In a landmark event held on August 19th, the National Scrabble Association of Sierra Leone (NSASL) joined forces with Rokel Commercial Bank (RCBank) to host the inaugural National Scrabble Competition at Freetown’s Victoria Park.

The event centered around the theme “Bringing Scrabble To All Sierra Leoneans,” aiming to encourage educational enrichment and intellectual growth among the population.

Walton Ekundayo Gilpin, the Managing Director of RCBank, emphasized the importance of fostering a well-read and articulate populace.

He underlined the potential of Scrabble to enhance critical thinking, spelling skills, and communication abilities.

Comparing Sierra Leone’s Scrabble potential to that of nations like Nigeria, Gilpin expressed his hope that Sierra Leone could rise to international recognition in the world of Scrabble.

RCBank’s collaboration with the Scrabble Association was described as an effort to rekindle interest in such intellectual games amidst the current digital age.

Aruna Dumbuya, the Public Relations Officer of RCBank, thanked the participants for their involvement and highlighted future plans, including the hosting of the African Scrabble Competition in Sierra Leone in the coming years.

The champion of the competition, Foday Fofanah, shared his exhilaration at winning and voiced his goal to inspire young learners to embrace Scrabble’s intellectual benefits.

Fofanah’s victory not only marked a personal achievement but also an opportunity to advocate for the game’s advantages in terms of expanding vocabulary and enhancing cognitive abilities.

Out of the 20 participants, Fofanah emerged as the victor, triumphing over his opponent in three consecutive sets out of five. He was awarded both a trophy and a cash prize of NLe2,500.

Ishmael Sesay secured second place, earning a certificate and a cash reward of NLe2,000, while Ibrahim Lahai claimed the third spot, along with a certificate and NLe1,500. Mustapha Mattia received recognition as the Best Loser. Each participant was awarded a certificate in recognition of their participation.

The collaboration between NSASL and RCBank marks a significant step toward promoting intellectual pursuits and educational growth within Sierra Leone. As Scrabble gains a foothold in the nation’s consciousness, it holds the promise of nurturing young minds and fostering a culture of intellectual curiosity.