By Rauf Mujeeb

Two student residents of the Great Independence Hall, Mayowa Adekola Peculiar and Israel Bolarinwa, emerged winners of the INEC Campus Debate on Saturday, October 10, 2026, at the CBN Hall, Faculty of Economics Building, University of Ibadan (UI).

The event was organised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in collaboration with the Literary and Debating Society (TLDS), University of Ibadan.

According to the organisers, the competition was designed to engage and sensitise young people ahead of the 2027 general elections while rewarding oratorical excellence, sound argumentation, critical thinking and persuasive communication.

Following preliminary rounds involving teams from across the University, four teams advanced to the final stage of the competition.

The teams were assessed using established public-speaking criteria, including content and factual accuracy, delivery, persuasiveness, logical reasoning and time management.

At the end of the contest, Team Mandela, representing Great Independence Hall and comprising Israel Bolarinwa and Mayowa Adekola Peculiar, emerged as the winner, while Team Nkrumah, representing the Faculty of Law and comprising Goodluck and Challenge, finished as the first runner-up.

The participating teams received cash prizes from a total prize pool of N2 million.

Speaking with IndyPress, Mayowa attributed the team’s persistence to its passion for debating and its ability to learn from setbacks.

“We are what we repeatedly do. If there is anything that keeps us going despite the losses, setbacks, and disappointments, even when our expectations are high, it is that we genuinely love what we do,” he said.

He added that the team’s previous experiences had helped its members recognise that setbacks were part of the learning process.

“And perhaps, the ‘little’ results we have recorded along the way have helped us understand that we are not bewitched because we have lost. We are learning, growing, and getting better… hoping that, really, everything good will come!” he added.

Also speaking with IndyPress, Israel described the victory as a rewarding outcome of the team’s preparation and effort.

“Well, it was really very beautiful. Did a lot of work, like every other normal contestant, of course. And I can say it all paid off. It was really nice engaging in such discourse, particularly as ones that have to do with us as young ones,” he said.

Team Mandela will represent the University of Ibadan and the South-West at the national debate in Abuja, where it will compete against representatives from other regions of the country.

The organisers had earlier held preliminary competitions at the University of Jos, Bayero University and the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

Present at the event were the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Professor Adekunle Rahman Omobolanle; the Director of Voter Education; the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Professor Kayode Adebowale; the Dean of Students, Professor Demola Lewis; and other dignitaries.