The K. Fokam 2023 International Scrabble Tournament, organized by the Ligue Professionnelle de Scrabble Francophone, was recently held in Kribi, Cameroon. This event brought together eight African countries, including Cameroon, Benin, Ivory Coast, Niger, DRC, Chad, Gabon and Togo.
A total of forty-nine athletes participated in this tournament, including two representatives from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Ngumba Ibn, a Congolese player, distinguished himself by winning the competition and thus becoming African Scrabble champion.
Ngumba Ibn’s journey was not easy, especially because of the financial difficulties he had to face in order to be able to travel to Kribi. He and his companion embarked on a long journey crossing the Congo River and taking a bus that traveled all over the Republic of Congo to the Cameroonian border. Despite the risks involved, Ngumba Ibn wanted to proudly represent his country and to hoist the colors of the DRC high on the highest step of the podium.
This tournament, also nicknamed “the K Fokam millionaires tournament”, is the result of the hard work of Daniel Essomba, a passionate Scrabble player and member of the STC Club of Yaoundé. Its objective is to take Scrabble out of precariousness and allow players to live fully from their art. This tournament thus marks a turning point for Scrabble, both in Cameroon and around the world, by laying the groundwork for professional Scrabble.
In short, the K. Fokam 2023 international Scrabble tournament was a real success for Ngumba Ibn and for the DRC. Beyond the individual victory, this event testifies to the importance of Scrabble as a sport of the spirit, bringing together players from different countries around the same passion. Ngumba Ibn’s talent and determination have been rewarded, and he is now considered one of the best Scrabble players in Africa