Students of the Department of Food Science and Technology at Osun State Polytechnic, Iree (OSPOLY), have emerged national champions in the debate category of the Prof. Hafiz Abubakar Hybrid Competition at the 50th National Conference of the Nigerian Association of Food Science and Technology Students (NAFSTS), held at Yaba College of Technology, Lagos.
The institution secured first place in the national academic contest after its representatives demonstrated strong intellectual ability, effective communication and teamwork across the competition’s different stages.
The Prof. Hafiz Abubakar Hybrid Competition featured three stages: an online quiz, an essay competition and a final debate. OSPOLY participated in all three stages, with its students progressing through the rounds before clinching the top position in the debate category at the grand finale.
At the first stage, the online quiz, the polytechnic was represented by Adekilekun Rukayat Titilayo and Adebayo Tolulope Fathia. The students subsequently collaborated on the essay component, where their performance earned OSPOLY second position at the semi-final stage and secured the institution’s qualification for the final round.
The competition reached its climax during the 50th NAFSTS Conference at Yaba College of Technology, where Azeez Adewale Ikmat and Adebayo Tolulope Fathia represented OSPOLY in the final debate.
Their confident delivery, well-presented arguments and intellectual engagement helped the institution secure first place in the debate category, earning it the competition’s trophy.
The achievement represents a notable accomplishment for the Department of Food Science and Technology, highlighting the capacity of students in the institution to compete successfully in national academic contests beyond their regular classroom activities.
Participation in competitions involving quizzes, essays and debates also provides students with opportunities to strengthen their research, critical-thinking, public-speaking and collaborative skills. These competencies are valuable to academic development and professional practice, particularly in disciplines that require the communication and application of scientific knowledge.
For OSPOLY, the victory adds to the institution’s visibility within the national academic community and reflects the contribution of student participation in intellectual and professional gatherings organised around specialised fields of study.
The performance of Adekilekun Rukayat Titilayo, Adebayo Tolulope Fathia and Azeez Adewale Ikmat also underscores the importance of teamwork in achieving competitive success, with the students contributing at different stages of the contest.
The national conference provided a platform for food science and technology students to engage in academic competition and demonstrate their knowledge and communication skills. OSPOLY’s performance, particularly its first-place finish in the final debate, placed the institution among the leading participants in the contest.
The achievement is expected to encourage greater participation by students of the polytechnic in academic competitions, professional conferences and other activities that promote intellectual growth, confidence and institutional representation.
The institution’s success also offers an opportunity to sustain interest in food science and technology education while encouraging students to combine technical knowledge with analytical reasoning, effective communication and teamwork.
