AE-FUNAI Student Emerges Best Speaker at 2023 All Nigerian Universities Debating Championship

A final year student of the Department of Foreign Languages, Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike, Ebonyi State, Oko Charity Joan has emerged the overall best speaker at the 10th edition of the All Nigerian Universities Debating Championship held at Veritas University, Abuja from 27th August to 3rd September, 2023.

Myschoolnews gathered Miss oko emerged the overall best public speaker in Nigeria after defeating students from 9 other universities that included Afe Babalola University (ABUAD), Veritas University, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture (MOUAU), Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Rivers State University (RSU), Usman Danfodio University Sokoto (UDUS), University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), University of Ibadan (UI) and Abia State University (ABSU).

It is also worthy to note that two students of the University made it to the grand finale of the public ppeaking tournament where Oko emerged the overall best public speaker and Ama Gloria Titiana, a 400 level student of Political Science made it to the 9th position.

Meanwhile in the Debating tournament, AE FUNAI also had a great performance with 3 consecutive 1st positions on the first day of the tournament,. The University did not just make it to the quarterfinals but also came first in the quarterfinals round, defeating both the host institution, Veritas University, Abuja and Nnamdi Azikiwe University (NAU) respectively to move to the semifinals where it ended the tournament. 

The University was represented at the Debating tournament by a 400 level student of Biotechnology, Igwebuike Chiagoziem JohnMark and a 300 level student of Law, Nwele Stanley Chiemerie.

At the championship, the University’s Novice Speakers also had a great run., with notable prospects for success in the nearest future. 

The Novice speakers were 200 level students of Psychology, Ngene Comfort Chinasa and Uchenna Lydia Chinwendu of the Department of Agriculture.

More so, in the category of Adjudicators, the University further performed creditably well with lots of lessons for improvement. 

This particular style of Debating will open up opportunities to students of the university as it is another important aspect of British Parliamentary Debating. 

 It is hoped that more adjudicators would spring up among the students of the University through the experiences of the delegates to the 2023 championship. 

The two persons that represented the university in the adjudication category at the championship were Ogbonna Godsfavour Chimeremya and Udoka Charles Chibuikem, both 200 level students of Physiology and Accountancy respectively.

While commending the students for their sterling performances at the Championship, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Sunday Elom noted that the introduction and sustenance of the zero-credit Language Enhancement Programme (LEP) in the academic curriculum has distinguished the students of the University in comity of Nigerian Universities, especially in the use and command of English language.

He maintained that the university under his watch will continue to support the students to discover their innate abilities in order to become the best among the peers irrespective of their course of study.