… Hilda Baci wins celebrity game

By Jacob Ajom

As he heaved a sigh of relief after reconciliation of the score with his adversary John Ayedun (Grand Master) in game 17 and with a game to spare Charles Tachie-Menson, the Ghanaian ‘Word Lord’ knew he had finally achieved his ambition of re-announcing his presence on foreign turf as he carted away the one million naira top prize-money and of course, the title at the third edition of the Lekki Scrabble Classics which ended in Lagos on Sunday.

In a competition that attracted the presence of African champion Enoch Nwali (CC), West African champion Timilehin Doko, PANASA President’s Cup winner Godwin Victor and other top rated jammers, Tachie-Menson deflected the Day One Winner ‘curse’ to pull through the waters despite losing his first game on Day Two.

He would complete the takeover in Division A with 14 wins despite dropping his last game in round 18 to etch his name in the most glamourous tournament organised by a Scrabble Club in Africa.

“My father is married to my Nigerian mother. Playing in Nigeria is like playing at home. After winning Day One, I was a bit skeptical because we were supposed to play 12 games but later reduced to 11 and I was on fire. I actually had to take my cool going into Day Two. “

Ayedun (GM) finished second to take home half the winner’s prize while Emmanuel Umujose, Nwali, Godwin and Hakeem Olaribigbe followed in that order.

Meanwhile, it was a frenetic finish in Division B as Babatunde Adeagbo who had controlled the standing fending off rivals for a longer period of the tournament fell at the last hurdle in Round 18 to Babajide Alagbada who snatched the title from him to win the category with a higher 1032 cumulative points to Adeagbo’s 871 after both tied at 14 wins.

The tournament lived beyond expectations as players were rewarded with cash prizes right from the first round to the end of the tournament.

Nigeria Scrabble Federation President Olobatoke Aka said the classics was his long-term plan of developing the game where clubs activate the growth of the sport from their community.

He argued that the inability of Nigerian players winning the Classics was a wake up call ahead of bigger challenges expected at the forthcoming African Scrabble Championship in Kigali, Rwanda in October.
President of the Lekki Scrabble Club Samuel Anikoh said he was highly satisfied with the turnout as the Classics achieved the aim of providing platforms for the younger players to thrive while giving competition to the established ones by attracting the best even from Africa.

He said he was quite glad that the Lekki Scrabble Classics had become pivotal in players’ preparations for the African Scrabble Championship in Kigali, Rwanda this month.

In the same vein, Ebikeme Adowei, the immediate past president and a founding member of the club described the classics as a success.

At the closing ceremony attended by top Scrabble bigwigs including Nigeria Scrabble Federation President Olobatoke Aka, sponsors as well as Guinness Book of World Record (GWR) former winner Hilda Baci, the audience were entertained with a match between Tachie-Menson and former world champion Wellington Jighere.

Baci, the celebrity Cook who loves the game also participated in an Exhibition Match where she teamed up with Sophia and played against Team Adeola-Favour to the admiration of all.