By Bilesanmi Abayomi
Lagos, Nigeria – The Agege and Kosofe Local Government Education Authorities (LGEA) have secured their spots as semi-finals winners in the highly competitive Lagos Debate Competition. The event, held at the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) in Maryland, Kosofe, witnessed intense intellectual battles among talented debaters representing various primary schools across the city.
The Agege LGEA, represented by Orile Agege Primary School, Ladoja Primary School, and Ibukun Olu Primary, showcased exceptional skills and emerged as the overall winners of the competition. Their powerful arguments and eloquence captivated the audience and impressed the panel of adjudicators. The Kosofe LGEA, led by debaters from Francis Primary School, displayed remarkable debating prowess and secured a gallant second place. Alimosho and Oshodi-Isolo Local Government Education Authorities secured the third and fourth positions, respectively.
The central theme of the debate revolved around the state of Nigeria’s security system. The proposition team presented a compelling case, citing alarming statistics and arguing that the country’s security apparatus remained porous. In contrast, the opposing team vehemently defended the Nigerian security agents, asserting that they have effectively addressed various security challenges, including kidnapping, herdsmen issues, and the menace of Boko Haram.
The distinguished CEO of LGNA International, Tunde Jakande, who was represented by Managing Director Ifeoma Okafor, expressed her commendation for the participants, teachers, and the SUBEB management. Jakande described SUBEB as the engine room of the competition and thanked everyone involved for their unwavering support. She congratulated the pupils for their outstanding voice presentation, courage, boldness, and persuasive arguments before the audience. Additionally, she assured the stakeholders that the challenges identified in this edition would be addressed and improved upon in the next edition.
Mrs. Ajape Kafayat, the coach of Agege LGEA, expressed profound gratitude to the Almighty for guiding her pupils to the final stage. Overwhelmed with joy, she acknowledged the immense effort put into preparations and the power of prayers. Mrs. Kafayat emphasized the significance of rigorous training and the dedication displayed by her pupils. She believed that through hard work, prayers, and commitment, they had reached this remarkable stage of the competition. She concluded by stating her firm belief that Agege LGEA would emerge as the overall winners in the grand finale on June 27.
Mr. Ibrahim Agbaje, a representative of SUBEB among the panel of adjudicators, congratulated the winners and advised the pupils and coaches to focus on maintaining the ESA (Effective Speaking and Articulation) standard during debates. He specifically highlighted the importance of addressing Points of Information (POI) raised by the opposing team with clarity and professionalism. Mr. Agbaje emphasized that such skills would be crucial at the national debate competition level and urged coaches to incorporate comprehensive training, including presentation clarity, into their coaching programs.