By Seyi Babalola
Ladoke Akintola University of Technology in Ogbomoso, Oyo State, has won the National Orientation Agency’s 2024 Campus Debate and Capacity Building Conference.
Tagged ‘7 for 7 National Values Charter,’ LAUTECH won the N20 million grand prize after defeating five other tertiary institutions in the grand final held in Ikeja, Lagos on Tuesday.
Representatives of the six tertiary institutions who emerged as winners from the six geopolitical zones debated on the theme: “Criticising and dissenting peacefully while maintaining love for one’s country.”
Following public vote, LAUTECH, represented by Adekunle Ayomide and Oladeji Oluwashina, was named the winner, with Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria and the University of Ilorin coming in first and second runners-up respectively.
LAUTECH got an extra N1 million from the Nigerian Education Loan Fund.
Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt; Gombe State Polytechnic, Bajoga; and Institute of Management and Technology, Enugu ranked fourth, fifth, and sixth, respectively.
Lanre Issa-Onilu, Director-General of the NOA, stated that the debate intended to promote healthy discourse and the realization that constructive criticism is not rebellion when it is based on love, trust, and not with the objective of breaking down things.
Issa-Onilu emphasised that youths should express dissent peacefully, be solution-driven, see governance as a collaborative effort and embrace roles as drivers of national development.
“Constructive criticism is not rebellion; it is a cornerstone of democracy and a vital tool for nation-building.
“Patriotism is not silence. Loving your country does not mean turning a blind eye to its shortcomings. It means recognising those shortcomings, speaking up against them constructively, and working together to find solutions.
“For the past weeks, young minds across the nation have engaged in spirited debates researching arguments that demonstrate their intellect, creativity, and passion for the development of our beloved country. Your dedication and courage are the building blocks of Nigeria’s brighter future,” Issa-Onilu said.
Mr Akintunde Sawyerr, Managing Director of NELFUND, pledged the fund’s commitment to ensure that financial restrictions do not prevent Nigerian students from obtaining quality tertiary education.
