Youth and Sports Minister Cornelia W. Kruah has called for increased investment in intellectual sports and the development of young talent, warning that Liberia risks weakening its future sporting prospects if it fails to prepare a new generation of competitors.
Speaking at the opening of the 16th Pan African Scrabble Championship in Monrovia on Thursday, October 22, Kruah urged sports stakeholders to bridge the generational gap in Scrabble and ensure that young players are equipped to sustain Liberia’s participation in international competitions.
The championship, being hosted by Liberia for the first time, has brought together 115 players from across Africa to compete for continental honors while promoting sportsmanship, cultural exchange, and unity.
Kruah observed that public attention and investment in Liberian sports have largely focused on football, basketball, kickball, and athletics, leaving intellectual disciplines such as Scrabble with comparatively limited recognition.
“Intellectual sports are left for those who are referred to as learned,” the minister said, highlighting misconceptions about the game that she believes discourage young people from participating.
She called on sporting authorities, educators, community leaders, and other stakeholders to intensify public awareness, engage young people, and establish more opportunities for them to learn and compete in Scrabble.
The Youth and Sports Minister cautioned against allowing Scrabble to encounter challenges similar to those she said have affected other sporting disciplines in Liberia, particularly football, which has struggled to maintain its previous level of international recognition.
Kruah stressed that deliberate efforts must begin now to identify, nurture, and prepare younger players to take over from the current generation.
“We must be able to bridge that gap; we must start now to grow a younger generation that should take over Scrabble,” she said.
Her remarks place emphasis on long-term talent development, with the minister urging stakeholders to look beyond the immediate competition and invest in the sustainability of intellectual sports in Liberia.
The call comes as the country seeks to expand its sporting profile beyond traditional disciplines and create opportunities for young people to compete at continental and international tournaments.
The four-day championship runs from October 22 to 25 at the EJS Ministerial Complex in Congo Town.
The competition features players representing Liberia, Nigeria, Zambia, Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, and Sierra Leone, bringing together competitors from across the continent for the regional sporting event.
Liberia’s hosting of the championship marks a significant moment for the country’s Scrabble community, providing local players an opportunity to compete against regional counterparts while exposing the country to a broader continental sporting audience.
Beyond the competition, the event is expected to promote cultural exchange, strengthen relationships among participating countries, and raise the profile of Scrabble as an intellectual sport.
