Scrabble: Federation Plans For Malaysia Trip

After the disappointment of not being part of the World Scrabble Champions, WSC, in Warsaw, Poland after the Polish embassy in Nigeria denied them visas, the Nigeria Scrabble Federation, NSF, has secured participation in another international championship for the players. Nigeria will be participating at the 2011 Causeway Challenge in Malaysia.

The tourney, which is next to the World Championship in terms of followership and glamour, will hold from 1-6 December, in Johor Bohor, Malaysia.

Speaking with P.M Sports in his office, the Secretary General of NSF, Mr James Eakyns, disclosed that the federation has decided to use the same players that were to represent the country at the WSC to prosecute the 2011 Causeway challenge.

“It came as a big shock and disappointment for the players when they realised they would not be participating at the WSC after all the preparations they had.

“As a way of compensating them, the federation have decided that Moses Peters, Dokun Esan, Nsikan Etim, Sunday Oshodi and Sanni Moshood, who are the initial players for the WSC, should represent us at the tourney,” Eakyns said.

He said that their participation at the tourney will enable them accummulate points needed for the World English Speaking Players Association WESPA events.

P.M.Sports gathered that the contingent will depart for Malaysia on 29 November and will be led by the Federation’s president, Engineer Toke Aka. Others for the trip are three reserved players, Rasheed Balogun, Friday Ogbonyomi and Noble, the Secretary General, the Technical Director and the 1st Vice-President of NSF.

—Bamidele Olowosagba