Date: 2015-01-30

‘Party Politics and Democratic Sustenance; 2015 General Election in Focus’ was the theme of discussion at this year’s annual Fresher’s Oratory Contest as put together by the Union of Campus Journalists, University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) chapter.

The contest, born out of a desire to actualise and promote good verbal fluency and writing prowess among students, is particularly opened to newly admitted students of the university.

The event, staged at the institution’s auditorium basement, attracted participants from various faculties on campus.

In the preliminary stage of the competition, nine faculties participated in a contest which saw only five students, each representing these faculties, in the grand finale.

While declaring the contest open, the Director, Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies, UNILORIN, Dr Mahfuz Adedimeji, who is also the staff adviser to the union, said “life is itself a competition ground where individuals face challenges on a daily basis and achievement is recorded based on individual effort.”

He thus congratulated all participants that would eventually emerge successful and those that would emerge less successful for a work well done, as it takes a lot to be a contestant.

Each of the five competitors was given five minutes to defend their position on the aforementioned topic, ‘Party Politics and Democratic Sustenance; 2015 General Election in Focus.’

The guest lecturer of the day, Dr Lukman Saka of the Department of Political Science, UNILORIN, during his lecture, gave a professional insight into the topic of discussion.

He suggested ways for a peaceful outing in the conduct of a free and credible general election in 2015.

“In other to record a free fair and credible election in 2015, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) must be an independent body devoid of impartiality. It should earmark constructive but legal ways to conduct a free fair and credible election, as this is crucial to the success of the February 14, 2015 general election,” he said.

Dr Saka also advised politicians to ensure that the trust people have in them must not be truncated by personal and selfish interest, but rather, be used as a will to deliver justice to the people.

He added that security of the nation should be a collective effort and common objective of all political state actors before, during and after the elections.

Meanwhile, the Assistant General Secretary, Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kwara State chapter, Mallam Abubakare Mustapha, who represented the NUJ chairman of the state, Mr Abdulkareem Abiodun, advised the students to get involved in other educative programmes besides their academic programmes. This he said will help the students leave the four walls of the institution better than they met it.

After each debator was graded based on their appearance, composure, speaking ability, high points and time management, Victory Evans Emmanuel of the Faculty of Engineering emerged the overall winner of the contest, while Olawuyi Damilola of the Faculty of Education was the first runner-up and Ajibade Temidayo of the Faculty of Physical Sciences emerged the second runner-up.

Gift items, including mobile phones, t-shirts and stationery, among other things, were given accordingly to the winners as well as other participants.

The union president, Tiamiyu Taofeek, a 500-Level student of the Department of Agricultural Science, in his goodwill speech said: “Divergence in terms of political parties, race and tribal affiliation should not be a major problem. We all are enjoined to be law-abiding citizens and not agents of destruction.”

Odeyemi Afis Olawale (300-Level, Department of Education-History, UNILORIN)