By: Favour Ogundare

A public speaking space at the University of Ibadan, Jaw War has long stood as the largest and most renowned literary and debating event in Sub-Sahara Africa. Every second semester at the University, a large number of students gather to witness the much-anticipated public speaking competition.

During this period, student leaders at various halls of residence within the University are always seen in the act of mobilizing students to cheer on and motivate their representatives in the competition. The energy has always been electric. But beneath the excitement lies a crucial question: Is Jaw War still fulfilling its intellectual purpose, or has it become just another form of campus entertainment?

While the speakers, the heart of Jaw War, deserve accolades for their outstanding performances, the audience must reflect on how they engage with the event. I believe that Jaw War should serve as a public speaking space to foster critical thinking and engagement. Today, however, it risks devolving into a spectacle of humor and banter with little or no impact on the average spectators.

As this trend continues, Jaw War could entirely lose its essence as a forum for meaningful discourse. While a debate is ideally meant to be amusing, it equally has the mandate of reshaping and fostering critical engagement among its audience. Yet, as the audience seems to prioritize banter and applause over thoughtful listening, the event, in my own opinion, appears to resemble a comedy show rather than an intellectual competition that adds value to its spectators.

Let’s be clear. The humour is not a vice. Wit and laughter have always been part of Jaw War’s unique flavour, making speeches engaging. However, it is worth establishing that humour should  only be used as a tool for passing critical messages and delivering ideas, not the destination. As Plato aptly put it, “Wise men speak because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something.” A joke can illuminate a point, but it must never replace the point itself.

When success in debate is measured solely by the number of claps a speaker receives, the intellectual depth of the contest is compromised. The genuine aim of participating in a debating event like Jaw War should be to leave the audience not only entertained but also enlightened, provoked to think, to question, and to act.

Another troubling dimension to examine is the politicization of the Jaw War event. Time and again, I have observed how some students use the event as a stepping stone for political ambition. It is not rare to see an aspirant for a position such as the Students’ Union Public Relations Officer suddenly become hyper-visible during Jaw War season, sharing Jaw War updates all in a bid to gain popularity.

Some speakers, too, participate not with the goal of aspiring, but of currying favour with fresh students, a community with tabula rasa mindsets, who are easily swayed by eloquence over content. This manipulation of impressionable minds has often led to poor political choices in the Students’ Union elections.

It cannot be overstated that Jaw War, instead of being reduced to a popularity contest, should return to its core mission. To Inform, inspire, and incite critical conversations.

Public speaking on campus should go beyond showmanship. It should be a tool for advocacy. It is high time our public speakers began lending their critical voices to issues affecting the student community on campus, including deplorable living conditions, poor learning environments, unjust student victimization, rising tuition fees, and more.

The public speaking space should be consciously treated as a platform for reflection of societal challenges and intellectual engagement for social impact.

In the end, Jaw War should be more than just claps and clever punchlines. It must be a space where ideas are critically examined, arguments sharpened, and meaningful conversations ignited. If all that remains after a round is bant and laughter, then the essence of the annual event has failed. But if students leave with new insights, deeper understanding, and a broader sense of social phenomenon, only then can we say that Jaw War is beginning to truly live up to its name.