Secondary school participants in the Felabration 2018 Senior Secondary Schools Debate got rare praise from Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka Wednesday when they took to the stage to debate the topic: โState Police should be implemented in Nigeriaโ at the Freedom Park, Lagos Island.
Soyinka who only witnessed part of the first round of the competition, praised the pupils for the points they raised and their eloquence, describing them as promising politicians.
โWe have very promising politicians among us. I think you (audience) have been listening to some stimulating speeches if what I heard is what you have been listening to. I was very busy in my office before I was persuaded to join you. But I would have spared some more time to listen to the inspiring speeches i have heard this morning. Congratulations to all of you. I wish you well,โ he said.
But if they are considering politics, Soyinka warned that they have to be better prepared.
โTry and distinguish between rhetoric and politics. Be good speakers but if you are going to get into politics be prepared for some rough time,โ he said.
Ten schools participated in the first round of the competition, which also required all the speakers to tell what they knew about the late Fela Anikulapo Kuti, who was Soyinkaโs first cousin.
They were whittled down to five in the second stage where they were required to give impromptu talk about topics given to them by the judges.
At the end of the competition, Rainbow College, Surulere came first, Vivan Fowler, second, and Ipakodo Senior Grammar School, Ikorodu, third. The winner got a laptop, the first runner up, a Samsung tablet; and the second runner up, a Tecno tablet. All 10 participants got phones, while their schools got keyboards.
