The presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Prince Adewole Adebayo, has urged Nigerian students to embrace patriotism and remain resilient in the quest for a better Nigeria.
Adebayo gave the charge at the second edition of Dare2Debate, organised by HACmedia Communications under its Dare2Debate initiative, at the Faculty of Education, University of Lagos, on Saturday, October 24.
He encouraged the students to recognise their role in shaping the country’s future and remain committed to building a better nation.
He said, “Young Nigerians must be patriotic and resilient in their pursuit of a better country. The future of Nigeria depends on the values we uphold, the choices we make and our willingness to contribute meaningfully to national development.”
The event featured secondary school students competing in debate rounds designed to promote critical thinking, public speaking and leadership skills.
Bishop Howells Memorial Grammar School emerged champion, defeating Dazille College, Agege, in the grand finale to win the championship trophy and grand prize.
Both finalists advanced from the preliminary stages and secured victories in the semi-finals, where they defeated the defending champions, CMS Grammar School, and Golden Heights School, respectively.
The final featured a freestyle debate round, with participants given four minutes and three minutes, respectively, to marshal their arguments.
Also speaking at the event, the Peoples Democratic Party’s deputy governorship candidate, Mrs Khadijat Bello, urged the students to be responsible in their conduct and take advantage of debate platforms to develop their critical thinking abilities and learn to speak truth to power.
A rights advocate, Steve Odole, also commended the initiative and emphasised the importance of intellectual responsibility among young people.
The organiser, Davies Ikpoyi, expressed satisfaction with the contributions and performances of the participating schools throughout the programme, from the training sessions and preliminary rounds to the grand finale.
He said Dare2Debate was established to nurture a new generation of leaders who are bold, knowledgeable and forward-looking in their approach to leadership and national development.
The second edition follows the inaugural competition, held last year at Femi Falana Chambers in Ikeja, which was won by CMS Grammar School.
