NGO trains Ibadan students in public speaking, hosts debate, essay contests

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A non-governmental organisation, the Black Girl’s Dream Initiative (BGDI), has trained students in some selected secondary schools in Ibadan in public speaking through its annual Ibadan Schools’ Debate Competition 3.0 and the Abbas Oyeyemi Essay Competition for students with special needs.

The founder of the organisation, Karimot Odebode, on Tuesday in Ibadan, noted that while this was the third edition of the debate competition, the essay competition was inaugurated this year to honour the memory of the late Abbas Oyeyemi who was instrumental to the establishment and growth of BGDI.

“Running this initiative, for the past three years, has been the most fulfilling part of my life,” she said. “Helping to build a platform for young teenagers to find expression and lend their voices to issues that are most pressing in society.”

Odebode stated that they were able to train 380 students across 20 schools for the debate competition, research and sustainable development. She added that in the last three years, they have reached over 1,117 students in Ibadan, helping to create and change narratives for individuals and society.

The seven schools that participated in the debate competition were: Green Trees School, Isbatudeen Girls Grammar School, Nickdel College, Oba Akinbiyi Model College, Muflihun High School, As-Sabbaq College, and Humaini Alaga High School.

The debate topics were: ‘Flooding in Nigeria: Natural disaster or human-caused?’, ‘Fuel subsidy removal: Fostering economic growth or imposing hardship on the poor? And ‘The roles of digital tools in Nigeria higher education: Advancing research and innovation or encouraging plagiarism?’

After the first round of the debate, four schools: Green Trees School, Isbatudeen Girls Grammar School, Nickdel College, and Oba Akinbiyi Model College made it to the final stage, and were given the topic ‘The role of sports in shaping creativity and among Nigerian youths’ to speak on.

In the end, Oba Akinbiyi Model College won the debate competition with a total score of 64.7 per cent, Green Trees School was the first runner-up with 52.4 per cent, Nickdel College was the second runner-up with 50.6 per cent, and Isbatudeen Girls Grammar School followed with 48.3 per cent.

Chief and Mrs I. A. Odebode presented the award, gift items, and cash prizes to the Oba Akinbiyi Model College student who won the debate competition.

The Country Head of HP Nigeria, Emmanuel Asika, presented the award, gift items, and cash prizes to the Green Trees School student who was the first runner-up of the competition.

The Director of the Initiative for Information, Arts and Culture Development in Nigeria (IACD), Karamat Ajala, presented the award, gift items, and cash prizes to the Nickdel College student who was the second runner-up of the competition.

Y. Ibilade, representing the Oyo State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Inclusion, presented the award and gift items, and cash prizes to the I.M.G Grammar School student who won the inaugural Abass Oyeyemi essay competition.

Some of the gift items presented to the winners were HP laptops, printers, noodles, bags, and cash prizes ranging from N50,000 to N5,000.

Darasimi Akinyele, the overall winner of the debate competition, from Oba Akinbiyi Model College, appreciated BGDI for giving her the opportunity to participate in the debate and also for giving her the platform to speak and make her voice known on important issues affecting society.

There was a panel session moderated by Anjolaoluwa Ogundepo, with Hikmat Ibrahim Buruji and B.O.Y Olajide as panellists. The panellists discussed issues bordering on self-esteem, confidence, and other related issues.

Delivering the closing remarks, Odebode appreciated their sponsors: First Bank, HP, Flour Mills, Wheeldrop Petroleum, the Nigerian Brewery, and IACD. She also appreciated the Oyo State Ministry of Science, Technology and Education for giving them access to the schools in Ibadan.

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