Bayelsa State Governor Douye Diri has directed the ministries of education and sports to prepare plans for teaching scrabble in secondary schools throughout the state.
Bayelsa’s scrabble plans and prize-money increase
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Diri issued the instruction on Sunday evening at the conclusion of the sixth Governor Douye Diri National Scrabble Classic, staged at the DSP Alamieyeseigha Memorial Banquet Hall in Yenagoa.
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He also announced that the total purse for next year’s tournament would double from ₦20 million to ₦40 million. As part of the revised rewards, the 2027 Masters champion will receive ₦5 million, compared with the ₦2 million awarded to this year’s winner.
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The governor said bringing the game into schools would help students gain its mental and cognitive advantages while creating a stronger foundation for developing talent at grassroots level.
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“Scrabble is a game of the mind,” Diri said, adding that he would encourage its adoption in secondary schools because it combines sport with education and teaches strategic thinking. He said his administration would keep backing the game for as long as he remained in office.
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Diri took part in an exhibition game against Nigeria Scrabble Federation president Engr. Bright Idahosa. He said the sport could contribute meaningfully to human-capital development and provide young people with greater opportunities.
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After a request from the federation’s officials, the governor said he would work towards having scrabble recognised as a scoring discipline when Bayelsa stages the 2028 National Sports Festival. He also promised government assistance for Nigeria’s team travelling to Kenya for the World Youth Scrabble Championship.
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The two-day competition was approved by the World English Scrabble Players Association and the Pan African Scrabble Association, and attracted more than 300 competitors from across Nigeria and the West African sub-region.
