The 2023 K. Fokam International Tournament, which took place from July 2 to 8 in Kribi, Cameroon, was a real triumph for the Congolese Ngumba Ibn. Organized by the Ligue Professionnelle de Scrabble Francophone, this event brought together players from eight African countries, including Cameroon, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Niger, DRC, Chad, Gabon and Togo.
The competition, dubbed “the K Fokam millionaires tournament”, brought together forty-nine athletes, including two Congolese. After the group stages, Ngumba Ibn managed to climb to the final, which he brilliantly won against the Chadian player Iram Rilengar Maxime. Thus, he became African scrabble champion, a victory that proudly represented the DRC on the highest step of the podium.
Ngumba Ibn’s journey has not been easy. He and his playmate had to undertake a difficult journey by bus from the DRC to Kribi, for lack of financial means to take a plane. They crossed the Congo River and traveled all over Congo-Brazzaville to the Cameroonian border. Despite the difficulties encountered along the way, they took all these risks on behalf of their country and managed to reach their destination to participate in the tournament.
This international scrabble tournament is the initiative of Daniel Essomba, nicknamed “Master Gitan”, talented scrabble player and member of the STC Club of Yaoundé. With this tournament, he wants to get scrabble out of precariousness and allow scrabblers to live fully from their art. The “Millionaires K Fokam Tournament” is therefore a turning point for scrabble in Cameroon and the establishment of a new era of professionalization of this sport.
This competition aroused the enthusiasm and enthusiasm of the participants, as well as the support of various actors, such as the Cameroonian footballer Géremi Njitap, sponsor of the event. Thanks to the involvement of Daniel Essomba and his organizing team, the tournament came to life and made it possible to realize the dream of elevating scrabble to the rank of professional sport in Cameroon.
Beyond Ngumba Ibn’s victory, the tournament also served to highlight the talent and passion of African scrabble players. This event strengthened the links between the different participating countries and helped to promote this puzzle game throughout the region.
In conclusion, the K. Fokam 2023 International Tournament marked an important milestone in the development of scrabble in Africa. Thanks to the determination and talent of the players, as well as the commitment of the organizers, this event made it possible to highlight the practice of scrabble and to promote this discipline on a continental scale.