Here’s a fully rewritten and rephrased version with a new opening and closing paragraph, removal of any reference to NAN, and changes throughout to avoid plagiarism:
Lagos witnessed the start of a major academic contest on Friday as students from the state’s six education districts gathered for the inaugural Lagos Schools Debate Competition (LSDC), a three-day event aimed at sharpening intellectual and communication skills.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Convener, Bukum Babatunde, said the competition was organised in partnership with Debate Champs and Hava Debate Council to provide Nigerian students with greater access to international debating opportunities and global academic platforms.
The event, taking place at the British International Junior School in Victoria Island, features participating schools that emerged from qualifying rounds across the state’s six education districts.
Babatunde explained that the competition was created to encourage students to develop critical thinking, effective communication and policy analysis skills, regardless of their academic disciplines.
According to her, the initiative forms part of a broader mission to raise a new generation of globally competitive students through continuous mentorship, training programmes and structured debate engagements.
She noted that the programme seeks to connect Nigerian students with international debating standards while equipping them with the skills required to compete successfully on global platforms.
Babatunde observed that despite the intellectual abilities and creativity demonstrated by many Nigerian students, their presence in international debate competitions remains limited.
She added that excessive dependence on memorised arguments often hinders students’ ability to think independently, adapt to new perspectives and respond effectively during spontaneous debate sessions.
Also speaking, Co-Convener Dr Halima Usman stressed the importance of moving beyond rote learning and encouraging students to embrace analytical reasoning, logical argument construction and active participation throughout the debate process.
Usman described the collaboration with Hava Debate Council as a valuable partnership, citing the organisation’s track record in preparing national debate teams for international competitions.
According to her, outstanding performance in debating requires more than preparation; it demands the ability to think under pressure, defend positions convincingly and engage with opposing viewpoints in real time.
She explained that the Lagos Schools Debate Competition is intended not only as a learning platform but also as a talent discovery initiative designed to identify promising debaters and prepare them for future national and international representation.
In an emotional remark, Mrs Funmilayo Babatunde, mother of the convener, expressed pride in the initiative and appreciation to everyone contributing to its success.
She commended the organisers for creating opportunities that could expose Nigerian students to global educational experiences and help them compete confidently with their peers around the world.
The organisers called on government agencies, educational institutions, parents and private sector stakeholders to invest more resources in debate education as a means of strengthening students’ intellectual and leadership capacities.
They also disclosed plans to expand the programme beyond Lagos, introduce continental debate competitions, provide recorded learning resources and establish long-term mentorship schemes to nurture future generations of world-class debaters.
As the competition progresses, participants are expected to demonstrate not only eloquence and confidence but also the critical thinking skills needed to address complex issues in an increasingly interconnected world.