Okosagah wins Godswill Akpabio Scrabble championship

* Tetteh played record six bingoes in a game

Nigeria’s most competed and attractive scrabble competition, the Godwill Akpabio Classics, whose fifth edition, ended last Sunday in Uyo, is one championship that will remain in the memories of so many people for different reasons especially considering the drama that preceded the  event, how it sorted and got played.

Mother playing scrabble while baby enjoys herself at the Akpabio event

Anyhow, USA-based Sammy “Ikoko” Okosagah is the 2011 champion of the 5^th Godswill Akpabio scrabble championship and takes home the $12,000 (N2million) and giant trophy to the bargain. Okosagah won 17 games with a cumulative score of 1,394 to send Saheed Tayo to the second position with 16 wins and a cumulative of 638. This category had 45 players. Sodje Paul had the high game score of 672 in the category.

In the intermediate category, after 24 rounds of game, Olueh Godwin won 20 games with a cumulative of 1,248 and picked the N900, 000.00 at stake to send Adebola Samuel who won 17 games and a cumulative of 815. 88 players played in this category. Jacob Ryan had the high game score of 694.

In the veteran category, Barrister Hakeem Kareem won after 24 rounds of game wherein he garnered 18 wins to amass a cumulative score of 1,086 and picked the N600, 000.00 cash prize, whereas, Mohammed Aminu won 17 games and a cumulative of 776. 36 players played in this category whilst Mr. Oladeji Akin had the high game score with 568.

In the Opens category where after 20 rounds of game, Osamuyime Igbinadolor won with 15.5 and a cumulative of 1450 whereas George Friday won 14.5 games and a cumulative of 1,053 to pick the second slot. It had 98 players and the high game score went to Oritsejafor David who plucked 743.

Mr. Julius Tetteh set a record at this year’s tournament in the Masters category playing Dipo Oshodi on table 6 game 20. Oshodi started comfortably with RETIMED (72) as his first move. Tetteh replied REORIEN(T) (60) on his second move. Then, from the fourth to eight moves Julius played five bingoes consecutively viz: ALUnITE (69), QUINOAS (91), ANGORAS (78) RETiMING (89) and FLUTIES(T) (63). In total seven bingoes were played on that board. He didn't pummel Dipo as most would have expected as Dipo kept his head and the game ended 398:556.

In a telephone interview with the President of the federation, Engineer Toke Aka, he said, “the Akpabio Classics was a very good ground for our representatives in the World Scrabble Championships to train and hone their skills towards doing very well in the championship. We had a wonderful outing there in Uyo. It was like it should not end,” he quipped.