By: Odieh Ramon, Yenagoa.

Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, has announced an increase in the prize money for the Diri National Scrabble Classic.

Speaking during the closing ceremonies of the sixth edition on Sunday night in Yenagoa, the state capital, an impressed Governor Diri announced that the winner of the Masters category in next edition will get N5 million and the total prize money raised to N40 million from N20 million.

The Bayelsa governor also directed the Commissioners for Sports and his Education counterpart to work out the modalities for the game to be introduced in secondary schools in the state, saying it would help develop students mentally.

Senator Diri said scrabble developed his vocabulary, spelling and thinking ability while growing up, noting that it is a mind game that builds the intellect and strategic thinking.

His words: “Scrabble is a game I started playing as a youth and it helped my vocabulary and spelling ability. Today, I am very happy to hear the waves this tournament has made not only in our country but also beyond it and I like to appreciate all of you who have made the game interesting.

“Scrabble is a mind game. It is something that I will personally recommend even for our secondary schools as this is not just a sport, it is also education.

“The importance of scrabble cannot be over-emphasised as it makes you think strategically. We will continue to support the game till I leave office.

“Next year will be the last time I will have this interaction with you. So, in the next edition, the prize money for the Masters winner will be N5 million and the general category will be N40 million.”

Responding to requests from President of the Nigeria scrabble Federation, Engr. Bright Idahosa, the Bayelsa helmsman promised to influence the introduction of scrabble in the 2028 National Sports Festival scheduled to hold in the state as well as support players from Nigeria participating in the World Youth Scrabble Championship in Kenya this weekend.

He said the state’s investment in sports was due to the abundance of talents and the desire of his administration to harness them and engage youths positively.

“We have the hosting right for the 2028 National Sports Festival and the practice is that as host, you can introduce some new games, and scrabble will be part of it. We will also support those going to Kenya as requested.

“We have a lot of talented youths and sports is one way to develop them. We are among the top sporting states in Nigeria and that is why we are investing in sports to develop our talents.”

In his remarks, Engr. Bright Idahosa said scrabble brought global attention to Nigeria after the country won the world championship in 2015 and that the game has continued to gain national and international prominience.

He said the NSF was profoundly gratitude to Governor Diri for his unrelenting support for the game, saying it reverberates all over as Nigeria is the best scrabble playing nation in Africa and the world.

Idahosa hailed the performance of the governor, whom he described as a silent achiever while highlighting some of his infrastructure development projects in the state.

The Commissioner for Sports, Dr. Daniel Igali, in his remarks, said scrabble was a mind sport that needed to be supported and celebrated.

He also stated that the 2028 national sports festival would be the best in the country, saying work on the 30,000-capacity and 15,000-capacity stadia was progressing well and will be delivered on schedule.

Also speaking, Chairman, Bayelsa State Scrabble Association, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, said this year’s edition was significant as it had the highest number of registered players in any scrabble tournament in the country with over 300 participants just as it offered the highest prize money so far.

Alabrah appreciated Governor Diri for supporting scrabble, saying it has redefined and increased the interest of youths in the game in Nigeria.

He said the state scrabble association alongside the NSF would work towards making the next edition an international tournament as the just ended classic had participant from Ghana.

He also stated that the edition witnessed some improvements such as online registration, online recording of scores and live-streaming, which took the game to the entire world as it was on.

Abdulmimin Jimoh emerged champion of the Masters and took home the N2 million prize and a trophy while Bayelsa-born Felix Igolukumo won the Intermidiate category with N1.2 million and a trophy, and his compatriot, Godwin Angoye, came tops in the Opens with a prize of N700,000 and a trophy.

For the third time, Mr. Oladokun Esan took the Veterans category and a N900,000 prize and trophy while Godwin Joseph claimed the top spot in the Students category with a N150,000 prize and trophy.

Each category had between 10 and 15 prize winners while the governor announced a special gift of N1 million each to seven-year-old Abdulsalam Yusuf from Kwara State and nine-year-old Bayelsa-born Elizabeth Fun-ere.

Highpoint of the event was the exhibition game between the NSF president and the governor, which the latter won.