Sports
World Scrabble Champion Calls For Awareness
The first African to win
the English-Language World Scrabble Championships, Wellington Jighere, has stressed the need to improve the awareness of the game in Nigeria.
Jighere told newsmen in Warri that he hoped to achieve the feat through his Wellington Foundation for Scrabble and Mind Development in Africa project.
According to the world champion, Nigeria is a strong scrabble-playing nation, but its level of awareness does not match with its standard.
“My major focus now is not just to prepare for future tournament but to remedy the situation by the way of increasing scrabble awareness.
“Our activities are going to be taken round the continent to increase the level of awareness of scrabble in Nigeria and generally in Africa,’’ he said.
Jighere also noted that his foundation would use scrabble as a tool for mental capacity building, to correct the rapid decline in culture among youths.
“So, my focus now is not on tournament but using scrabble to better the lots of my countrymen, especially the young ones,” the world scrabble champion said.
Jighere, who earned his title late 2015 after defeating Lewis Mackey from Cambridge 4-0 in a best of seven series in Perth, Australia, urged corporate organisations to support the sponsorship of scrabble.
Mackey is ranked 19th by the body’s players’ association.
“It is pretty comfortable to invest in scrabble; it does not require much capital like other sports.
“Again, any investment in scrabble is an investment into the general well-being of Nigerians because we are a scrabble-playing nation,” he said.
Jighere identified some of the benefits of the game to include mental alertness and improvement of health condition.
“To the young ones who are in schools, scrabble is a veritable tool to meet academic requirements and assimilation; so, there are a whole lot of benefits in the game,” he said.
The Bayelsa State government, yesterday, announced that the marathon will be held on Saturday, April 4, 2026.
The inaugural race is owned by the Bayelsa State Government and will be organised by Nilayo Sports Management Limited, a sports management company.
Under the theme “The Reveal,” the race represents a bold unveiling of Bayelsa’s immense human and cultural potential to the international community, inviting the world to witness the resilience, grit, and talent rooted in the heart of the Niger Delta.
According to the organisers, the race will be flagged off at 9:30 a.m., at the Opolo Roundabout, guiding participants through a carefully designed 10-kilometre route that highlights the scenic beauty and vibrant atmosphere of Yenagoa.
The course will culminate at Peace Park Square, where athletes will cross the finish line into a grand celebration of endurance, unity, and community spirit.
To elevate the experience for runners and spectators alike, the finish venue will host a high-energy post-race concert featuring performances from top A-list artistes, blending sport and entertainment in a festival-style atmosphere.
The organisers directed all registered participants to collect their race bibs and kits at the designated Peace Park Square between March 30 and April 3, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily.
The race, according to them, is currently on track for World Athletics accreditation, underscoring the commitment of both the Bayelsa State Government and Nilayo Sports Management Limited to delivering an event that meets the highest global standards.
The Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olopade, on Friday continued the Commission’s nationwide appreciation tour with a visit to Abeokuta, where outstanding junior athlete, Majekodunmi Afusat Bisola, was presented with a cheque of N3 million.
The presentation forms part of the NSC’s initiative to recognise and reward exceptional junior athletes who distinguished themselves in 2025 and contributed significantly to Nigeria’s medal haul.
Majekodunmi delivered an impressive run of performances on the track. At the last edition of the National Sports Festival, she stormed to gold in the 400m and the 4x400m relay. She replicated the double triumph at the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) Junior Championship, in Abeokuta, before emerging as one of the standout stars at the African Youth Games in Luanda, Angola.
Speaking during the presentation, Olopade explained that the Commission deemed it necessary to extend financial appreciation to grassroots athletes after elite performers had earlier received grants running into thousands of dollars.
“A few weeks ago, after paying grants to our elite athletes, we agreed tthere was a need to also appreciate these young, budding talents who made Nigeria proud last year,” he said.
He disclosed that of the 376 medals recorded by Nigerian athletes in 2025, more than 200 were won by grassroots talents, underscoring the importance of sustained investment in youth development.
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