OVERVIEW OF THE LSS ASPIRANTS DEBATE HELD ON THE 15TH OF JULY 2025.

By: Lkite Eriayo & Lkite Busayo.

The LSS aspirants' debate, initially set for 9 AM in the moot court, finally commenced at 11 AM. Lkite Anjola opened the floor with a heartfelt welcome to all Lssites present, introducing the esteemed panel members from the NUCJ AAUA, Joseph Ruth and Rita Opeyemi. She swiftly laid down the rules and guidelines for the debate to both the aspirants' as well as the audience, emphasizing that aspirants should maintain a neutral stance and refrain from soliciting votes. Furthermore, an important note was made for both aspirants and audience members to avoid any campaign materials that could undermine the essence of the debate.

This year's event witnessed an impressive turnout, with twelve(12) aspirants participating in the debate; an encouraging increase from last year's participation. The candidates included:

1. Akinola Adekunle
2. Odogun Omololu 
3. Ayo-Olagbende Ezekiel 
4. Anawoye Daniel 
5. Omoloju Emmanuella 
6. Ajila Oyindamola 
7. Yusuf Arinola 
8. Akinrolabu Precious 
9. Olugbenga Tobiloba 
10. Ademuyiwa Israel 
11. Adu Ayomide 
12. Temitope Damilola

Each aspirant was alloted five minutes to present their views on their designated debate topics, which set the stage for a vibrant exchange of ideas.

The debate commenced with the treasurer candidates, Temitope Damilola (DAMMIE) and Adu Ayomide Emmanuel (Asquare), who were posed a question: Should the treasurer be held personally accountable for mismanagement of society funds? Asquare passionately defended the notion of accountability, stressing the importance of transparency and citing real-life examples to bolster his argument. Meanwhile, DAMMIE boldly asserted that not only should the treasurer bear this responsibility, but that every LSSite has a role in upholding accountability within the society.

Moving on, the contenders for Financial Secretary, Akinrolabu Precious(PRECIOUS) and Yusuf Arinola (PUREST), were asked if external auditing should become a standard practice to ensure financial accountability. PUREST acknowledged the value of external audits but expressed concerns regarding its necessity, citing the effective in-system practices already in place and the financial implications of hiring external auditors. Precious countered, arguing for the benefits that external auditing could bring to the society’s financial integrity.

The debate continued with the Public Relations Officer candidates, Omoloju Emmanuella (ELLA) and Ajila Oyindamola (DAMOLA), who delivered an energetic discourse on the necessity of branding the society's image. They emphasized the importance of listening to student feedback through opinion polls, video contents and suggestion boxes, highlighting that LSSites are the backbone of the society. The Editor-in-Chief of Legal Kekenke, Ayomide Fanibuyan, at the end raised an intriguing question about how the PRO candidates would handle feedback collected through anonymous links without causing chaos, as he asked them to present their strategies for managing this sensitive yet vital aspect of communication in LSS.

Next, the aspiring Social Directors, Olugbenga Tobiloba (Ti-Vibez) and Ademuyiwa Israel (KingBuga), discussed how to balance entertainment with educational enrichment in student events. They proposed a variety of engaging activities—such as LSS Got Talent, movie nights, Arts competitions and costume parties—arguing that these could entice LSSites to participate and help them unwind, while also integrating educational components to promote learning.

The candidates for General Secretary, Ayo-Olagbende Ezekiel (PAPAO) and Anawoye Daniel (ANAWOYE), passionately advocated for the benefits of digital documentation. They stressed that digitizing and archiving faculty documents would enhance efficiency, allowing for easy accessibility and continuity. When asked about measures to prevent unauthorized alterations to digital records by one of the judges, PAPAO confidently explained that safety measures, such as e-signatures, could be implemented to safeguard the authenticity of these digitized documents.

The highlight of the debate was the anticipated clash between presidential candidates, Odogun Omololu (LORD ANGELO) and Akinola Adekunle (ADEKUNLE). They tackled the contentious issue of whether the LSS President should be held accountable for every executive decision, even if made collectively. Adekunle began by supporting the motion, referencing Section 7 of the LSS Constitution, which designates the president as the foremost and number one citizen of the society, thus making them accountable for all decisions, he further referenced Jesus Christ who was without sin and yet took on himself the sin of the world.

In stark contrast, Lord Angelo argued passionately against this notion, asserting that it would be unjust to hold the president solely responsible for the actions or inactions of their executive team. He proclaimed himself a "democratic person," emphasizing his commitment to collective responsibility and stating that any misconduct by executives would be reported to both the LSRC and the Body of Justices (BOJ) rather than being the sole burden of the president.

Contributions from Mr. Omole Damilare (Jazparo) and Mr. Arowolo Olajide (Kyung) provided further depth to the discussions, which in overall enriched the dialogue with their thoughtful insights.

As the debate drew to a close, the Editor-in-Chief of Legal Kekenke delivered a heartfelt vote of thanks, expressing gratitude to the judges and the audience for their active engagement throughout the debate.

Lk... Making a Statement