Team Lagos Tops Regional Contest as Pupils Debate ” Social Media: The Call for Regulations or Not?”
Published by Olumide Donald, August 30, 2025
The Southwest Debate Competition for Public Primary Schools, powdered by LG News Academy , held on Thursday at the Fish Farm Event Centre, Ogudu, Lagos has been hailed as a model for cognitive development, academic excellence, and leadership grooming.
The contest, which featured pupils from four states across the Southwest, tackled the thought -provoking topic: ” Social Media: The Call for Regulations or Not?”
Participants demonstrated a rare blend of eloquence, reasoning, and boldness,prompting stakeholders to commend the initiative as a ”moral compass for Nigeria’s future leadership.”
” This debate proves that leadership starts in the classroom. Our children are ready, if only the political class will give them a platform” -A Stakeholder at the event said.
The event brought together brilliant young debaters across the Southwest to engage in a. Spirited intellectual exchange that stakeholders say should be replicated nationwide. The theme ‘Social Media : The Call For Regulations or Not?.”Pupils despite their young aged, demonstrated remarkable insight into the complexities of digital communication, governance, freedom of expression, and societal values.
After a keenly contested series of rounds, Team Lagos emerged the overall winner, dazzling judges and the audience with their clarity of thought, and teamwork. Team Ogun and Team Ekiti secured the second and third positions respectively, showing the intellectual depth and promise of the region’s public school pupils.
The event drew loud cheers and excitement from.parents, teachers and dignitaries present transforming the Fish Farm venue to a hub of celebration and intellectual engagement. The combination of academic rigor and extracurricular vibrancy created an atmosphere stakeholders vowed to relish and never forget in a hurry.
One of the dignitaries,Gabardeen Olabode in his keynote remark drew parallels between the program’s vision and the legacy of the late Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande, fondly remembered as Babs Kekere and Nigeria’s most education focused governor.” Just as His Father Jakande Free education initiative redefined Lagos’ educational system, that of his son ( Southwest Debate Competition) is another rising profile that proves his unmatched influence on grooming future leaders,” The Famed Duke of Lagos posited.
Speakers at the event also tasked the ruling political elite to scale the program nationwide, stressing that beyond rhetoric, Nigeria must invest in platforms that challenge young minds and inspire them towards nation- building.
As the curtains fell, the debate left more than winners and losers, it ignited conversations about the role of public schools in Shaping Nigeria’s destiny, the importance of extracurricular learning, the need for unity in harnessing the intellectual power of the next generation while raise the bar for education driven initiatives as cornerstones of national development. According to concerned interests, this debate program must be absolved into a national education policy or bill, they emphasized that if replicated across all states,such platforms could Sharleen critical thinking, civic awareness, and patriotism among young Nigerians.
”Debate sharpens the mind, builds confidence and grooms leaders. Nigeria must make this a national culture.”- Professor Akinwunmi Femi (Head of Team Ekiti Delegate)
While Team Lagos carried the trophy, the 2025 Southwest Regional Debate Competition For Public Primary Schools left behind a far reaching conclusion proving that when given the medium for academic nurturing, Nigeria’s young minds can engage meaningfully in conversations that shape our ever evolving society.
Ayobo/IpajaTV.com 