Nigeria’s youth scrabble captain, Sufiyan Boluwatife, emerged champion of the fifth edition of the Black Knight Closed Scrabble Championship held in Ilorin, Kwara State, after an intense one-day contest.
Boluwatife showed composure and consistency throughout the tournament, fighting hard until the final round to finish top of the standings. He recorded six wins with an impressive cumulative score of +796, edging out defending champion Olawale Qudus, who also won six games but finished second with +303 points.
The victory further underlines Boluwatife’s growing reputation in the sport. The youngster has previously captained Team Nigeria at the African Youth Scrabble Championships in Kenya and also represented the country at the World Youth Scrabble Championship in Sri Lanka.
Former national champion Kabiru Olaiya, the organiser of the tournament, praised the players and reiterated the importance of the championship as a talent-development platform in Kwara State. He noted that several young players discovered through the competition have gone on to shine at international level.
A total of 22 players competed in the tournament, with cash prizes and awards presented to outstanding performers. The Black Knight Closed Scrabble Championship has now become a key avenue for identifying and nurturing young scrabble talents in the state.
