jamal 
BY TEMITAYO OLUMIDE AYODELE
Former African champion Nsikak Etim emerges as the winner of the maiden South-South Opens Scrabble Tournament after edging fellow former continental “Word-Lord” Jimoh Saheed by seven cumulative points after both heavyweights finish with 11 wins apiece after 15 rounds of games in Asaba.
The results underline the high-line competition as well as board intelligence displayed by the competitors.
Nsikak and Saheed end the two-day scrabble spectacle with scores tied on 11 wins and four defeats but with a difference of seven points separating the two after recording 827 and 820 points respectively.
David Ogedengbe finishes third ahead of early runner Noble Oshevire and scrabble wordsmiths pre-tournament favourites, Olatunde Oduwole and Wellington Jighere who place fourth and fifth on the log.
In the Intermediate category, Olumide Oyejide dominates the second tier with 13 wins and 963 cumulative points while Onota Ojiru and Orughele Akpofure come second and third with 10 wins each but are kept separate by cumulative points of 689 and 674 respectively.
in the Opens category, Ijegbulem Clement bears his mark by picking the pole position ahead of 62 players who registered while Osikhena “Capo” Ojior claim the Veterans category.
The tournament has in attendance Toke Ake, the President of the Nigeria Scrabble Federation (NSF) as well as the Vice President who is the Zonal Coordinator Bright Idahosa and other top officials.
138 featured at the first major tournament in the zone this year with over two million naira won in cash prize-money.
Another round of scrabble action shifts to the South-West Zone where players will converge on April 30 for a closed tournament in Ibadan, Oyo state.
