Published: May 2, 2025
MONROVIA – In a bid to bolster Liberia’s quest to host its first major international Scrabble tournament, the National Scrabble Association of Liberia (NASAL), in collaboration with Brilliance Inc., hosted a three-day international event earlier this year at the Boulevard Palace Hotel in Monrovia.
The tournament featured 36 players from Sierra Leone, Ghana and Liberia, marking a major milestone in the country’s growing Scrabble scene.
Following the national championship held in Kakata, Margibi County, in April, Liberia has selected its representatives for the upcoming African Scrabble Championship. Joseph Gegeh, Malek Sherif and Ketlee Weah emerged as champion, runner-up, and third-place finisher, respectively.
Gegeh clinched his first major title by winning 22 of 27 matches, losing only five, and finishing first among 28 participants. He made history with a record-breaking 10 consecutive wins on the tournament’s opening day and 14 straight victories overall, surpassing Gabriel Potter’s 2021 record of 10 straight wins. Gegeh also accumulated an impressive spread of +1,930.
Malek Sherif, who was runner-up in the 2024 edition, retained his position with 17 wins and 10 losses, achieving a spread of +610. He was tied in wins with Ketlee Weah, who also recorded 17 victories and 10 losses, but trailed slightly in spread at +532.
Additional Liberian players may also be eligible for selection ahead of the African Scrabble Championship, according to NASAL.
Under the leadership of President Lester Dgian Morris, NASAL has staged multiple tournaments and represented Liberia in several international events — all without consistent government funding.
That changed this year when NASAL was included in the 2025 National Budget, receiving an allocation of $5,000. While modest, Morris called the budget line “a significant step in the right direction” for the association’s long-term development goals.
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