Diri raises Scrabble competition prize money, backs game in Bayelsa schools

Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State has significantly increased the prize money for the Diri National Scrabble Classic and pledged to integrate the game into the state's secondary school curriculum. The announcement came during the closing ceremony of the sixth edition of the tournament in Yenagoa.

For the next edition, the winner of the Masters category will receive N5 million, and the total prize pool will jump from N20 million to N40 million. Governor Diri expressed his enthusiasm for the tournament's growing national and international profile. He personally vouched for Scrabble's benefits, recalling how it improved his own vocabulary and strategic thinking during his youth.

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Scrabble is a mind game. It is something that I will personally recommend even for our secondary schools, as this is not just a sport; it is also education.

"Scrabble is a mind game. It is something that I will personally recommend even for our secondary schools, as this is not just a sport; it is also education," Diri stated. He directed the Commissioners for Sports and Education to develop modalities for introducing the game into schools, emphasizing its role in developing students' intellect and strategic abilities.

The governor also committed to supporting Scrabble's inclusion in the 2028 National Sports Festival, which Bayelsa will host. Additionally, he promised support for Nigerian players participating in the World Youth Scrabble Championship in Kenya. Diri highlighted that the state's investment in sports stems from its abundant youth talent and the administration's dedication to harnessing this potential through positive engagement.

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Scrabble is a game I started playing as a youth, and it helped my vocabulary and spelling ability. Today, I am very happy to hear the waves this tournament has made not only in our country but also beyond it, and I like to appreciate all of you who have made the game interesting.