UNILORIN Quiz, Debate team eyes global trophies

By Tajudeen Babamale

The University of Ilorin Quiz and Debates Team has set its target on conquering the continental and global university debating circuit after recording a remarkable performance at the 13th All-Nigeria Universities Debating Championship (ANUDC) in Port Harcourt.

Members of the team stated this in separate chats with UNILORIN Bulletin last Monday (September 21, 2026), shortly after presenting its laurels to the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Wahab Olasupo Egbewole, SAN, in his office.

The Unilorin contingent emerged champion of the Ultimate NAIJA Quiz Challenge and the Public Speaking category of the 13th ANUDC, returning home with two national trophies and 10 medals after reaching the Grand Finale in all three major categories of the championship: Quiz, Public Speaking and Debate.

Speaking on the significance of the feat, the Chairman of the University of Ilorin Quiz and Debate Committee, Prof. Oluyinka A. Iyiola, described the victory as particularly significant, noting that the University emerged champion on its third attempt in the quiz component of the ANUDC, an achievement, which, he said, reflected the team’s determination to learn from previous experiences, strengthen its preparation and continually improve its performance.

Speaking on the road to victory, Prof. Iyiola explained that the University’s preparation began with Faculty and Inter-Faculty Quiz and Debate Competitions, from which the best-performing students were identified, adding that the selected students subsequently underwent further training before the final team was constituted to represent the University at national competitions.

Prof. Iyiola said the success was significant not only because of the trophies won but also because it projected the University of Ilorin as an institution that nurtures intellectuals and future leaders. He said that the priority now is to sustain the standard and ensure that the University continues to perform strongly at subsequent competitions.

“We must not be a national champion alone. Our next target is the Pan-African University Debate Championship (PAUDC), with the ambition of progressing from the African championship to the World Universities Debating Championship (WUDC), thereby taking the University’s intellectual competition success from Nigeria to Africa and ultimately the global stage”, he submitted

Meanwhile, the students who emerged National Champions said participation in the University of Ilorin Quiz and Debates Team has provided benefits extending beyond competitive success.

One of the quiz champions, Mr Olunloyo Sheu Olawale, a 400-level Computer Science student, said his journey began through his Faculty’s Annual Debate Fest, where students compete in quiz, debate and public speaking.

Mr Olawale  said participation in competitive quizzing had exposed him to knowledge far beyond his academic discipline. “As a quizzer, you have to do a lot of research about everything going on around you. Our preparation involves world affairs, African affairs, politics, science, literature, startups and many other areas. This has broadened my knowledge beyond my academic discipline and helped me to understand the world from a wider perspective”, he said.

He pointed out that the experience had also encouraged him to think about entrepreneurship after learning about the achievements of startup founders.

While adding that the quiz competition had improved his vocabulary, reasoning ability, approach to studying and general outlook on the world, he urged students of the University who may not initially have an interest in competitions to join the University of Ilorin Quiz and Debate community, describing the experience as an avenue for intellectual and personal development.

He said students could benefit from exposure to different fields of knowledge while developing their ability to reason, research and understand issues from broader perspectives.

Another member of the victorious quiz team, Mr Yusuf Abdulwariz Oniyangi, a 400-level Zoology student, said curiosity was one of the major factors that drew him to competitive quizzing.

According to him, the different categories covered during the University’s inter-faculty quiz which includes governance, global affairs, politics and African affairs, provided an opportunity for participants to discover facts and subjects beyond his immediate academic discipline. He added that, his curiosity had continually pushed him to research areas he did not previously understand.

Mr Oniyangi also identified speed of thought as one of the major skills he developed through the competition, saying, the rapid-fire segment of the championship requires contestants to process questions and produce answers within about 20 seconds. He said the experience had trained him to process information more quickly and respond confidently under pressure.

He also said the competition improved his ability to interact with people from different backgrounds, having had to travel to a new environment and engage with students he had never previously met.

He commended the University for the academic environment and opportunities that had contributed to his development, saying his experience at Unilorin had significantly broadened his academic exposure. He also acknowledged the support he received from Prof. Iyiola, whom he described as his lecturer and project supervisor, for the role he has been playing in his career development.

For Mr William Ajayi, a 500-level Medical Laboratory Science student and member of the University of Ilorin Debate Team, joining the debate community has significantly improved his communication skills and confidence.

Mr Ajayi said his motivation to join debate was the need to develop the ability to communicate effectively, particularly as a leader who would need to interact with people, present ideas and persuade others.

He said participation in debate had helped him overcome stage fright and made it easier for him to communicate with people he had not previously met, adding that he had gradually moved from being an introvert to becoming more comfortable interacting with others.

Mr Ajayi also explained the demanding nature of the British Parliamentary format used at the championship, explaining that debaters receive their motions only 15 minutes before the debate and are expected to develop their arguments within the limited preparation time.

He said the format requires participants to have broad knowledge and the ability to think quickly, as they are not allowed to use phones or other gadgets during preparation.

He said that the experience had strengthened his confidence, communication skills and ability to think under pressure, qualities he believes will remain valuable beyond the debate competition.

The students attributed the team’s success at the 13th All-Nigeria Universities Debating Championship to its structured training, strong leadership and continued support from alumni, who organise regular physical and online training sessions. They also commended the Chairman of the University of Ilorin Quiz and Debate Committee, Prof. Iyiola and his team for their commitment to the team’s progress.