EEAST vital for Nigeria’s scrabble tourney readiness – Egbele

The fifth edition of the Emmanuel Egbele Annual Scrabble Tournament (EEAST) will serve as a crucial tune-up event for Nigerian players ahead of the World English-Language Scrabble Players Association Championship (WESPAC), scheduled to take place in Accra, Ghana, this November. Chief convener of the tournament and South-West coordinator of the Nigeria Scrabble Federation, Emmanuel Egbele, […]

The fifth edition of the Emmanuel Egbele Annual Scrabble Tournament (EEAST) will serve as a crucial tune-up event for Nigerian players ahead of the World English-Language Scrabble Players Association Championship (WESPAC), scheduled to take place in Accra, Ghana, this November.

Chief convener of the tournament and South-West coordinator of the Nigeria Scrabble Federation, Emmanuel Egbele, described this year’s “Quinta Essentia” edition as pivotal in shaping the country’s representation at the global championship.

“Like we know, EEAST is always open to everybody, from players across the country to international players as well,” Egbele said. “This year’s edition holds huge significance. As you know, the WESPAC will be coming to Africa for the second time, and it’s going to be in Accra, Ghana, after Kenya hosted it in 2007. So this makes the EEAST very significant, as the Nigeria Scrabble Federation will be looking intensely at it as a means of getting some of the top players who will represent the country at the global stage.”

The tournament, slated for July 5–6 at the Eko Hotel and Suites, is expected to attract top-tier talent including 2022 champion and former African champion Enoch Nwali, current African champion Oluwatimilehin Doko, and several other elite contenders.

Despite the presence of top names, Egbele reassured that rising players would have a chance to shine.

“New players will also have their own circle of competition, even though they share the same venue with the experienced jammers,” he noted.

The tournament will feature three categories: the Challengers category for players rated 1299 and below, the Elites category for those rated 1300 and above, and the newly introduced Sages category for veterans.

A total prize pool of N5 million has been announced, with the star prize pegged at N700,000, alongside various spot prizes and special gifts for standout performances.