A group of secondary school students from Delta State has achieved global recognition by clinching the top spot at the prestigious World School Debate Championship held in Doha, Qatar, where they represented Nigeria.
The young debaters defeated teams from Qatar and the State of Chicago, USA, to emerge as overall champions, showcasing excellence in public speaking, argumentation, and critical thinking on an international stage.
Their victory followed an earlier national win that earned them the right to fly Nigeria’s flag at the world championship. The national debate contest was organized by the Presidential Schools Debate Nigeria under the office of the presidency.
The Nigerian team, fully comprised of students from Delta State, included Wisdom Chukwuma (Government College, Ughelli), Otorvo Uyoyou (Alegbo Secondary School, Effurun), Abraham Honour (Okpaka Secondary School, Okpaka), Ekhamateh Splendour (Government Model Secondary School, Asaba), and Alika Daniel (Utagba-Ogbe Grammar School, Kwale).
They first secured a narrow 2:1 victory before advancing to deliver a flawless 3:0 win in the final, finishing with a decisive 5:1 aggregate score to claim the world title.
Back home, the triumph has sparked widespread celebration, especially in Delta State, where stakeholders see the feat as a testament to the potential of Nigerian youth—often overlooked by national leadership and a dysfunctional education system.
Before heading to Qatar, the team paid a courtesy visit to Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori in Asaba, who offered support and motivation.
“I believe in you. You have what it takes to make Delta and Nigeria proud,” the governor said during the visit.
Education advocates have described the students’ performance as proof that investment in young minds yields global rewards, even as public education continues to suffer neglect in other parts of the country under Tinubu’s watch.
