Mathew Adaegbo Winner
By Dominic Nwobodo
The theme of the 2023 Richard Lamai Prize for Public Speaking centered on the Igbo Traditional Business Mentoring Model to Create Successful Entrepreneurs, has been concluded.
Matthew Adekunle ADEAGBO, a second year student of Law in the federal university of Benin, a Christian and an active mentee of the Richard George Foundation, who is currently building skills in Videography, Photography and Content Creation, emerged victorious in the 2023 edition. According to the report presented to the Creative Club’s founders, Adaegbo delivered an impressive performance despite lacking some humour. His 4:53-minute presentation delved deeply into the topic, showcasing ownership of the content and utilizing props effectively at 4:53 minutes on keynotes to express his thoughts. The judge acknowledged that although he lacked humour, Adaegbo demonstrated standard traits of effective public speaking.
The judge who also doubles as the Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, FCT Chapter, Mr. Patrick Osaretin Osadebamwen, in his Opening Speech highlighted a significant increase in this year’s entries compared to the previous year. Also, he noted a significant decrease from the 2021 edition which had nine participants. Only three participants met the digital space rules this year, with age not being a consideration in the selection processes. All participants were evaluated based on predetermined criteria. Of the two qualified participants, one scored well above 70 while the other lagged behind.
In the course of the competition, one participant breached the 5-minute time limit for the discussion, presenting a 6:12-minute video, resulting in self-disqualification. The judge emphasized that while the presentation was commendable, disregarding the set time demonstrated a lack of discipline and good time management.
Regarding another participant, although she started well, her reliance on reading directly from prepared text caused disengagement with the audience after 40 seconds into her 4:28-minute video. This failure to internalize the content and continuous reliance on written material went against the standards upheld by the Chief Richard Lamai Mentorship programme.
The Chief Richard Lamai Prize for Public Speaking, sponsored by Chief Richard Lamai, has a unique focus in each edition. The upcoming 5th edition, announced by the organizers, Rev. Fr. Reginald Adogamhe and Dr. Lois Otse Adams, will be physical and will concentrate on past competitors, with the proud sponsor serving as the Chief Host. They emphasized that the upcoming edition is unique and will focus on past participants, marking a shift in perspective and potentially providing a platform for the evolution and growth of the mentorship programme.
This shift towards a physical format for the 5th edition aims to involve past participants, thus, furthering the engagement within the Chief Richard Lamai Mentorship programme.
He continues to play an integral role in shaping and supporting the competition’s evolution.
Each edition has its distinct objectives and target participants. The Inaugural Edition centered on essays by members, while the second edition widened its scope to a global audience. The third edition exclusively involved club members, excluding club executives.
The Chief Richard Lamai Prize for Public Speaking remains a testament to the commitment to nurturing effective communication skills and fostering the next generation of eloquent, impactful speakers within the context of contemporary themes and challenges.
