By: Femi-Adeniyi Joshua
The Literary and Debating Society (TLDS) of the University of Ibadan held a press conference ahead of its approaching public speaking event known as “Jaw war”.
The press conference which held on Friday, 27th of September 2024 at Junior Common Room, Ransome Kuti Hall, had in attendance executives of TLDS UI, as well as representatives of the literary and debating societies of various halls and faculties.
The University of Ibadan’s main debate competition, Jaw War, is set to commence its tenth edition, tagged “Jaw War: Rise of Legends,” running from November 26, 2024, to January 8, 2025.
With the theme, “Africa’s Travails and Triumphs: Moving Forward and Learning From the Past,” this edition aims to foster critical discourse around the African continent’s challenges and successes. This year’s edition brings several notable changes to the tournament structure.
In an effort to manage the extended timeline and accommodate a newly added faculty, the Literary and Debating Society (TLDS) has decided to remove the second leg of the preliminary round for the Hall Category after a 14-8 vote by the Senate representatives.
According to Ogonna Okere, President of the TLDS, this decision was influenced not only by financial considerations but also by the extended timeline of the tournament, which now includes two preliminary rounds for the Faculty Category.
The 2024 edition will also feature two British Parliamentary Debate exhibition rounds, providing an additional platform for students to showcase their debating skills and add a new dynamic to the competition.
The balloting for the tournament draws was anchored by the President of the Union of Campus Journalists (UCJ), Tosanwunmi Tarre, to ensure transparency in the process.
The draws revealed intriguing matchups for the preliminary rounds in both the Hall and Faculty categories.
The halls of residence were billed to take on each other as follows;
– Alexander Brown Hall vs. Obafemi Awolowo Hall
– Ransome Kuti Hall vs. Nnamdi Azikiwe Hall
– Queen Idia Hall vs. Mellanby Hall
– Independence Hall vs. Lord Tedder Hall
– Queen Elizabeth II Hall vs. Sultan Bello Hall
The faculties were matched up as follows;
– Faculty of Public Health vs. Faculty of Clinical Sciences
– Faculty of Education vs. Faculty of Agriculture
– Faculty of Science vs. Faculty of The Social Sciences
– Faculty of Veterinary Medicine vs. Faculty of Technology
– Faculty of Economics vs. Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources
– Faculty of Law vs. Faculty of Environmental Design and Management
– Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences vs. Faculty of Arts
– Faculty of Dentistry vs. Faculty of Nursing
The Faculty of Pharmacy, meanwhile, gained an automatic qualification into the quarterfinals due to the new balloting system.
Reflecting on the tournament’s tagline, “Rise of Legends,” TLDS President Ogonna Okere expressed excitement about seeing new speakers emerge in the competition.
With many established debaters having graduated, this edition will feature numerous fresh faces, allowing upcoming debaters to shine and make their mark on the prestigious Jaw War stage.
“We’ve seen an avalanche of very popular speakers leave the school, so there’ll be plenty of new faces. As the tag [Rise of Legends] implies, I look forward to seeing amazing speakers — people who are not really so known and those who were only known in certain quarters — speak on the Jaw War stage,” said Okere.
The timeline for Jaw War 2024 is as follows: Press Conference: September 27, 2024; Rally: November 24, 2024; First Leg (Hall Category): November 26, 2024; First Leg (Faculty Category): November 28, 2024; Second Leg (Faculty Category) and First British Parliamentary (BP) Exhibition Round: December 3, 2024; Quarterfinals (Hall Category) and Second BP Exhibition Round: December 5, 2024; Quarterfinals (Faculty Category): December 7, 2024; Semifinals (Faculty and Hall): December 17, 2024; and, finals January 8, 2025.
The event promises to be an inspiring platform where students can engage in critical discussions and demonstrate their oratory skills.
Last year’s champions, Nnamdi Azikiwe Hall and the Faculty of Technology, will be looking to defend their titles as the competition heats up.
