Representatives of the University of of Ibadan have won multiple prizes at the 10th edition of the All Nigerian Universities Debating Championship, a competition the institution last attended in 2014.
At the competition’s grand finale yesterday, the school emerged overall winner in the public speaking category and third place in the debate category.
These victories made the institution the only one with a podium finish in both categories of the competition, officially making them the most outstanding performer.
In the public speaking category, the institution‘s representatives, Mary Adigun, emerged winner after six preliminary rounds, two semi-final rounds and a grand finale.
Meanwhile, in the debate category, held in a British parliamentary style, the institution’s representatives, Adebayo Abdulrahman and Mclaniyi Sapphire, emerged overall third after nine preliminary rounds, two knockout stages, and the grand final.
The UI team in the competition included six debaters, two public speakers, and two adjudicators.
The debaters include Habeeb Abdul, Aisha Yusuf, Kareem Abdullahi, Deborah Peter, Adebayo Abdulrahman, and Sapphire Mclaniyi.
The public speakers were Olayiide Bolaji and Mary Adigun while Akinjare David Ayomide and Bello Ruqayyah were adjudicators.
Speaking after the victory, the team lead and captain of the UI British Parliamentary Debate Society, Habeeb Abdul, described the victory as the result of sacrifices made by the team.
“I don’t have many words to express how I feel, really. I’ll just say I’m thankful for the caliber of people that the British Parliamentary Debating Society has been blessed with.
“Four weeks of hard training and sacrifice is no small feat. Every single one of my guys outdid themselves. It was phenomenal,” he told UCJUI.
He also expressed gratitude to the University management for trusting the team by providing the financial resources and moral support that ensured the institution participated in the competition.
