WAUG: OAU emerge overall Scrabble champions
Pix Akhabue
Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) emerged the overall winner of the Scrabble Championship at the 2026 West Africa University Games (WAUG), finishing ahead of the University of Ibadan (UNIBADAN) on the medal table despite both institutions winning four gold medals.
The scrabble event, held from October 7 to 8 at Judo Hall, OAU Sports Center, Ile-Ife, featured competitions across individual, doubles and team events, with students from four universities winning medals.
OAU finished top of the overall institutional medal table with four gold, five silver and one bronze medal for a total of 10 medals. UNIBADAN also claimed 10 medals, comprising four gold, three silver and three bronze, to settled for second place.
Benson Idahosa University (BIU) finished third with one gold and one bronze medal, while Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), placed fourth with five medals, including one silver and four bronze.
In the men’s singles event, OAU’s Adekunle Emmanuel claimed the gold medal, while Kingsley Enyi and Peter Awonusi, both representing UNIBADAN, won silver and bronze respectively.
OAU also dominated the women’s singles competition, with Priscilla Akhabue winning gold ahead of teammate Nimotallah Odeniyi, who secured silver. Joy Nwabuzor of BIU completed the podium with bronze.
UNIBADAN demonstrated its strength in the doubles events, winning both the men’s doubles and mixed doubles titles.
Benjamin Onuh and Peter Awonusi combined to win gold in the men’s doubles, finishing ahead of OAU’s Glory Adekunle-Emmanuel and Peace Fadero, who claimed silver. Precious Ofuka and Taslim Atoyebi of ABUAD took bronze.
In the mixed doubles, Kingsley Enyi and Rodiat Adekanbi delivered another gold medal for UNIBADAN. OAU’s Taiwo Joshua and Nimotallah Odeniyi settled for silver, while Isaac Shobowale and Temilola Ilori of ABUAD earned bronze.
BIU secured its gold medal in the women’s doubles, courtesy of Joy Nwabuzor and Chukwuemeka. UNIBADAN’s Funmilola Kelani and Oderemi Fayosinumi finished second, while OAU’s Priscilla Akhabue and Eniola Olorode took bronze.
The team events produced another split in honours between OAU and UNIBADAN. UNIBADAN won the men’s team competition, with OAU finishing second and ABUAD taking third place.
OAU, however, claimed the women’s team title, with ABUAD securing silver and UNIBADAN finishing third.
UNIBADAN also demonstrated its individual board strength, sweeping all three medals in the men’s best-board category. Peter Awonusi won gold on Board One, Benjamin Onuh took silver on Board Three, and Kingsley Enyi claimed bronze on Board Two.
In the women’s best-board competition, OAU secured the top two positions through Nimotallah Odeniyi, who won gold on Board Two, and Demilade Adebanjo, who claimed silver on Board Three. Prisca Oyedokun of ABUAD earned bronze on Board Three.
The final standings highlighted the competitive balance between OAU and UNIBADAN, with both institutions collecting four gold medals and 10 medals overall.
Akhabue
However, OAU’s superior silver-medal tally proved decisive in securing the overall Games title on home soil at the 2026 West Africa University Games.
