WELLINGTON QUITS SCRABBLE

So, yesterday was my birthday.
Birthdays for me are days of deep and sober reflection, and reflect I did. It’s getting clearer that I’m getting older and with such realization comes the need to re-evaluate ones priorities and goals. While I can boast of a few successes, failures have been many too. Well, such is life. The general goal is to have more successes or at least focus on succeeding at key areas while doing ones best to limit the failures. One cannot accomplish this without identifying what’s not working and hence putting an end to such.

After much soul searching, I’ve come to the conclusion that an end has to be put to the one thing that got most of you acquainted with me in the first place: SCRABBLE.

I can guess that you’re shocked but I’m sure you’d agree with me at the end of the day.

Professional Scrabble for me started almost 20 years ago in 2002. Since that time, I’ve sacrificed almost everything else to ensure that I succeed at this one area I chose to channel my energies towards. I sacrificed good grades in the University because I’d always prioritize scrabble over my academic pursuits. I sacrificed stable amorous relationships as there just wasn’t enough time left to devote to making such work. I sacrificed auspicious and profitable endeavors for the same reasons of having insufficient time to devote towards thriving at much else. If you know my story, it’s easy to say “at least you succeeded at your chief aim!” But the nagging question is: Was it all worth it?

Yes, I won National Championships, twelve of those actually, but was it all worth it?
Yes, I won several International Championships notably two African Championships and one World Championship, but was it all worth it?

Yes, I gained much popularity and the government of my country, Nigeria, recognized my feats severally but was it all worth it?
Now, I know a lot of you must be saying “What’s this guy talking about?” “How can it not have been worth it?” Just wait till I reveal another angle to all this so that we can all answer this burning question together.

You see, I live in an environment where it almost all boils down to how fat your bank account is. And boy, is my bank account lean!

Remuneration from scrabble in the first place is nothing to write home about. Add the fact that such earnings are heavily “taxed” by the Nigerian Scrabble Federation and a lean purse becomes leaner. Add the fact that most of these winnings are left unpaid by the powers that be and a leaner purse becomes leanest.

Talking about unpaid prizes, two notable ones come to mind:
1) African Scrabble Championship, Accra 2010: $5,000 (five thousand US Dollars) left unpaid after ten years.

2) Godswill Akpabio International Scrabble Classics 2017: Another $5,000 (five thousand US Dollars) left unpaid three years and counting.

A friend of mine, Femi Iyanda, popularly called GM Femix, once referred to me as the poorest World Champion alive! Laugh all you want but he might be correct. If you consider that I was penniless, homeless, hungry and without something befitting to clad my unclothedness as at when this jibe was made then he might be doubly correct. Subtract the bane of unpaid prizes and the story might probably not be the same.

So, yes! I am the poorest World Champion alive living in one of the poorest countries in the world. In my country, someone like me has one of two viable options: become a criminal like those who are responsible for my unpaid prizes or run away to an environment where you can actually make a decent living by engaging in an honest day’s job. It is not in my DNA to consider option one (although I’d be excellent at it). So, I guess I’m left with a singular option: relocate!

But then, I don’t have any money to do that at the moment, which brings me to yet another singular option: extract my money from the grip of these jackals!

Over the years, it has become abundantly clear that these people cannot be reasoned with so I guess the only way out is to go to war!

Over the next couple of days/weeks, I will be stopping at nothing to recover my moneys.
The last time I embarked on a similar crusade was in December 2010 and I ended up being banned from Scrabble. I remained in exile for three whole years before returning to the fold. Needless to say, I won the World Championship two years afterwards. Now, since the worst that these people in high places can do is to take my career away from me, I’ve decided to save them the stress and retire to start with. It’d be nice for these folks to face someone with nothing to lose.

Mind you, I’m fighting for my very sanity here because it drives me crazy each time I think of having accomplished so much in my chosen career yet I have little to nothing to show for it.

Thanks for your time.
Stay tuned.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2761483744111640&id=2086673431592678&scmts=scwspsdd

Wow

You see naija ba, e go embarrase you like heartbreaker.

Just lukat

I keep saying it that if anyone has his way let the person leave this shithole. Nigerian is not getting better neither will Nigeria be better, not even in 200 years to come.
They HV shared this country among themselves, why is it their children always marry themselves, a family member of PDP member will marry family member of APC and the circle continues.

The Nigerian project does get to all of us. e go reach u sef wey dey support evil

One bastardd must have looted his sweat.
Nigeria screws everyone

Some career path can be very discouraging. Most of us stay in it because we love it and that is where our passion lies. In Nigeria, every career is discouraging except politics.

Your mental health is quite important broh

Money no dey Scrabble na

Uu

ok, quit

This yeye government been killing talents and dreams since time immemorial. Such a shame!

Corruption will continue thriving as long as Nigerians are the ones living in Nigeria...

Even people who complain about corruption are corrupt

Never depend on the govt. Nigeria is doomed

I am hearing his story for the first time. He must have devoted so much to succeed at the game.

I wish him all the best in claiming and receiving his entitlements.

6

This guy is good but not smart ..if I had his fame and popularity bleep Nigeria Government.
I tell people that numbers don't lie. He has refused to leverage with the number of people he has as clout. Anyways knowledge is power.
If he should start a Scrabble product or service he'll be raking in millions into his account.

Proactivity Leads To Productivity!

© Seniorwriter

Bad

K

Khg

Akpabio Classic Championship winnings payment is the main reason for the abrupt action.

All the players from Akwa Ibom State got paid their winnings.
All International players got paid, except 1 Kenyan, I think.

Lower rungs players have been paid only about 2 months ago.

However, the chunky sums remained unpaid.
Wellington Jighere $5,000
Tuoyo Mayuku #900,000
Tunde Oduwole
Eta Karo
Since 2017 these guys have been begging for their prizes to be redeemed. Yet, nothing concrete is coming forth. This is quite frustrating.

With Covid 19, Scrabble has grounded to a dead stop. No new tournaments are coming up. The ones announced have been terminated. So, these guys are penniless, literally.

Nigeria keeps burning her best hands, she keeps burying her best minds. It is unfortunate that we Nigerians help Nigeria to truncate dreams.

Akwa Ibom Scrabble Club, wait, we are coming.
Names will start flying.
We will call you out, individually.

m

noooo way, pls collect your money and the interest rate.

Politicians go still loot your prize money
Wahala for who still believes Nigeria will get better

Ok

Too bad...

na devil punish apc

Never retire yet.. Naija go sponsor you go one European championship.. As u reach there u know what to do....


But as u jump ship early


Good luck

Dis government dem a bad o

Dem nuh wan the youth fi survive o

O God o!

How Di youth dem a good stay alive o??

The system nah do nothing fi we o

Dem am loot we treasure to ah Dubai, all di finest thing dem go buy...

Dem nuh care if di yoots dem a die o

Deep sleep, shut eye, inna di coffin box mama haffi crryyy o


Oh why oh why oh why oooooh