… secure first place with an impressive score of 83%, winning a cash prize of ₦300,000 and the Championship Trophy and another N1.5 million from Afe Babalola
By Tunde Olofintila
The College of Law of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, ABUAD, has again confirmed its status as the College of choice in quality Legal Education in Nigeria with its Law students emerging the overall winner at the recently concluded 2026 Grand Finale of the International Law Association Nigerian Branch Debate Competition.
The event which took place at the National Institute of Legislative and Democratic Studies, Abuja, on Tuesday, April 15, 2026, brought together the finest advocacy talents from 52 Federal, State and Private universities across the country.
ABUAD’s formidable team, made up of Temiloluwa David Agunbiade, Pamzat Debrah Kaneng, Oyindamola Otebolaku, Sharon Osho, Ochanya Ochayi, Juanita Nwogu, Olarewanju Eniola, Eniola Adesanya, Asala Ayodeji, Yinka Emaleku, Okafor Chigozirim, Peculiar Orilade, Anjolaoluwa Ogedengbe and Daniella Akpotozor as well as Ojuri Oluwaseun, outperformed strong contenders including Ebonyi State University and Veritas University, Abuja, after advancing through a rigorous competition involving 52 Faculties of Law nationwide.
Sponsored by ICELIS Global, the Debate Series benefited from the visionary support of its Founder & CEO, Elena Athwal. ABUAD delivered an exceptional performance, securing first place with an impressive score of 83%.
The team’s excellent performance was rewarded with a cash prize of ₦300,000 and the Championship Trophy, presented by Damilola Olawuyi during the President’s Dinner.
In a moment of institutional pride, the victorious students formally presented the Trophy and cheque to the university’s Founder & Aare Afe Babalola, OFR, CON, SAN, LL. D (London), Fellow, King’s College, London, FNAE, and the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Elisabeta Smaranda Olarinde, in appreciation of the University’s unwavering commitment to academic distinction and professional excellence.
This landmark victory reinforces ABUAD’s standing as an outstanding institution for legal training in Nigeria. The latest victory by ABUAD Law students is another added feather to the hat of national and internation Awards and accolades thus far received by the 16-year-old university, including its June 18, 2025, ranking by Times Higher Education Impact Rankings as No. 1 University in Nigeria for four consecutive years: 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 and among the Best 100 Universities in the world.
This victory is not merely symbolic, it is also a compelling testament to ABUAD’s enduring mission to cultivate globally competitive legal minds equipped with analytical depth, advocacy mastery and ethical grounding.
The students applauded their Provost, Prof. Tunde Yebisi, and Professor Joshua Olusola Olujobi for providing the necessary guidance and leadership before and during the competition, a clear testimony to the university’s commitment to mentorship, intellectual discipline and strategic excellence.
Beyond the accolades, this achievement represents a deeper institutional ethos: one that integrates smart work, diligence, and principled scholarship.
Briefing Babalola during the presentation of the Trophy and cash prize, Yebisi, congratulated and commended Babalola for providing the enabling environment and the required leadership that propelled the rare achievement and the honour the performance of the victorious Law students has brought to the 16-year-old university, which commenced Academic works on Monday, January 4, 2010.
Said Yebisi: “We are immensely proud of this achievement and honour done to our institution. It is, however, pertinent to underscore your role in making all these possible. Your visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to excellence in education in general, particularly legal education, continuous support and encouragement had been pivotal in taking us to this apogee of success”.
He added: “As we celebrate this achievement, we are inspired to strive for greater heights in future. We remain committed to providing our students with the highest quality education and preparing them to become outstanding legal professionals and leaders in their respective fields.
“Again, our dear Founder, we are grateful for your invaluable support. With your continued guidance and encouragement, we are confident that the College of Law of Afe Babalola University will continue to blaze the trail of Legal Education in this country and beyond”.
Reacting to the feat by the ABUAD Law students, the obviously elated Babalola congratulated them, the Vice Chancellor, Yebisi and all the staff of the University’s College of Law for keying in into his vision and dream of institutionalizing quality and functional education and raising a new generation of leaders in Nigeria.
With the advantage of hindsight, Babalola recalled, “we started the university on a rather modest note with 240 students on January,4, 2010. But today, to the glory of God and through hard work, determination, and selflessness as well as the cooperation of all stakeholders, particularly the parents, the teachers, the Regulatory Authorities such as NUC, MDCN, Council of Legal Education, NSE and COREN among others, we are adjudged to have done well”.
He added: “We can say without any fear of contradiction that we have overshot our expectations in the first 16 years of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, ABUAD, and this could be gleaned from some of our outstanding and milestone achievements thus far. But we are not resting on our oars. It is my dream, my hope, my vision, and prayer that this university will be rated among the Best 50 in the world and before my very eyes”.
In further recognition of the team’s outstanding accomplishment, Aare Afe Babalola graciously awarded an additional ₦1.5 million to the students, reinforcing a culture that rewards excellence, innovation, and perseverance in the university.