Six-year-old Abdulsalam Yusuf made history in Asaba on Friday, becoming one of the youngest gold medalists in the National Youth Games after leading Team Kwara to victory in the Scrabble Male Doubles final.
With his partner, Hassan Olamide, Yusuf outplayed Team Niger in a tense championship match that left the hall buzzing with excitement. For Yusuf, the triumph was more than just a medal — it was the reward for months of hard training and a childhood passion for letters and logic.
“I love scrabble because of the logical reasoning and technicality,” Yusuf said moments after receiving his medal. “We trained hard, we believed, and I am proud to win this for Kwara State. I want to keep playing, keep learning, and one day represent Nigeria at the international level.”
The victory was hailed as a milestone for Kwara, a state already carving a reputation as a powerhouse in youth sports. Yusuf’s composure at the board, despite his tender age, drew admiration from spectators and officials who described him as “a prodigy with a bright future.”
Yusuf also credited his success to the support system around him, thanking Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and the Executive Chairman of the Kwara State Sports Commission, Coach Bolakale Adisa Mogaji, for giving him the chance to compete.
The win has now placed Yusuf in the record books of the NYG, where he stands as one of the youngest athletes to clinch a gold medal. For Kwara, it is another shining moment in grassroots sports development; for Yusuf, it is just the beginning of what promises to be an extraordinary journey
