Two members of the UDS debate society, Mahadi Awedaga Ayiwoli and Ayisha Abdul Somed, who represented the University for Development Studies at the 2022 Kumasi Debate Open were in dominant form en route to winning 3 medals at the Annual International Inter Universities Debate in Kumasi.

The event was hosted from June 8 to June 13 at the Akenteng Appiah Minkah University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (AAMUSTED) in Kumasi.

UDS debater, Mahadi Awedaga Ayiwoli emerged as the 3rd Best Public Speaker Out of 32 speakers from 8 Universities in Africa.

Ayisha Abdul Somed, who represented the University for Development Studies in the Judges category, emerged as the second-best debate judge out of 27 judges also from 8 universities across Africa. Additionally, Ayisha Abdul Somed was adjudged the third (3rd) best Public Speaking judge at the competition.

UDS’ success at the debate competition is even more impressive, as other Universities who were represented by several team members won nothing as compared to UDS’ two representatives who won three enviable medals.

Currently, the UDS Debate Society proudly holds the title as the Champions of the Ghana Integrity Initiative Inter Tertiary Debate 2020, a title they gallantly defended after winning it in 2019 to become one of the few elite tertiary institutions to have won the prestigious title back-to-back.

In 2019 the UDS debate Society were proud Semi-finalists at the Ghana Universities Debate Championships held at the All-Nations University College in Koforidua. In 2020, even Covid-19 could not deter the UDS Debate Society from going all the way to the Semi-Finals at the Pan-African Universities Debate Championship – the first time UDS had participated in an international debate contest.

The team also participated in the World Universities Debate Championships in Korea in 2021 and even though they were eliminated in the early round, they came back home with their shoulders high, having earned the respect and admiration of many of the judges and other contestants.

The President of the UDS Debate Society, Mohammed Sharif Yakubu, doubles as a member of the UDS football team and was instrumental in the third-place play-off match between UDS and the Makarere University at the Federation of Africa University Sports (FASU) games in Kenya in June 2022, providing an assist for one of the goals that led to UDS winning bronze at the FASU games after beating Makerer 5-1.

"This is probably my proudest moment in Inter Tertiary Debate," said Ayisha, who believes that participating at such competitions does not only boost the confidence and research capabilities of students, but also helps to sell the image of the University for Development Studies at national and international platforms.
 
Mahadi, the reigning Second Best Public Speaker, Ghana Universities Debate Championship 2021, says  "Despite having some of the most underrated debaters in the nation, we have over the years been able to prove to all other universities in Ghana and Africa, that we are ready to stand toe-to-toe with the best in the world."
 
The UDS Debate Society will return to competition in November and December this year, when it takes part in the Ghana Universities Debate Championship 2022 and the Pan-African Universities Debate Championships respectively.