Two students of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE), recently, emerged winners of the 2024 National Orientation Agency’s 7 for 7 National Value Charter Campus Debate and Capacity Building Conference.
The students, Christian Needbari Mgboalu and Joshua Onyerere, both from the Department of English and Communication Arts, competed with students from the University of Calabar in the South-South Zone Team B category and scored 499 points, surpassing the University of Calabar’s 447 points.
The debate, which took place at the Postgraduate Hall of IAUE, Rumuolumeni campus, saw the winners earn a cash prize of N5million.
Similarly, students from the Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Enugu, also won N5million after beating their counterparts from the Federal University of Allied Health Sciences, Enugu, by 516 points against their 458 points in the South-East Team A category.
The debate focused on “Striking the Balance Between Government Promises and Citizens’ Responsibilities in Nation Building”.
In his speech, the Director of Ideas, Creativity, and Innovations at IAUE, Professor Samuel Amaele, expressed gratitude to the Vice Chancellor of IAUE, Professor Okechuku Onuchuku, for his support towards hosting the event.
He also commended the National Orientation Agency, the panel of judges, and students from different universities for participating in the exercise.
The winners will compete for twenty million naira at the grand finale, scheduled for a later date.
IAUE’s team, under the tutelage of Professor Ibiere Ken-Maduako, had rehearsed for a week and submitted a recorded video version on the relevance of the 7 for 7 National Value Charter in building a great nation.
That video clip qualified them for this stage, where they emerged victorious.
The victorious team later presented their award to the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of IAUE 12th Governing Council, Chief Adokiye Amiesimaka, and the Acting Vice Chancellor of IAUE, Professor Onuchuku, who lauded them for their achievement.
Onuchuku expressed the hope that Professor Ken-Maduako and her team will do their best to ensure that IAUE secures the twenty million naira cash prize at the national level of the competition.

By: Sogbeba Dokubo