SPORTS
Diri Scrabble Championship Stakes N5m Prize Money
From Tayese Mike, Yenagoa
Hosts of the Governor Douye National Scrabble Championship have said that N5 million has been earmarked as total prize money for the second edition of the competition.
No fewer than 300 participants are expected at the Bayelsa State governor’s championship, which holds in Yenagoa, the state capital, on July 15-17.
The Nigeria Scrabble Federation (NSF)-sanctioned competition will feature five categories, namely Masters, Intermediate, Veterans, Opens and Students.
Chairman of the Bayelsa State Scrabble Association, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, who confirmed this during a radio programme in Yenagoa on Monday, said registration is free for Bayelsa-based secondary school students while the top female players in the different categories would get special prizes.
The BSSA chairman explained that the target of the free registration is to encourage the young ones to develop interest in the game and to be able to catch them young.
“Scrabble is a positive, transformative mind-builder that develops the intellect. If you are able to get the young ones to be interested in the game, this helps them grow intellectually and academically. We introduced this aspect last year and we are continuing it in this edition,” he said.
Alabrah, who is also the Chief Press Secretary to the state governor, further stated that the winner of the Masters category will get half a million naira as the star prize.
He commended Governor Diri for supporting the game to grow in the state and in the country, stressing that the Scrabble community in Nigeria was appreciative of his huge contribution to the development of the game and the youths in particular.
Top-rated Oshevire Avwenagha won the Masters category of the inaugural edition while Eta Karo came second ahead of Okiemute Tegha.
In the Intermediate category, Raji Kazeem picked the top prize while homeboy, Tariye Alari, was winner of the Opens event and Odion Osikada took the Veterans title.
Sixteen-year-old Ikoko David of Federal Government College, Odi, Bayelsa State, won in the Students category edging then 9-year-old prodigy and current Africa Under-10 chess champion, Deborah Quickpen, to the crown.
The finals of Gov. Peter Mbah Secondary Schools Games, on Thursday began in Enugu with the arrival and accreditation of athletes at Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium Enugu.
Dan Onwuegbuna, Director, Information, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Enugu State, said in a statement on Thursday that the games would be held between Aug.
7 and Aug. 10 at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium and the Enugu State Sports Council.“The games is designed to help the state discover talents to represent the state at the forthcoming U15 National Youth Games scheduled to take place in Asaba, Delta, from Aug. 26 to Sept. 6,” he stated.
Onwuegbuna said that apart from representing the state at the Youth Games in Asaba, talented athletes discovered would represent the state in other competitions.
He quoted the Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Lloyd Ekweremadu as thanking Gov. Peter Mbah for approving the games.
Onwuegbuna said that the games was made possible following the collaboration between the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the state Post Primary Schools Management Board (PPSMB).
The games finals followed the outcome of the inter- Secondary Schools competitions held at the local government areas in the six Educational Zones in the State – Enugu, Agbani, Awgu, Udi, Nsukka and Udenu.
“The games will feature athletics, boxing, chess, basketball, volleyball, football, tennis and scrabble,” Onwuegbuna stated.
Super Falcons goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie has been nominated for the 2025 Women’s Yachine Trophy, the Ballon d’Or award for the best female goalkeeper.
The 24-year-old recently joined Brighton Women FC from Paris FC after helping the French side win their first major title in nearly two decades.
Nnadozie delivered a heroic performance in the final of the 2025 Coupe de France Féminine, where Paris FC edged Paris Saint-Germain 5-4 on penalties following a goalless draw at Stade de l’Épopée in Calais.She was also instrumental in Nigeria’s success at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), where the Super Falcons secured a record-extending 10th continental crown against host nation, Morocco.
Her standout displays earned her the Best Goalkeeper award and a place in the Team of the Tournament.
Other nominees for the Yachine Trophy include Ann-Katrin Berger (Gotham FC), Cata Coll (Barcelona Femeni), Hannah Hampton (Chelsea Women) and Daphne van Domselaar (Arsenal Women).
