Jaw War ; So Far So Good?

By Ayeye Tolulope

It’s that time of the academic year again, where all faculties and halls of residence face each other in a battle of words. Jaw War stands out as one of the biggest events in the University of Ibadan and the reason for this is quite understandable; the punchlines and bants thrown in the midst of intellectual debates which results in the familiar feeling of thrill amongst speakers and listeners alike. Jawwar 2023 is no different, with the first and second leg of the hall debate completed and the first stage of the faculty debate also done, the thrill only seems to intensify along with the anticipation. As the scream of the competition gets louder and the finals draw closer, let’s look at the good, the bad and the ugly of the competition that asks you to Stand up! Speak up! Or shut up!

The Bad And The Ugly

The opening ceremony of the biggest debate in UI came up on Tuesday the 11th of April and almost all Uites (attendees and non-attendees alike) had something to say about it. One of the comments that seemed to be consistent however was the complaint of how bad the sound system was. Listeners either claimed to not hear the bants their speakers threw or the valid and reasonable points made; either way, the issue had to do with the ‘terrible sound system’ as Olayinka Olayoriju, a speaker of the Great Independence Hall put it. 

For Yinka, “If there’s only one thing to say, it has to be about the sound system. That’s the absolute basic, the bare minimum. There shouldn’t be a public speaking event without well-planned acoustics. The terrible sound system is making this year’s experience suboptimal and it’s being very disadvantageous to certain speakers, especially females who tend to have tinier voices so to speak.”

While listening to Olakulehin, the second speaker of the faculty of Pharmacy, it was evident that the sound system truly needed to be worked on. Going through the video diaries of the event on the first day, this UCJ correspondent stumbled on a video of Tiolu, the second speaker of Indy hall during the second leg delivering his closing lines and it was only after watching the clip repeatedly that she got a portion of what he had said. While this might have been because of the poor quality of the video, listeners in attendance on that day did confirm that getting a full grasp of what Tiolu had to say was quite difficult.

The poor sound system is definitely not the only problem giving listeners a hard time grasping all the speakers themselves. For people like Kareem Ogbodo, a 200 level student who was present at all stages of Jaw war because of his avid love for debating, the audience and the way they scream and show their support is another reason he might not necessarily experience the debate of his lives at Jaw war. 

While Attending a Jaw war event, the first thing you might notice after the hot and static air, is the loud rumbling, talking and sometimes yelling of excited students who have come to watch speakers from their halls and faculties debate. This being quite different from the basic ethics of debate most people know of.  Many are familiar with the idea of the audience being as quiet as possible to not disrupt the speaker’s speech and to not reduce the chances of getting the points passed across. 

For Olabisi Owadayo, a Queenite and a speaker at Jaw war, she understands the need for the audience to support the speakers they affiliate with, however, it becomes a problem when it is done in excess. She believes that it is one of the leading causes of speakers forgetting their speeches on stage.  

Another speaker, Afeniforo Progress, echoed this concern.  “Another area where I believe Jaw war can improve is in audience orientation. Often, the audience may not be fully aware of how to act and react in different situations, especially during speeches. This can create distractions and detract from the overall quality of the event.

“I believe that Jaw war can work on providing more guidance to the audience, for instance, by having moderators who can guide the audience on when to applaud or remain silent during speeches. This would help to create a more conducive environment for speakers to deliver their speeches effectively.

While speaking on how to solve this issue, Olabisi referenced back to how a friend suggested that speakers are penalized for any unruly noise their supporters make. The feasibility of this is unknown however, one thing is sure:  speakers and listeners definitely have a problem with the noise the crowd whenever a speech is going on.

Finally, on the bad and the ugly, is the issue of time management. The opening  event of the Jaw war was scheduled to be held by 4, however it started almost three hours later. For some students who had to go back to their apartments after school or whose hostels closed early, they couldn’t stay till the end of the event, and they found themselves missing a huge part of it. Of course, students didn’t stay quiet about this, as they took to their social media accounts to lay their complaints. 

Owadayo Olabisi, the speaker for Queen Elizabeth II hall also had something to say about it. To her, there were a lot of reasons the events had to start late and one of them was speakers coming late. She communicated that if the administrators of Jaw War were strict with time and waited for no one, then all speakers would be serious with keeping to time as well. She however commended  the administrators for improving their time management during the last events.

The Good So Far

There are two sides of a coin and for an event that commands the biggest crowd in the University of Ibadan there’s definitely more than the bad side to it. If there is one obvious good that many Uites would agree that Jaw war brings is the feeling of oneness. Jaw War, the highly anticipated event that draws the largest crowd at the University of Ibadan, has proven to be a unifying force among students with diverse interests. 

One of the most significant benefits of Jaw War is the sense of unity it fosters among students. For one night, students from different faculties, departments, and backgrounds come together in a spirit of camaraderie, with a shared goal of experiencing the best of what the event has to offer. This feeling of togetherness can be incredibly empowering and can inspire a sense of community and belonging that lasts long after the event is over.

Furthermore, Jaw War is more than just a fun event; it’s also a fantastic opportunity for personal growth and learning. The event features speakers from various walks of life who cover a wide range of topics. This provides an opportunity for attendees to learn about diverse fields and to broaden their perspectives. The knowledge gained from attending Jaw War can be invaluable in both personal and professional growth. 

For Afeniforo, One good experience he has had at the Jaw war is the learning experience. “The topics cut across various works of life and have helped me to broaden my perspectives,” he noted. 

For first-time speakers, addressing a crowd as thrilled and diverse as that at Jaw War is a unique and surreal experience. They find themselves immersed in a sea of enthusiastic students, all eager to hear what they have to say. This experience can be transformative, not only for the speaker but for the attendees as well.

The benefits of Jaw War are numerous, ranging from fostering a sense of unity among students to providing a platform for learning and personal growth. It’s no wonder that the event remains one of the most highly anticipated and well-attended events at the University of Ibadan. For speakers who spoke for the first time to such a thrilled crowd as Jaw war presents, it was surreal and a wonderful experience, definitely something they would want to do over and over again.

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