Latest report informs that the French embassy in Nigeria has finally agreed to grant visas to the Team Nigeria to the 2016 MSI World Championships holding holding in Lille, France.
According to the President of Nigeria Scrabble Federation, Sulaiman Garba Gora, the embassy has asked the Nigerian contingent to come for their visas on Monday.
See Gora’s post on Facebook:
Below is our initial report on the matter:
Nigeria’s world champion in scrabble, Wellington Jighere won’t be able to defend the title he won last year in Perth, Australia due to visa issues.
This was disclosed moments ago by Jighere on his Facebook page, saying himself and other member of Team Nigeria have been denied visia by France to participate in the 2016 MSI World Championships holding in Lille.
He wrote, “This is to wish everyone participating in this year’s MSI World Scrabble Championships the best of luck since I and my Nigerian compatriots were refused visas. Yes, you heard me right! The number one Scrabble playing nation on earth was refused visas to enable her contingent participate at a Scrabble event. I guess some folk somewhere need to be better at their job next time.
May the best player win!”
Jighere currently ranks as world number one after winning the 2015 edition of the World Scrabble Championship. He defeated Lewis MacKay in four straight wins to become the first African to win the championship.
Since he posted the message on his Facebook page about three hours ago, many people, Nigerians and non Nigerians, have expressed their disappointments about the development.
See some of the reactions below:
