Godfrey Okoye University (GOU), Enugu State, has celebrated two students from its Faculty of Law for emerging victorious in a National Universities Commission – National Youth Service Corps debate championship. Vice Chancellor Prof. Christian Anieke described the achievement as further proof of the university’s culture of excellence.
Victory Over 74 Universities
Egbogu Favour and Kosisochukwu Ajoyi represented the institution at the competition, which featured 74 universities from across Nigeria. An elated Vice Chancellor told the school community and stakeholders gathered to honor the students that the victory reflected the discipline, academic rigor, and quality training for which the university is known. “I am so proud of the two of you. The eagle has taken off and there is no stopping it,” he declared.
Anieke noted that the Faculty of Law has maintained an impressive record at the Nigerian Law School, while the College of Medicine has also distinguished itself with outstanding academic performances. He announced several attractive offers to the victorious students and assured that his management would continue to support debates and other competitions nationwide. The vice chancellor emphasized that the importance attached to competitions led the school to create a dedicated unit to prepare students and ensure their participation.
Competition Details
The Enugu-based institution clinched the top prize after overcoming stiff competition from over 74 universities, 109 debate teams, and 218 individual debaters. The NUC provided the official platform for the initiative, while Royal Rhetorics—an organization dedicated to training debaters internationally—offered technical support, adjudicators, and full sponsorship for the tournament.
Speaking on behalf of the organizers, Nwaele Stanley Chiemerie of Royal Rhetorics commended the resilience of the champions. The organization awarded a cash prize of N250,000 to the winning duo, along with an opportunity to participate in other debate competitions. Chiemerie acknowledged that while the amount does not fully match the magnitude of the students’ hard work, it serves as a token of recognition. He called on corporate bodies and public sponsors to partner with the organization in future editions to provide more substantial financial backing for academic achievements.
Students' Reflections
Reflecting on their journey, the student champions Favour Egbogu and Ajoyi Kosisochukwu described the experience as “daunting” but deeply rewarding. They revealed that they faced established debating giants, including Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), University of Nigeria (UNN), and the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN)—institutions that have dominated the Nigerian debating circuit for over five years. Godfrey Okoye University entered the competitive debating scene in 2024.
The students attributed their victory to weeks of rigorous self-drilling and personal coaching alongside the official NUC training modules. They further disclosed that the grand finale followed the British Parliamentary (BP) debate format, where they were tasked to speak first as the Opening Government (OG). Despite immense pressure and limited preparation time inherent to the opening position, the duo secured the championship title, expressing profound gratitude to God and the university management for their unwavering support.
