Top 20 Public Speakers To Watch Out For In Jaw War 2024

This list was compiled by The Literary and Debating Society, UI

It’s official, the biggest event in the University of Ibadan is less than 24 hours away and as usual tension has started building up and supporters have started making predictions on likely winners.

Well, you still have to attend every day of the competition to see how it unfolds. But the hottest question is: Who are the top speakers participating in this year’s tournament? 

We have gone far and wide to bring to you a comprehensive list of top speakers to expect at Jaw War 2024. This list was created based on the following: 

– Number of awards/appearances made by the speaker.

– Level of delivery in previous tournaments.

– Popularity and influence in UI’s public speaking space.

So, join us, as we unveil their identities.

20. Tijani Abdulkabeer

Abdulkabeer is a third-year student in the department of History. He is a member of both Faculty of Arts and Nnamdi Azikwe Literary and Debating Society. 

He has represented both constituencies in multiple public speaking competitions. In 2023, he emerged co-winner and the Best Speaker at Word War IV of Lord Tedder Literary & Debating Society. 

He is currently the Vice-President of Nnamdi Azikiwe Literary & Debating Society, Deputy Editor-In-Chief and Fact-Check Editor for the Union of Campus Journalists. 

19. Oyedijo, Olanrewaju Segun

Olanrewaju is a 300-level student of the department of Forest Production and Products. 

He is a member of the literary and debating societies of the Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources and Nnamdi Azikiwe Hall. 

He has represented and won awards with his hall and faculty on various occasions. Some of such are: Winner of 2021 Vet medicine’s Olumide Oyebanji inter faculty oratory contest, winner of Kuti hall’s King of the Podium inter hall impromptu contest, 2021, winner of Idia hall’s inter hall impromptu contest, 2021. He was also co-winner of Tedder hall’s Word war IV inter hall debate competition, 2023.

He also serves as both the Vice-president and General secretary of his faculty and Hall’s literary and debating societies.

18. David Akinjare

David Akinjare is a third-year student of MBBS. He was the rookie of the year for Kenneth Mellanby Literary & Debating society during the 2020/2021 session. He represented University of Ibadan at the All Nigeria University Debating Championship in 2023 and currently serves as the president of Kenneth Mellanby Literary & Debating society. 

17. Salako Rehoboth

Rehoboth is a 400 level student of Sociology in the Faculty of The Social Sciences. He was the winner of Ransome KUTI hall man of the podium in 2022 and a joint winner of 2023 jawwar for Ransom Kuti hall. 

He is currently the president of Ransome Kuti hall Literary & Debating society. 

16. Oladipupo Idris

Idris is a 400-level student of Renewable Natural Resources. He won the best speaker award, rookie oratory competition 2019. Winner, rookie league debates, 2019. He was the 1st runner-up Junior Chamber International inter-faculties debates, 2019. In 2021, he finished as the 1st runner-up Queen Idia  impromptu speech competition, 2021

In 2023, Idris was also the winner of the bilateral debate and received the best speaker award at the contest as well. 

15. Eriomala John

John is a third-year medical student. He is the President of the Great Independence Hall Literary and Debating Society. 

He has represented the hall at multiple competitions, including the 2022 Lord Tedder Hall King of The Podium, where he emerged winner. In 2021, he was the winner of the Barrister Adebowale Debate Competition and first-runner up at the Jaw-War Rookie Oratory Contest. 

He is the current Deputy Editor-in-Chief(Preclinicals) of the UIMSA Press and Entertainment Editor for the Union of Campus Journalists and IndyPress.

14. Nwaigwe Amarachi

Amarachi is a 500-level student of Medicine and Surgery. She is a member of the Alexander Brown Hall Literary and Debating Society and the current Team Lead of the LnD’s House Gandhi.

She was the Best Speaker at the 2023 Lanre Bello Inter-Faculty Debate. She was also the Best Speaker and a joint winner of the 2022 UIMSA Inter-Level Debate. 

Amarachi’s calm yet powerful delivery has been known to impress both judges and the audience alike at multiple debates.

13. Idowu Ademola

Ademola  is a 300 level student of the Faculty of Law. He is a member of the Lord Tedder Hall Literary and Debating Society and the Faculty of Law Literary and Debating Society.

