Why Bolaji Abdullahi hates Scrabble, Chess revealed!

*World’s highest event holds in Uyo again

*Two world champions on board

To an average Scrabble player in Nigeria, Sports Minister, Bolaji Abdullahi does not like anything that represents intellection and thus, hates Chess and Scrabble.

Abdullahi explaining things in cerebral fashion

A friend of mine who is a leading player of the game while speaking on his exploits in England expressed such level of distrust for the Minister. Here I am, at the least, I know him sufficiently well that he is a deep reader of books. It was his tenure as Commissioner for Education in Kwara that Mrs. Toyin Saraki identified with Scrabble for school children.

My friend is of the opinion that the Minister represents the sentiments at National Sports Commission (NSC) which has not for once sent a senior official to the Godswill Akpabio International Scrabble Classics will be held in Uyo every year.

This is the sixth edition holding from the 27th to 30th September 2012. The event incidentally is the highest paying Scrabble event (in sum total of prize monies across categories) worldwide.

The last edition of the Classics was won by Mr Sammy Okosagah, a Nigerian International Scrabble Master based in the U.K. He took home the sum of $10,000 for his efforts. The event is in 4 (four) categories (divisions): Masters, Intermediate, Open and Veterans categories.

Two-time World Champion, Nigel Richards of New Zealand and former world champion, Pakorn Nemitrmansuk of Thailand are among the top players expected to compete at this year’s event. Pakorn Nemitramansuk participated in the 2010 edition and came fourth.

See the passion in Scrabble tearing mother and child apart?

Without prejudice, this is the best Federation amongst the 39 in the NSC in terms of the total prize monies at stake yearly and the total number of championships per annum which is in excess of 120. In terms of continental results, no sport has delivered the number or quality of continental championship wins like Scrabble.

So, how can the Minister know this and not identify with the very best of his children?

…Chess has an Olympic Gold, silver too

Nigeria’s quality performance at the recently concluded 40th World Chess Olympiad in Istanbul, Turkey has added another feather to the Goodluck Jonathan administration whose medal profile took a skew out with the London 2012 Olympics.

Paralympians seems to have opened the floodgate of high networth sports returns. The U-20 women national team came fourth in the world championships. In days, the Team Nigeria Chess team turned in another.

The team for the first time in the history of Nigeria’s participation at the biennial event came top in category E in the men’s event while the ladies were second behind Chinese Taipei at the 11 round Swiss-event paring with 161 countries in attendance.

Since 1998 when Odion Aikhoje won gold medal, this is the first time Nigeria’s name would be called at the closing ceremony for its players to mount the podium to receive honour. Nigeria male team were the only African team that came top in the competition.

It is only fair and good that President Goodluck Jonathan whose administration seems to have hit sports medals suddenly should host and reward these chaps for a good job.

If this does not happen, it will be sad and difficult to think the government is not only discriminatory and unappreciative. Had football returned such, the entire team would have been hosted by a million agencies who would have chartered a million planes to meet them from Istanbul.

Gov. Fashola’s All Stars, MTN in Street Soccer scam

Why would people work so hard and get the results but are denied the fruits of their labour? This is the fate of the members of the All Stars team of Lagos which has Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos as member.

The team which came to Abuja for the annual All Stars parade of skills had an impressive outing. They abandoned the gala night in Abuja to appear in the Lagos final the following day. They came second but their prizes were made to belong to the club and not the players.

A week before the final of the tournament, some senior members of the All Stars FC snatched the meat pie meant for the players, took it to their club house because that also belonged to the club!

MTN had announced what they tagged as “ Life-enriching prizes” claiming that “the prizes for the winners of the MTN Lagos Street Soccer Championship are not just meant to be enjoyed, but also to serve as wonderful springboards for these promising talents to further their career and actualise their dreams.

1st prize-N5million plus all expense paid to trip to Dubai

2nd prize-N3million plus all expense paid a trip to South Africa

3rd prize-N2million plus all expense paid a trip to Gambia

4th prize-N1million

MTN’s team won the final 1-0 beating All Stars of Lagos. The MTN got their prizes and the Lagos SWAN that got the third position got their home theatre in the public glare.