Maiden Pan African Scrabble Association Awards and Gala Night to hold in Lagos
The Awards and Gala Night as its name implies is to reward and celebrate Scrabble excellence across the continent and honor players, officials, sponsors, partners, associates, and institutions that have distinguished themselves over the years.
By Maxwell Kumoye
The Pan African Scrabble Association (PANASA), has concluded arrangements to stage the first of its kind Awards and Gala Night at the Orchid Hotel Ikota-Lekki, Lagos on the 27th of this month after the President's Cup.
The Awards and Gala Night as its name implies is to reward and celebrate Scrabble excellence across the continent and honor players, officials, sponsors, partners, associates, and institutions that have distinguished themselves over the years.
The President of PANASA, Adekoyejo Adegbesan told journalists on Tuesday that the continental governing body of the game of words and mind will also use the occasion to roll out the date of the African Scrabble Championship held next year in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
“Details of the 2025 African Youth Scrabble Championship and the 2025 President's Cup as well as other plans for the mind game on the continent will be unwrapped during the Awards and Gala Night which is the first of its kind since the game was firmly established in Africa.
In a related development, the host Association for the African Youth Scrabble Championship and the President's Cup, the Nigeria Scrabble Federation (NSF), and the Pan African Scrabble Association have been working hand in hand with Nigeria's High Commissions around Africa and Nigeria Embassy in the US in the area of issuance of visas to players and officials.
PANASA President, Adegbesan stated that all visiting players and officials who applied for visas online have been issued visas. “All visas have been issued today to all those who applied online. Working with the NSF, PANASA has been able to secure all visas for players who require one.”
“We will continue to facilitate visas as more applications are made,” Adegbesan added.
Meanwhile, one of the finest and most lethal weapons who is participating in the President's Cup, Allan Oyende of Kenya will be touching down in Lagos 'the City of Aquatic Splendor' on Thursday on the wings of Kenya Airways, one of PANASA'S partners.
Oyende who is dreaded by a host of Scrabble players in Africa is arriving early to acclimatize and get some warm-up games under his arms.
Kenya's Allan Oyende with 22 wins and 590 cumulative finished fourth ahead of Eta Paul Karo and Gitonga Nderitu also from Kenya, at the last African Scrabble Championship in Lusaka, Zambia last year won by Enoch Nwali of Nigeria at the expense of another Nigerian Wellington Jighere a former world champion who finished fourth at the last WESPA Championship in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA in July.
Interestingly all these Scrabble gladiators are among the 172 players that will be competing at the President's Cup held between the 24th and 28th of this month at the Orchid Hotel Ikota-Lekki, Lagos, South West, Nigeria.
32,000 dollars has been set aside as prize money for the President's Cup that has been enjoying huge corporate and individual backing and the Main Organizing Committee for the event has been ticking the right boxes to stage a befitting and memorable competition and Awards and Gala Night.
The latest corporate entity that has added its name to the league of partners of PANASA is a renowned Scrabble board and accessories manufacturer SamBoard.
The Scrabble equipment maker SamTimer has offered the famous wood Scrabble board and other playing items to the organizer.
Sam Kantimathi who manufactures quality Scrabble boards, clocks amongst other Scrabble playing equipment said the need to give his support to the innovative efforts of the continental body. The American behind SamBoard will attend the Scrabble feast.
The list also includes Nigeria Breweries Plc, Friesland Campina WAMCO Plc, Kenya Airways, Diageo Nigeria, Air Peace, Winifred Awosika Foundation, Ojeyz Security based in Ghana, Ayoci Energies Ltd, Atelier Architects, which is also a Ghanaian firm, Thrive Agriculture, SocialLiga, Midas Farm, Cinq-SAA, Madoms Global Trade, Boaz Commodities Ltd, Petrichor Group of Industries and BradMein Nigeria Ltd among others
Well-meaning stakeholders and individuals with deep pockets and kind hearts like Engineer Gbenga Ojofeitimi, Musa Olasupo, Engineer Ojior Osikhena, Samuel Anikoh, Austin Isiekwe, and SM Quartey have been lubricating the sponsorship, partnership, and support base of the PANASA President's Cup.
The 2023 African Youth Scrabble Championship holds between the 24th and 28th of to this month at the Chrisland School, Lekki-Lagos with over 150 young players from 14 countries expected in attendance.
