LASU DEBATE SOCIETY

I remember the first time I was chosen to represent my level in a Debate Competition. It was the first opportunity I saw to develop my public speaking skills, so, I didn't want to mess it up. I had prepared hard, internalized, and already practised my gesticulation the night before. I had already envisioned myself giving a great presentation. On D-day, after I was told to start, just 30 seconds into my presentation, everything was ruined with sweaty palms and trembling hands. My dream has turned into a nightmare. It was quite obvious that the sweat in my body was waiting for me to mount the stage before it started seeping. For me, it was sweaty palms and trembling hands; for some, it might be a racing pulse; for you, it might be a dry mouth and a tight throat. The good news is that "you are not alone." There are explanations and hypotheses on the causes of those symptoms of stage fright. Part of the explanation is that those symptoms are inborn. People who are born introv...

My roommate said that she has never indulged in a debate before. Well, I countered by saying it is impossible. She further proved her point by showing me pictures of her representing her secondary school in other competitions like quizzes and spelling bees, but never a debate. She even went as far as making me speak with her friend whom they've progressed together from primary school to Lagos State University, yet I held my stance that it is impossible for her to have never indulged in a debate. The argument got heated and lasted till the night...Well, I am sure you know what is going on here, right? I am laughing out loud because my roommate is claiming to have not participated in a debate before yet she is debating with me informally.  Therefore, you can agree with me that everyone has indulged in a debate before, but it is mostly done informally and naturally that it is not considered a debate. As long as you argue about the best tenure of a government so far, the colour that sh...

  I have always imagined university life to be a continuation of high school, with lectures, exams, and the occasional group project. However, my assumptions were quickly shattered when I stepped into my first class.  The lecturer, Dr. Blaster, greeted us with a smile and announced that we would be starting with an impromptu presentation. My heart raced as I realized that I was expected to stand in front of a group of strangers and speak for three minutes on a topic I had not prepared for.  It was then that I realized that university was a whole new ballgame, and public speaking was going to be a significant part of it. After the presentations, we were all given a clear indication of the importance of public speaking skills in our academic journey. We were encouraged to develop our speaking skills as students' speaking was a crucial part of the learning process and assessment in this new world.  As for me, my impromptu presentation was enough to awaken a des...

    Sometime in July 2019, I attended Daystar Leadership Academy(DLA) to become a better person, student and leader. I was passionate about environmental issues and how the little things I do could make a big difference. I had read countless books, listened to podcasts, and watched movies and numerous documentaries about the impact of climate change on the planet. However, I felt like I wasn't doing enough to create a positive impact. During one of the training sessions, one of the Coaches, Pst. Sam Adeyemi, spoke about how little things like making use of the waste bin instead of disposing of nylons, papers, and other environmental pollutants on the street of Lagos State could make a big difference in the State. He shared stories about countries that do little things like making proper use of the waste bin and the progress they've made. The session ended with a call to action for Nigerians to reduce their use of plastic bags and stop disposing of nylon and other environme...

  Public speaking is generally deemed the act of making a speech to a live audience with the intention to educate, actuate, inform, persuade or entertain. This goes without saying that despite the very obvious simplicity of the entire concept of public speaking, genuinely, speaking in public is not necessarily the same as public speaking; and this is exactly where most Nigerian leaders/politicians miss it. Certainly, for a person to thrive in politics, such an individual can go with the barest minimum amount of confidence. Hence, most of these politically inclined individuals, without hassle, speak in public, using the same quality of confidence with which they delved into politics. By this logic, any person at all, even with a meager-sized confidence may speak in public. However, there is the need to clarify that being a public speaker transcends the point of being able to speak in public to the point of ding so with impact, solidity, substance and most importantly, with style. ...