Uni-Ibadan Students Win LASU Inter-Varsity Debate Competition

By Damilare Adeleye

Team of students from University of Ibadan (UI) has emerged winner of the of 2022 Lagos State University Students' Union Intervarsity Debate competition.

The team comprised of three students namely, Okusanya Goodness, Olayiide Bolaji and Adebayo AbdulRahman emerged victorious at grand finale contest which was held on Tuesday, 6th of December, at the LASU main auditorium, Buba Marwa.

The team of speakers for LASU, however, secured a second position, while the team of students for Obafemi Awolowo University clinched the third position with students of Olabisi Onabanjo University taking the forth position.

Before the final stage, nine universities had participated in the public speaking competition of which seven qualified to the semi-final while four were eventually selected to compete at the last round.

Speaking to our correspondent on behalf of his team as the Chief Speaker who also emerged as Best Speaker, Okusanya Goodness, noted that his team's victory was an outcome of grace and hardwork.

Expressing his delight and excitement at the outcome of the competition, Okesanya also commended others speakers for their courage in representing their respective schools.

In his words: “I sincerely respect every public speaker that sets out to speak at this competition. It has been an awesome privilege sharing the podium with great minds and people from great climes. It's been an awesome privilege which I do not take for granted.’’ He also urged his co-debaters to focus on things to improve their communicative skill saying, “We all keep on learning understanding that the day we stop learning is the day we stop growing and that is the day we die. It is important we keep learning and aspire to be the best versions of ourselves. Then can we only make great impact in the world.’’

Meanwhile, the chairperson of the LASU Intervarsity debate, Akpomerha Erhuvwu, described the outcome of the competition as satisfactory regardless that another school took the trophy. She noted that the judges were free and fair in their verdict on the contest as they were not affiliated to any institutions.

Miss Akpomerha who described the annual debating event as a major academic activity in the campus, stated its aim is to advance learning among young people in high institutions.