Africa’s number one player, Enoch Nwali, has won the maiden Ultimate Scrabble Showdown, which debuted at the weekend in Lagos.
   
Nwali recorded a slim 11-10 victory over Timilehin Doko to take the crown.
Nwali and Doko, like opposing generals, plot their strategies on their maps in the war room, with high intelligence, guile, and quick thinking in a duel of 21 games.
 
The final game was watched by several Scrabble followers globally through different platforms.
 
For their thrilling performances at the Ultimate Scrabble showdown, the two elite players, who are also undergraduate students of the University of Lagos, were granted wildcards to the next edition, which will be an expanded version with other Scrabble champions.
 
Speaking after his victory, Nwali said: “I am happy and excited to have won the first edition of the Ultimate Scrabble Showdown. It’s a very good platform and it’s going to be better.
 
“Doko is a very good player and I expected the tough challenge, that happens when two top players meet. I had to give it my all.”
 
Both players received various prizes and will be paid stipends for the next eight weeks, according to the organisers.
 
The Ultimate Scrabble Showdown is a brainchild of former national champion, Olatunde Oduwole.
 
The closing ceremony was attended by the Nigeria Scrabble Federation (NSF) Players’ Representative, Segun Durojaye, scrabble promoters, Ebikeme Adowei, Charles Uzamere, Lagos State Scrabble Coach, Ayomiposi Akinfemisoye, and other enthusiasts.