Young Amadeus University Amizi (AUA), a two-year-old private institution located in Amizi, Ikwuano Local Government Area of Abia State, has achieved third place overall in the inaugural Virtual Debating Championship. The competition was organized under the framework of the National Universities Commission (NUC) and implemented through the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Community Development Service (CDS) initiative.
Competition Details
The championship was preceded by an intensive National Debate Training Programme (NDTP) and brought together participants from universities across Nigeria in a virtual contest. The debate utilized the British Parliamentary format, with the motion: “Whether to Ban Political Parties in Nigeria.” The goal was to deepen discourse on governance, national development, and structural reforms.
A total of 73 universities from all six geopolitical zones registered for the event. AUA secured its third-place finish through the efforts of two Nursing Science students, Excel Okechukwu and Joyce Ikechi, who reportedly had only two days to prepare for the competition.
Organizational Framework
The initiative was conceived under the NYSC CDS framework by a corps member serving at the NUC, Jane-Francis Ijeoma Abuta. Technical coordination was handled by Royal Rhetorics (RR). Thousands of viewers nationwide followed the virtual competition.
Godfrey Okoye University, Enugu, emerged as the winner, with the University of Ilorin taking second place, and Amadeus University, Amizi, Abia State, securing third position.
Institutional Response
The Vice Chancellor of AUA, Prof. Henry Eke, described the institution’s performance as a reflection of its commitment to critical thinking and academic excellence. He commended the students and organizers for delivering what he described as a world-class competitive platform aligned with global standards.
The university librarian and debate coordinator, Prof. Ngozi Blessing Ukachi, characterized the experience as remarkable. She noted that the institution was proud of its performance despite competing against older and more established universities. “We are happy that we participated, and with what we achieved, we hope to do better in the future,” she said.