Ademola was a member of a team of three who emerged Winners of the Ekiti State Governor’s Challenge Debate, 2017. He was the first-runner up at the Lord Tedder Hall King of the Podium Oratory Contest, 2021, and at the Independence Hall Inter-Hall Oratory Competition, 2021. In 2022, he co-emerged as First-Runner up at the CLASFON National Debate. In early 2023, he was also a finalist at the ASFL Inter-Country Debate, co-representing Nigeria.

More recently, in June 2023, he got a Best Speaker Award at Word War IV, while finishing as the second overall best speaker. He also got a Best Speaker Award, and finished as the Overall Best Speaker at Tedder Hall Bilaterals Debate, 2023. In Nov 2023, He clinched the Overall Best Speaker Award, at Tech Bilaterals Debate.

Ademola currently serves as the Speech Coach of Lord Tedder Hall L and D, and the General Secretary of Faculty of Law L and D.

12. Adigun Mary Bukola

Mary is a 300-level student of the Department of Theatre Arts. She is the current President of The Obafemi Awolowo Hall Literary and Debating Society and the Vice President of the Faculty of Arts Literary and Debating Society. 

Known for her fierce and powerful delivery, Mary is definitely a stand out speaker. She was first runner up of the Obafemi Awolowo Hall rookies competition in 2021. She emerged as the first female winner of the Public Speaking round at the 10th edition of the All Nigerian Universities Debate Championship held in Abuja in September 2023. She was also nominated as best female speaker of Jawwar Tournament in 2023.

11. Ajewole Martins

Martins is a 400 level student of RNR. He is a member of both Renewable Natural Resources and Sultan Bello’s LND. He was the overall best train drill 2019, Sultan Bello LND. He was the winner of the rookie league 2019 in Sultan Bello.  First Runner-up, Obafemi Awolowo inter-hall oratory 2019, Winner of Armoury of words 2019. 

He is a two-time president of renewable natural resources and the current bullet captain and financial secretary for sultan bello’s LND. 

10. Olatunji Vincent

Vincent is a 500 level student of the department of Wood Products Engineering, Faculty of Technology. He’s the immediate past Vice-President of Faculty of Technology Literary and Debating Society and he currently serves as the President. He’s also currently the oldest active member of the Nnamdi Azilwe Hall Literary and Debating Society.

He has represented Zik hall in numerous public speaking events, including,King of the Podium and the Indy-hall week inter-hall oratory contest of 2019, where he emerged the winner He has also led his faculty to two of the three consecutive wins against law in the widely acclaimed tech bilaterals between 2018 and 2022.

Vincent thrives on his out of the box angles and an uncanny ability to simplify seemingly complex arguments and as he has shown on more than one occasion, he is not afraid to change his speech on the spot, if the situation calls for it

9.  Adebayo Abdulrahman

Abdulrahman is a 300-level student of the Department of Political Science. He is a member of the Great Independence Hall and Faculty of Social Science Literary and Debating Society. 

He has represented the University at multiple intervarsity debate competitions, winning multiple prizes. He was winner of the LASU National Intervarsity Debate Championship 2022 and Redeemers University Intervarsity Debate Competition 2021. More recently, he emerged second runner-up at the All Nigerian Universities Debate Championship in Abuja, marking the institution’s first podium finish at the British Parliamentary debate-styled national tournament. He was also the winner of the Jaw War Rookie Oratory Competition 2021. 

He is the immediate past Vice-President of UI’s Literary and Debating Society and currently serves as Editor-in-chief of the Union of Campus Journalists.

8. Chineke Ugochukwu

Ugo is a 400 level Law Student. He is a member of both Sultan Bello Hall and Law LND. He was the Best Speaker at Commanders Debate in 2014 and Best International Speaker at Singapore 2016 (African-Asia Debate Championship). 

He was also the Anambra State Representative at the Buhari Inauguration Debate Championship in 2017. He was first-runner up of Sultan of the Podium-2019 and three times Best Speaker of Bello Rookie League 2019. He was also a finalist at Super Bowl Oratory Competition 2019. Chineke is known for his powerful delivery.

He is currently the president for the faculty of law literary & debating society. 

7. Eguoaje Joy

Joy is a final year level student of the Faculty of Law. She is a member of both Queen Idia LND and Law LND. She was best speaker at the Faculty of Law Rookies Bilaterals in 2018, was 2nd second runner-up at the Jaw War rookies contest and winner of the Cell Is Life oratory contest in the same year. In 2019, she won the maiden International Law Students Association oratory competition. She was also winner of the Queen Idia hall Clash of Divas competition in 2020. 

