President of Nigeria Scrabble Federation (NSF), Toke Aka, has promised that the body would assemble a formidable team for the African Youth Scrabble Championship, as well as the Pan African Scrabble President’s Cup billed to hold August, in Lagos.
Aka said that the players for the tournament would be selected from top scrabble playing schools and academies across the country to challenge over 220 young players from across Africa at the PANASA Youth Championship.
He added that the youth event would hold at the same time with the President’s Cup, while revealing that Botswana has already named a 28-man list for the PANASA Championship, just as Kenya is currently conducting it’s national trials to select its team from over 300 kids.
Meanwhile, the Pan African Scrabble Association (PANASA) has named the Main Organising Committee (MOC) for the two-in-one events holding in Lagos in August at two different centres.
According to PANASA President, Adekoyejo Adegbesan, Kenya’s Crispine Okeyo, who is the body’s technical director, is to serve as the tournament director of both the President’s Cup (PPC) and the African Youth Scrabble Championship (AYSC).
Nigeria’s Khaleel Adedeji, PANASA’s Ratings Officer and Farouq Babaina will assist the tournament director to oversee both championships. Adedeji will assist Okeyo in the President’s Cup, while Babaina is supporting Okeyo in the African Youth Scrabble Championship.
Adegbesan added that Hakeem Olaribigbe and Olumide Oyejide are also part of the Main Organising Committee (MOC) for the PANASA President’s Cup, saying that the president would supervise the team.
Over 150 players from about 25 countries are expected to congregate in Lagos from August 24 to 28, 2023 for the maiden PANASA President’s Cup and African Scrabble Youth Championship.
So far, over 70 players from Botswana, Cameroun, Ghana, Kenya, Zambia, Uganda, South Africa, Liberia, The Gambia, Sierra Leone and host, Nigeria, have registered for the championship that has over $31,000 as prize money.
PANASA said registration for the President’s Cup opened on March 1 and closes on July 31, adding that any intending participant will pay $50 as registration fee.
