Okiemute upsets giants, grabs "Scrabble in the Jungle" Hardcore Edition Title

Posted : 22 December 2024

Tega Okiemute has been crowned the King after winning 15 games in the 23-round contest of the Scrabble in the Jungle, Hardcore Edition in Lagos.

Four of the top players in Africa, including Grandmaster John Aiyedun, Africa’s No. 2 George Ezinore, and immediate past African champion Enoch Nwali, were all camped in a location in Ikeja, where the jammers engaged one another in a test of endurance, playing the mind game over 23 rounds in two days.

The participants, who were of almost equal strength, were strategically selected by the organizers for the Hardcore Edition.

The Delta State-based player confirmed his new status as the ruler of the field when he defeated his closest adversary, Nwali, 492-366 in round 22, with a game to spare.

Feared for his fast play and intimidating prowess of dropping premiums ("Bingos") practically at the speed of light, Okiemute knew he had to deploy his skills on the board to fulfill his ambition of finishing the year with a top podium placement, which had eluded him on several occasions.

Like a carousel, the players took turns facing each other, knowing that any mistake would be costly.

Nwali, who concluded Day 1 as the leader with an 8-5 result, found it difficult to sustain the momentum on Day 2 as he lost six out of 10 rounds, finishing 2nd with 12 wins and 11 defeats (+120 cumulative points).

Ezinore placed third with the same number of wins as Nwali but had a lower cumulative score of +79 points, while the No. 1 ranked player going into the jungle, Aiyedun, found the slope too slippery, finishing with a result of 7-16, underscoring the unpredictable nature of the tournament.

"If your name is not written in Nigeria as a winner, you are not there. So, I said to myself, I can’t quit this game (knowing how close I had been to winning a title).

"I think this is a good start for me. Looking at the World Championship and the National Sports Festival coming up next year, I believe this will give me a boost to do well.

"Now I have to sharpen my knowledge and study harder.

"For King of the Jungle, it’s a very difficult tournament because, unlike others where you’re paired against those with lower rankings, here you play against players of almost equal strength.

"So you have to be at your best to come out on top. I’m dedicating this title to God and my new wife. I also want to commend Scrabble Las Vegas, headed by Dr. Musa Olasupo and his vice president Kabiru Olaiya, for organizing Scrabble in the Jungle, where we were accommodated and fed. It’s a great way to end the year for me."

For his efforts, Okiemute earned a cash prize of N200,000, while other contestants received various sums as prizes.

Okiemute upsets giants, grabs "Scrabble in the Jungle" Hardcore Edition Title

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