She is noted for persuasive delivery style.

6. Nafisat Ogunsesan

Nafisat is a final year Law student. She is a member of both Law LND and Obafemi Awolowo Hall LND. She was the 2019 Law LND Rookie of the year. She was first-runner up Rookie of the same year in Awo LND, the winner of Mellanby Oratory Competition and the Winner of Model United Nations UI 2019 inter-faculty debate competition. In 2023, she clinched the award for the best female speaker of the year. 

She is also the former Vice-president of Faculty of Law LND.

5. Yusuf Aisha

Yusuf Aisha is a final year student of the Faculty of Law. She is a member of both Obafemi Awolowo Hall Literary and Debating Society and Law LND. 

She was the overall best speaker at the Professor inter-press debate. She was best speaker at Queen Idia hall debate competition and second-runner up at Kuti Hall inter-hall debate competition. She was also the best female speaker at the Jaw War 2021 Tournament. Last year, she was the first-runner up in the Leap Africa Inter-Varsity Debate. 

She is also the immediate past president of Awo LND. 

4. Bodunde Ebenezer

Ebenezer is a 400 level student of the Faculty of Science. He is a member of both the Faculty of Science and Nnamdi Azikiwe hall Literary and Debating Society. In 2019, he emerged as the winner of tech bilaterals. The same year, he emerged as the winner of Lagos State University (LASU) University National Parliamentary Debate and best speaker of the speak and spark competition 

He was the first-runner up at the professor kester debate competition in 2020, first runner-up at the  2023 Lanre Bello Inter-Faculty debate and also finished as the first-runner up at the Inter-Varsity Debate at Obafemi Awolowo University in 2023. 

He is currently the president of both the Faculty of Science and Nnamdi Azikwe Literary & Debating Societies. 

3. Victor Fabarebo

Victor Fabarebo is a 400 level Student of Law. He is a former captain of the University of Ibadan’s British Parliamentary Debate Club. He is a member of both Sultan Bello Hall and Law LND. 

He was the winner of the 2021 Moyosore Onigbanjo Essay Competition/presentation on Data Privacy. He was also the winner of MIPLG African Intellectual Property Debate 2020. He was the first-runner up at LASU National Inter-Varsity debate and first-runner up at 2019 National Law Students’ debate. He was also the winner of the 2022 JCI Collegiate Conference public speaking championship.

2  Barnabas Micheal 

Barnabas is a 500 level student of Petroleum Engineering. He is a member of both Sultan Bello Hall LND and Faculty of Technology LND. 

He was the overall best speaker of Sultan Bello Hall Bilateral debate competition in 2017. He was the first runner-up at Nnadi Azikwe inter-hall impromptu contest in 2018. 

Winner, wordplay master and overall best orator – Bullets vs. Dynamites ( Armory of Words 2019). Best orator at the Olumide Oyebanji Memorial Annual interfaculty Oratory competition 2021. He was the winner and best orator, Dragons Jaw 2021 and also finished as the first-runner up at the Inter-Varsity Debate at Obafemi Awolowo University in 2023. 

Barnabas is popular for his incredible punchlines and wordplay as well as logic and delivery. He is also the immediate past General of Sultan Bello Hall Literary and Debating Society.

1. Olayide Bolaji

Olayide Bolaji is a final year student of Department of English. He is a member of the Lord Tedder Hall and Faculty of Arts LND. He is the current President of the Lord Tedder LND and one of the speech coaches in the Faculty of Arts LND. 

Bolaji was the winner of 2019 Lord Tedder Hall King of the Podium oratory contest. He was the overall Best Rookie at Superbowl in 2019. He was also the second-runner up of the competition. He won the Awo Hall 2020 inter-hall Rookie Oratory contest. 

He won a Jawwar treble in 2022 for his hall and faculty. He was the winner of the UI Nationals debate. He won the best rebuttal, led the UI team to victory at LASU intervarsity debate and also finished as a joint winner of Jawwar 2023 (faculty category). He also won the overall best speech at Jawwar 2023. 

He is currently the president for both the Faculty of Arts and Lord Tedder Hall Literary & Debating Societies.