Nigeria inched closer to win the maiden edition of the West Africa Scrabble Championships taking place in Accra, Ghana with Eta Karo, Nsikak Etim and Enoch Nwali occupying the top three positions heading to the final day.
After 21 round of matches, Karo leads the 40-man five-nation tournament on 15 points with a 15-0-6 win-draw-loss record. Etim is breathing down the leader’s neck as he shared the same record with his countryman but has a spread of +941 which is less to that of Karo with +1038.
Nwali on his part is on 14 points with 13-2-6 with a spread of +948.
Nigeria Liberia, Sierra Leone Gambia and Ghana are vying for honours in the championship at the Ghanaian capital.
Former world champion Wellington Jighere is fourth on the standings on 14 points with a 14-0-7 record and a spread of +753.
Jighere, the current world number three, had a slow start losing his very first match against compatriot Chukwudi Ehibudu, but has been on the rise in his last set of games which saw him recorded wins in round 18 over Karo but succumbed to Olatunde Oduwole, who is on fifth position in round 19.
Sierra Leonean Richard Sock is next in ranking on sixth on 13 points with a 13-0-8 record to break the chain of Nigeria”s dominance as Oluwatimileyin Doko, Dipo Akanbi and Ezimoje George are placed seventh, eighth and ninth on 12 points each while Mohammed Kamara, another Sierra Leonean completes the top ten.
Nigeria is being represented by 12 players with Emmanuel Ofidi the least ranked on nine points placing 30th.
Nigeria Scrabble Federation President, Toke Aka expressed delight at the performance of Nigeria’s representatives declaring the nation’s deep pool of talents will keep it among the leaders in the sport globally.
“We came out to defend our pride as a top nation in the sport and we achieved that knowing this is the first time a tournament for West African is organised,” he added.