Nigeria’s Super Falcons maintained 36th position in the latest FIFA women’s world ranking.
The latest ranking was released on FIFA’s official website yesterday.
While the Super Falcons remain the number one team in Africa, WAFCON 2024 runners-up Morocco are third on the continent and dropped to 64th spot in the world.
Former WAFCON champions Banyana Banyana of South Africa maintained 54th place in the world and second in Africa.
Ghana’s Black Queens who claimed third place at the WAFCON dropped to 67th position in the global ranking.
The Super Falcons recently won their 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) after coming from 2-0 down to beat hosts Morocco 3-2 in the final.
Second half goals from Esther Okoronkwo, Folashade Ijamilusi and substitute Jennifer Echegini completed the turnaround.
Okoronkwo, scored a goal and provided two assists against the Moroccans was Named Player of the Match.
Chiamaka Nnadozie was named Goalkeeper of the Tournament while Captain Rasheedat Ajibade won the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award.
Meanwhile, World champions Spain (1st, up 1) had an impressive run to the final of the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 with five back-to-back wins, which was enough to see them reclaim top spot in the ranking, a position they previously held from December 2023 to June 2024.
The USA (2nd, down 1) have therefore been knocked off their perch, which they had occupied since August 2024.
However, three convincing home wins in friendlies during this period have kept the USA in contention, and they are now sitting less than two points behind Spain.
The top 10 has been shaken up completely since the June edition of the ranking, with France (6th, up 4) performing best among them.
France completed a flawless group stage at the European Championship before falling to Germany in the quarter-finals.
The next edition of the Women’s World Ranking will be published on 11 December 2025.
Call for National Youth Career Development Initiative
ShareBy Blessing Adeoti Nigerian youths are intelligent and hardworking, but very few have a solid career development plan. It doesn’t...
A Tale of Two Reforms: Why Nigeria Must Not Blink
ShareBy O’tega ‘The Tiger’ Ogra Economic reform is never painless. Every nation that has had to correct profound distortions has...
Adamawa Health Supply Management Agency Revolutionizes Drug Procurement
ShareFrom Yagana Ali, Yola The Adamawa State Health Supply Management Agency has introduced sweeping reforms in the state’s healthcare delivery...
AFRO Awards 2025: Film Director Lauds Philanthropists, Organizations on Humanitarian Services
ShareFrom Joseph Amedu, Lokoja A US based Film Director, Taiwo Oduala has commended the unprecedented achievements and humanitarian services being...
Kogi Monarch Hails Ododo’s Leadership Style, Promises Peace Maintenance
ShareFrom Joseph Amedu, Lokoja His Royal Majesty, Oba Johnson Kolade Otitoju, the Akinrin of Ekinrin in Ijumu Local Government Area...
FUL Vows to Clampdown on Perpetrators of Sexual Exploitation
ShareFrom Joseph Amedu, Lokoja The Federal University Lokoja (FUL) has intensified its campaign to eradicate all forms of sexual exploitation,...
PC-NCG Seeks Coastal States’ Backing for Accelerated Passage of Coast Guard Establishment Bill
ShareFrom Mike Tayese, Yenagoa Chief Executive and Accounting Officer of the Provisionary Committee for the proposed Nigerian Coast Guard (PC-NCG),...
2027: Niger Delta ‘ll Support Only Tinubu, Says PAP Boss
ShareFrom Mike Tayese, Yenagoa The Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Dr. Dennis Otuaro has declared that the Niger Delta...
KACRAN Flags off Nationwide Herders Voter Registration Sensitization Campaign in Yobe
ShareFrom Muhammad Gambo, Damaturu In a move to ensure that pastoralists exercise their franchise in the upcoming National Elections, a...
Kano APC Chieftain Advises Kwankwaso to Apologize to Ganduje
ShareFrom Aliyu Askira, Kano An All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart, Alhaji Faizu Alfindiki has advised Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso to...
Arabic
Chinese (Simplified)
Dutch
English
French
German
Italian
Portuguese
Russian
Spanish