“We will win this edition of Jaw War”-Interview with ABH LnD President and Clinical Sciences Coordinator

We are less than a week away from Jaw War: Rise of Legends, the latest instalment of Sub-Saharan Africa’s largest public-speaking competition, and its accompanying thrills. As first in a three-part series of articles focusing on this year’s edition, the UIMSA Press’ Igdaliah Otitoola sat with the President of the Alexander Brown Hall Literary and Debating Society, Oluwatosin Adedipe, and the Clinical Sciences Co-ordinator of the same society, David Akoki, for a discussion on the preparation for this edition, structure of the ABH L&D Society, the glorious double-final run of Jaw War 2021, and what to expect from the new set of speakers. Read below

Can you introduce yourselves?

Oluwatosin: I am Oluwatosin Adedipe, President of the Alexander Brown Hall Literary and Debating Society, ABH LnD.

David: My name is David Akoki. I am in 600L MBBS and the Clinical Sciences Coordinator and Team Lead of House Thatcher at the Alexander Brown Hall Literary and Debating Society.

Tell us a bit about your public speaking journeys in UI

Oluwatosin:  I became a member of the ABH LnD in 2021. Since then, I have spoken at the Champion of the Podium, an ABH LnD event, twice; in 2023 and 2024. I was a speaker at the UIMSA Health Week Inter-class debate, 2024. I was also a speaker at Jaw War 2024 representing ABH.

David: I started in 2021 as a member of the ABH LnD, and went on to win the Champion of the Podium in 2023. My involvement with the society has been largely in the background.

Jaw War begins in less than a week. How prepared are ABH and Clinical Sciences?

Oluwatosin: The ABH LnD is ‘super-prepared’ if there is a word like that. We have been working on our speeches for weeks now and the progress is remarkable. We are well prepared to bring the trophies home, where they rightly belong.

David: We are prepared, and that’s being very modest. We have put in the work as a team and our speakers are doing a lot more individually. It’s good advice for our opponents to shudder.

At the Lanre Bello Inter-Faculty Debate and Oratory held about three weeks ago, Clinical Sciences had podium finishes in both categories and was Second Overall. Dentistry, also a part of the ABH LnD, won the Debate Category and Overall Crown. Similar feats have been recorded in the two previous editions. What was the key to that?

David: Simply put, we do the work. The structure of The Society, ABH allows us to put heads together and come up with great speeches but that’s not enough. We put significant time into perfectly internalising and smooth delivery. We work towards a perfectly ‘choreographed’ speech.

Can you explain the structure of the ABH L&D as it’s often confusing for most?

Oluwatosin: The ABH LnD is made up of 3 constituencies which include: Alexander Brown Hall, the Faculty of Clinical Sciences and the Faculty of Dentistry. Each faculty has a head/representative that we call the Coordinator. In-house, members are divided into 4 houses or teams; Gandhi, Mandela, Luther and Thatcher with individual house heads or team leads. This structure fosters the development of each speaker as they get personal attention from house heads and houses can compete during in-house debates.

David: Like he said, the structure allows us to learn and grow as a unit. Members are assigned to houses, which form the basic functional units of the society.

What are the criteria for recruitment into the L&D and how has recruitment been so far?

Oluwatosin: The criteria for recruitment into the ABH LnD is to be an MBBS, Dental, Physiotherapy, or Medical Lab science student and be a Brownite at the time of application. For recruitment, application forms are sent out at the start of each tenure. Eligible students are encouraged to apply after which their applications are reviewed and they are invited for interviews.

David: The most important criterion is the willingness to commit to growth and doing the work. There are no special criteria for recruitment. It is largely based on interest. Although we have the advantage of having relatively experienced speakers joining the society as rookies, completely new orators stand an equal chance. The recruitment is handled centrally by the ABH L&D and we had one earlier in the year. Our rookies have been amazing so far.

Since the glorious run of 2021, Clinical Sciences has yet to make it past the quarter-final, and ABH, the semi-final, with this year’s showing being particularly heartbreaking for many. What has/is being done to change this narrative? 

Oluwatosin: Yes, we had a glorious run in 2021 and we plan to recreate that. We have not gone that far in subsequent editions for one reason or another. But we plan to change the narrative by doing the same things we did in 2021, which is; to have our speeches ready in time. And with support from Brownites and all Clinical students, we will go far.

Are there plans to have a similar competition to the Faculty of Tech’s Tech Bilaterals anytime soon? 

David: Right now, there are no active plans for such but it is definitely something for future tenures to consider.

Given the limited number of speaking slots at Jaw War, how does the Society ensure Orators get to speak and develop?

Oluwatosin: We try to emphasize the fact that even though every member of the LnD cannot speak at Jaw war, each person can play an active role in his/her personal development. The society also organizes in-house debates that are designed for as many orators as possible to practise and develop their speaking.

David: Also, over the last year, we have accepted more invites to participate in competitions organised by other schools. These are the ways we ensure the growth of our speakers, outside Jaw War. 

Can the ABH LnD constituencies win this edition of Jaw War?

Oluwatosin: Can?  Will! The ABH LnD will win this edition of Jaw War.

David: I am confident in our ability to clinch the prize at both the faculty and hall levels.

What about individual awards from the competition?

Oluwatosin: We look forward to winning individual awards as well, like Best Speaker for the day, Most Outstanding Speaker and so on.

David: Anywhere the prizes are, expect the society to be there. Even if there‘s an audience award, expect us. 

Oratory vs Debates; Pick a favourite?

Oluwatosin: Oratory 

David: Debates and I don’t mean BP.

Who are your favourite speakers of all time? 

Oluwatosin: Speakers in general? Barrack Obama

Jaw War Speakers? Fatihat Sanusi, Vincent Olatunji

David: Well, John Piper. He’s a preacher but he speaks with such passion. Barrack Obama too, even though I don’t agree with him. He’s such an orator. On campus, my favourite would be Stacy.

Thank you for your time. 

Oluwatosin and David: Thank you for having us.

Igdaliah Otitoola