By Steve Oko

The Vice Chancellor of Amadeus University, Professor Chima Eke, has expressed excitement over the university’s outstanding performance at the just-concluded National Universities Commission Debate Championship (NUCDC 2026), where the two-year-old institution emerged third nationwide.

Godfrey Okoye University won the championship while University of Ilorin came second in the contest which featured 78 universities across the country.

Speaking during the prize presentation ceremony at the institution, Prof. Eke described the feat as proof of the university’s commitment to academic excellence, critical thinking, and rigorous students training.

“Amadeus University, a virgin institution among many old universities in Nigeria, demonstrated its technologically driven academic prowess by emerging 2nd runner-up in the competition.

” I’m excited because it reflects the resilience and quality of our students,” he said, disclosing that one of the student participants recorded distinctions in all her 13 courses.

The VC praised the organizers for providing a world-class platform that meets global standards, and urged the students to sustain the momentum.

Representing the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, Prof. Abdullahi Ribadu, at the grand finale, Director of Public Affairs, Ms. Rita Nneka Okonjo, said the competition aligns with the commission’s vision of enhancing graduate employability and intellectual development.

Members of the Amadeus competition team, Miss Excel Okechukwu and Joyce Ikechi, both 200-level Nursing students, expressed delight over their performance, saying the competition sharpened their public speaking and analytical skills.

Speaking also, the University Librarian and Team Coordinator, Professor Ngozi Blessing Ukachi, described the achievement as remarkable, noting that the institution joined the competition barely two days before the registration deadline.

“Amadeus University is barely two years old, yet we are already outshining universities that have existed for decades. It shows the institution was built on a solid foundation of excellence,” she said.

The virtual championship, executed through the National Youth Service Corps CDS framework, brought together thousands of students to debate issues of national development, governance and reforms using the globally acclaimed British Parliamentary format.

The competition was technically powered and sponsored by Royal Rhetorics, which deployed international debate coaches and adjudicators to train participating students.