Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago Iwoye, Ogun State, has emerged the winner of the Hon. Justice Innocent Umezulike National Law Debate Competition 2023. The competition had four stages keenly contested by undergraduate law students from over 20 law faculties across the country. The winners received a combined N350,000 cash prize, award plaques, certificates of excellence and law books.
The national debate is for law students across accredited law faculties in Nigeria. Its purpose is to promote excellent legal education, research, critical thinking and advocacy for upcoming lawyers, arming them with choice skills needed for a successful career in law/legal practice. Additionally, the debate themes, topics, arguments and outcomes serve as outlets for intellectual reasoning, advocacy and activism by young minds creating awareness on topical issues of national relevance with the aim of providing insight into its solutions.
The final round was between OOU (Team Diamond) and University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus (UNEC) (Team Beryl) with OOU represented by Wuraola Okuneye and Runsewe Oluwakemi emerging as the winner and UNEC represented by Ugochukwu Precious Nmesonma and Eze Nwakaego Ogochukwu emerging as the 1st runner up. Ogochukwu of UNEC emerged as the Best Speaker in the competition.
The first part of the award presentation was recently held in the OOU Law Faculty boardroom. In attendance was the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Johnson Agboola Ayodeji; the Dean, Faculty of Law, Dr. Gbade Akinrimade, some other distinguished lecturers and administrative staff of the Faculty, the awardees, their team and select students. Also present was the Foundation’s Associate Head of Legal and Research, Ruth Soronnadi.
The 2nd part of the award presentation held at UNEC was attended by the Dean, Prof. Ifeoma Enemo; the Sub Dean, Dr. Helen Agu, the Faculty Officer, the student awardees and their team members.
The Vice Chancellor of OOU, the Faculty Deans, lecturers and the student awardees expressed their gratitude to the foundation for supporting legal education and excellent legal research.
On her part, Sorannadi expressed her gratitude to all who partnered with the foundation to ensure the success of the debate competition. She particularly appreciated Wola Joseph, a lawyer, for sponsoring the 1st Runner Up Cash prize award.
The Co-chairs of the foundation, Dr. Cynthia Chisom Umezulike and Dr. Victor Azubike Umezulike, noted that it remains committed to advancing excellent legal education and research, saying that was what their late father, Justice Innocent Azubuike Umezulike, a Professor of Land and Property Law with over 25 published books as well as the longest serving Chief Justice in the South East, was known for in his lifetime and the legacy he has left behind.
