By Patrick Omorodion
There was a change of guard on Sunday at the Le Meridien Ibom Resort and Golf Course in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state when the curtains for the 4th edition of the Godswill Akpabio International Scrabble Classics were drawn.

The change was unique because for the first time, home-boy Moses Peter beat all to the top prize, $12,000 (about N1.8m) after out-picking closest rival, Saidu Ayorinde in the last of the 24 games played.

Peter who dedicated his victory, the first major one in four years, to God, won 18 games against 16 wins for Ayorinde, had a better cumulative of 1115 points to Peter’s 618. If Ayorinde had won the last game, both players would have tied at 17 wins but Ayorinde would have won courtesy of superior cumulative.

An elated Peter said the Akpabio Classics victory compensated for his miss at the African Championship in Accra, Ghana a week earlier, stressing that he prepared hard to ensure victory came his way.

“I dedicate this victory to God. The victory is not only good for me but will serve as a morale booster for my players in Akwa Ibom state because as their coach, they will now be motivated to put in their best,” he said.

President of the Nigeria Scrabble Federation, Chief Toke Aka commended the sponsor, Dr Godswill Akpabio, governor of Akwa Ibom state for his continued support for the game he passionately loves, stressing that his dream for the competition has started yielding fruit with the emergence of a son-of-the-soil as champion for the first time.

He appealed to the governor to consider bringing the World Championship to Uyo as the successful  organisation of the Classics for years has shown that Uyo could host the world because it has all it takes to do so.

Responding, Governor Akpabio praised Peter for his feat and declared that since Jighere, defending champion of the competition went ahead to win the African Scrabble Championship, he was looking forward for a repeat performance from the Akwa Ibom grown player.

Meanwhile the world champion, Pakorn Nemitramansuk from Thailand who had looked forward to carting away the top prize struggled all through the competition and in the last battle for the third prize of N500,000, he lost to Nigeria’s Chinedu Okwelogu who had complained that he always had it tough at the Akpabio Classics.

Current African champion and defending champion of the Akpabio Classics, Wellington Jighere and former African champion, Dennis Ikekeregor found the competition too hot as they finished in the 16th and 11th positions respectively.

Over 300 players participated in the four day event and winners from the four categories, Masters, Intermediate, Opens and Veterans shared a total of $60,000 prize money.