Nigeria’s Oluwatimilehin Doko became the youngest winner of the African Scrabble Championship winning the 15th edition in Kigali, Rwanda on October, 27th.
The 24-year-old pharmacist who graduated from the University of Lagos won the championship with 1 game to spare.
Oluwatimilehin Doko started his voyage to the zenith of African scrabble on Thursday at the Olympic Hotel in Kigali, Rwanda with a first-round victory over Godwin Murungi of Uganda, 487-423, to earn a 64-point margin win and he closed Day 1 with 7 wins from 8 games.
How Oluwatimilehin Doko Emerges as Africa’s Scrabble King
He began Day 2 with a 497-420 defeat at the hands of the Tournament’s fifth seed, Abdulmumin Jimoh, and from then onward, Doko climbed to table 1 in round 13 where he lodged throughout the rest of the championship.
In round 31 where he clinched the title, the unique and talented wordsmith smashed Abdulmumin Jimoh with a winning margin of 152 points finishing on 574-422 with a game to spare, recording 24 wins and a huge 2082 cumulative points.
This is the 14th time a Nigerian won the championship, Oluwatimilehin Doko’s school and club-mate, Enoch Nwali won the competition two years ago in Lusaka, Zambia at the expense of another Nigerian Wellington Jighere.
Seven Nigerians make the top ten of the championship.
George Ezinore came second ahead of Noble Onoshevwe.
Abdulmumin Jimoh came fourth, while David Ojih occupied the sixth position ahead of the defending champion Enoch Nwali and PANASA President Cup holder Victor Godwin 10th.
Meanwhile, Oluwatimilehin Doko, who couldn’t participate in the 2023 World Championship due to visa issues is also the current West African Scrabble Champion.
Doko is currently the second highest-ranked African player in the world at number 9 behind Enoch Nwali at number 6.