relocated overseas.
Nigeria enters the championship with an exceptional record in the competition, having captured 14 titles across the previous 15 editions. Adegbesan nevertheless cautioned against assuming another victory will come easily. He identified Uganda and Kenya as the countries most likely to provide serious competition and suggested that the battle for the championship could centre on those three nations.
The PANASA president also expressed confidence in Liberia's preparations for hosting the event. He said the country's sports authorities have supported the local Scrabble body during the build-up, including assistance with organisational arrangements and changes to the tournament's promotional materials.
Adegbesan has been involved in competitive Scrabble since the 1990s. In addition to leading the continental association, he serves as chairman of Gateway Scrabble Club in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State. He previously headed the Ogun State Scrabble Association.
PANASA has also introduced another route into the championship for players who were unsuccessful during qualification organised by their national bodies. In a statement dated October 9, the continental association said eligible players may still seek entry if their national Scrabble association or federation submits and approves the application.
Players cannot register independently under the arrangement. The fee has been set at $300 for each entrant, matching the amount charged to diaspora participants. PANASA has encouraged national associations to inform eligible members who may want to use the additional entry window.
Nigeria's dominant historical record makes the defending champions one of the teams to watch in Monrovia, but Adegbesan's assessment also places Uganda and Kenya firmly among the contenders as the championship approaches.