Veritas University Wins Commonwealth Debate Competition in Kigali

The Veritas University, Bwari-Abuja has trounced over 100 other universities to emerge victorious at the maiden edition of the Commonwealth Universities Debating Championship held in Kigali, Rwanda.

Head of Corporate Affairs and Communications of the University, Ben. Agande, who made this known in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja, said the University was excited with the outstanding performance of the students, noting that the victory of the Veritas team to the championship was coming on the heels of several international laurels won by the University.

He recalled that in February 2024, Veritas University emerged Victorious in the African Telecommunications Union Digital Innovation Challenge in Nairobi, Kenya. The victory came with a price money of Twenty Thousand Dollars.

Reacting to the recent development, the Vice Chancellor of Veritas University, Rev. Fr. Professor Hyacinth Ichoku noted that the victory was an affirmation of the University’s commitment to giving the students holistic education that will combine discipline, academic excellence, robust interpersonal skills development and the confidence to stand on the world stage to defend their knowledge.

He said: “With this victory, it is clear that our victories in the other international competitions were not flukes.

“What this means is that we are on the right track in our commitment to giving our students holistic education that will combine discipline, academic excellence, robust interpersonal skills development and the confidence to stand on the world stage to defend their knowledge.

“We are thrilled by this, and it will certainly serve as an elixir for us to consolidate on what we have been doing and to do more. I thank the students that represented us on the world stage. It is a thing of pride for not just Veritas University but also for our country, Nigeria.

“As we celebrate this remarkable achievement, we keenly look forward to the pursuit of excellence in the field of research and other academic endeavours. The university remains committed to nurturing talent, fostering critical thinking skills and providing platforms for students to excel both inside and outside the classroom,” he said.

According to a statement by the Commonwealth secretariat, “the Commonwealth Universities’ Debating Championship (CUDC) is a flagship programme initiated by Aspire Debate Rwanda in partnership with the University of Rwanda with strong support from the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Rwanda as the leading line Ministry in preparation of this championship.

The post-Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) engagement CUDC activities seek to bring youth, specifically university students from Commonwealth member countries together to discuss and share ideas, information and knowledge on the recommendations of the previous Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.

“In addition, the championship aims to be an annual post-CHOGM event programme that will go further to be a Launchpad in establishing good interpersonal relationships amongst participating students, creating a formidable platform for culture exchange, awareness on global, regional and national challenges among university students from all the 56 member countries in an engaging way that encourages even participation. Thus, shaping a Commonwealth youth as a global citizen.

“The programme also intends to encourage young people to have a deep involvement in policy formulation, monitoring and evaluation as a prerequisite to intensely hold their leaders accountable.