Buhari calls, congratulates world scrabble champion, Falconets

President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday evening congratulated a Nigerian, Wellington Jighere, after he emerged World Scrabble Champion, the first from Africa.

According to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, the President conveyed his congratulatory message to Jighere in a telephone conversation he had with the 36-year-old Nigerian who is currently in Perth, Australia.

“I called to rejoice with you over your performance. You have done the country proud, and we are very happy. Please, pass my congratulations to other members of Team Nigeria,” Buhari reportedly told Jighere who defeated Lewis Mackay of Cambridge, England, by 448 points to 426 to win the championship which was competed for by 450 players from round the world.

Jighere who was said to have been delighted at the telephone call from the President pledged to bring more glory to the country.

The five other Nigerian representatives finished in the top 50 scrabble players in the world bracket.

Shortly after Buhari ended the telephone conversation, news got to him that the Under-20 female football team, the Falconets, have qualified for the Women’s World Cup Tournament after beating the Basetsana of South Africa by a lone goal in an away game.

The Falconets had walked a tight rope after scraping just a 2-1 win over South Africa in Nigeria two weeks ago.

With the away goal counting double rule, all that South Africa needed today was a single goal, but the Nigerian girls turned the table.

“This is a clear case of the indomitable Nigerian spirit. Such will soon be evident in all aspects of our national life,” Buhari said.

The President had on Saturday made a similar telephone call to Golden Eaglets asking them not to settle for anything less than victory in the final match of the FIFA Under-17 World Cup holding in Chile on Sunday.