SCRABBLE JAMZ:
By Mishael Kumoye
Prestige Archibong, a member of Team Nigeria at the 2025 Africa Youth Scrabble Championship, has confidently predicts that the team will retain the African title in both the Under-15 and Under-19 categories.
This assertion comes as Team Nigeria competes against approximately 150 players from 11 countries at the championship in Kenya.
Prestige Archibong who made this known in an exclusive interview with First Zealmediacast Blog, is also confident that he has what it takes to win the U-19 category at the biennial event.
“My goal is to win the championship and bring the glory to Nigeria and honour myself.”
Archibong who hopes to succeed fellow Nigerian David Orji, who won the prestigious title two years ago, on home soil, in Lagos, currently leads the 84-man pack with 15 wins from 19 rounds of games.
Archibong is level on wins with early leader Abdulqudus Aliu but he has a better cumulative spread of +2657 points while Aliu is 111 points short, on +2546 points.
Archibong mentioned that his family has been his backbone in his sporting journey.
“The game all started because my dad is a Scrabble player but he doesn’t really play it professionally. He doesn’t play competitively, he plays for fun. My family has been very supportive, so supportive.”
The young lad who started playing Scrabble when he was just 10, shared the reasons and people behind his love for the game.
“I love the game because it has to do with words and it sharpens my vocabulary. It makes me think faster.”
“My dad especially, he supported me and he has been supporting my journey since I started Scrabble. My role model is Enoch Nwali, because I like his play and he is a Gen Z. He’s the one.”
Archibong who stated that the sport still has some way to go before it reaches all the youths in Nigeria, stressed that more can be done to harness Nigeria’s potential and maintain our lead in the sports.
“Because Scrabble is not popularly known, there are some people you will tell about the game and they will be surprised. Some have not heard of it before but I’ll tell everyone that they should make sure your children play Scrabble, because it helps them academically and it helps them to handle life situations. So I’ll say make sure someone they know plays Scrabble, make sure their children learn how to play Scrabble.”
The student of the University of Uyo, emphasized that it has not been easy combining the sport with education, adding that he has found the discipline to stick to a schedule that works for him.
“That particularly has not been easy I can always try my best. I always keep my time for Scrabble and I always keep my time for education. So I try my best to divide myself. When it’s time for study I study and when it’s time for Scrabble I play Scrabble.”
Archibong said that his love and knowledge of the game will help him to achieve greatness in the colours of Nigeria.
“In the next 4 years, I see myself representing the nation and bringing back laurels to the glory of the nation.”
Prestige Archibong also called on the government and sponsors to back the sport.
“Watch out for Team Nigeria and we will try our best to bring the trophy back home, we did it last time and I believe we will do it again this time.”
In the U-19 category, four members of Team Nigeria are in the top 5 bracket at the end of Day 3 action with five games to be played on Sunday.
Captain of Team Nigeria, Sufyan Olojoku and Joy Nwabuzor are close to Archibong, Abdulqudus Aliu with 14 victories each. Olojoku’s plus 2468 cumulative points is a huge advantage for him. Nwabuzor has +1300 cumulative points.
The 2nd edition of the Championship which is being held at Brighton International School, Machokos County, Nairobi, Kenya has been majorly a Nigerian affair in the top of the log, as the nation continues to maintain its stranglehold of power in all levels of the sport, worldwide.
Team Nigeria is also poised to win the Team events ahead of Kenya, Ghana and Uganda. Five rounds of games will be played on Sunday, the final day of the Championship, 1 Lagged pairing and 4 King of the Hill (KOTH).
