We recently sponsored the second edition of the TVC Communication National Senior Secondary Female Debate Championship. The event which was organised as part of our activities to commemorate the 2023 International Day of the Girl Child and promote gender equality was themed; “Raising the Next Generation of Young Girls in a Technologically Advanced World.”
Union Bank’s involvement in the event was in recognition of the positive impact the initiative has had on the lives of young women since its inception. The debate championship is a unique platform for participants and particularly young girls to discuss topics that directly affect them and their future. It is hoped that through the exchange of ideas and arguments by the young female debaters, policy makers in government and corporate organisations will be influenced to come up with solutions that will bring about sustainable change to nagging issues directly affecting young girls and women.
Through our commitment to the United Nation’s Sustainability Development Goals of Quality Education and Gender Equality, we are championing this effective change hence, our support for this year’s TVC National Female Debate Championship. The Chief Brand and Marketing Officer, Union Bank of Nigeria, Olufunmilola Aluko, who was present at the event praised the young female debaters for their impressive performances and reminded them of the power of spoken words. She encouraged them to continue to use their gift to not only spark interest in the minds of everyone watching the event but also other young girls like themselves who desire to think of positive ways of improving their communities and society as a whole.
The final five female debaters were selected through a rigorous selection process out of hundreds of written and recorded video entries sent in by different female senior secondary students from various schools in Nigeria. The judges, participants, and the audience were impressed by the wit and oratory skills of the young ladies who delivered convincing arguments.
At the end of the keenly contested debate, Hikmah Abdulkareem, a senior secondary student of Al-Hikmah University International School emerged as the winner of the competition and went home with a star prize of ₦1,000,000. Kalu Glory Virginia of Ransome-Kuti Memorial School and Bliss Ejiofor of Eternal King Comprehensive College, who finished 1st and 2nd runner up also went home with cash prizes of ₦500,000 and ₦300,000 respectively.
The impressive line-up of judges who included Adesuwa Onyenokwe, Victoria Abiola Ajayi, Tunji Sotimirin, and Taiwo Kola-Ogunlade, commended the performance of the young female debaters.
The event was organised by TVC Communication, the owners of Television Continental, under the auspices of the TVC Women’s Network. The laudable program was conceived as a unique platform to empower young girls to not only be agents of change but also be leaders in their sphere of influence. This is the second year that TVC will be holding the National Senior Secondary School Female Debate Championship, aimed at empowering young girls to be community leaders.
