Sponsor of Ultimate Scrabble Showdown increases prize money

Sponsor of Ultimate Scrabble Showdown increases prize money

The initiator and sponsor of the inaugural edition of the Ultimate Scrabble Showdown, (USS), scheduled to hold in the city of aquatic splendor, Lagos State, Olatunde Oduwole, has increased the prize money for the first of its kind scrabble event.

Oduwole said in an interview at the weekend that the winner of the Ultimate Scrabble Showdown would now get N300, 000, instead of the initial figure of N250, 000.

The loser in the two player's 21 rounds of games confrontation will go home with N200, 000, this brings the total prize money to half a million naira.

Besides the cash prizes, the winner will get additional cash for school upkeep since both players are students of the University of Lagos (UNILAG).

The eight weeks school upkeep of N60, 000, for the winner and N30, 000, for the loser starts counting from Sunday July 28, which is exactly a week after the conclusion of the maiden edition of Ultimate Scrabble Showdown in Lagos.

The prize money and the school upkeep for the maiden edition of USS amounts to N1, 220,000.

It was gathered that the two would also go home with a special gift pack from the Organizers of Ultimate Scrabble Showdown. A unique designer Blazer, T-shirt and sneakers for the winner and a light wear, designer T-shirt and sneakers for the loser. They will also get lots of USS branded souvenirs.

Oduwole, a former holder of the prestigious, NSF Green Jacket, said, the increase in prize money is meant to spur others to reach for the top in the game of words in the world.

“They just need to read their books, improve their play, get to the top and stay at the top,” Oduwole stated.

He explained that the Organising Committee of the Ultimate Scrabble Showdown has selected veteran scrabble Master player, Biyi Olabode and Cyril Umebiye, another A-list class-act in the game of words to lead the live streaming and commentary.

“We set out to make a bold, firm and enduring statement with the Ultimate Scrabble Showdown, so we shall not settle second hand. It's a premium event that is NSF rated. So we are putting together the best hands and brain to define our worth which is our punch line," Olatunde Oduwole, a member of Team Nigeria Scrabble to many international Championships stressed.

Multiple National Opens champion, Emmanuel Enyi, will be part of the commentary team led by Olabode. Hakeem Olaribigbe, competition director and logistics director, Babajide Alagbada, with be supported by Tayo Osibote in running the event.

The Ultimate Scrabble Showdown will involve two top players in Nigeria, that's the current NSF Green Jacket holder, national number two & Africa champion, Enoch Nwali and Nigeria’s number one, current West African champion & the Most Valuable Player of the NSF Inter Club Challenge finals 2024, Oluwatimilehin Doko.

It’s a three-day event, players are expected to arrive on Friday, July 19 and the competition will end on July 21, with the closing games and presentation ceremony and it will be broadcast live.

The two players selected for the maiden edition of The Ultimate Scrabble Showdown are the finest wordsmiths in Nigeria and on the continent.

Both players who are students of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), in Nigeria, belong to the same scrabble clubs, UNILAG Scrabble Club in the NSF Inter Club Challenge and Hurricane SC in the MGI Premier League.

They are also the highest ranked Nigerians by the Pan African Scrabble Association (PANASA), ratings. Doko is rated 11th on with 2030 points in the world while Nwali is occupying the 16th spot with 2012 points.

This first of its kind competition is the brain child of Nigeria’s Champion of Champions, multiple National Sports Festival gold medalist and winner of the IGP opens, Olatunde Oduwole, and it’s has the blessing and seal of Nigeria Scrabble Federation (NSF). Other stakeholders in the sporting firmament have been heaping praises on the project.