THE 15 MOST EXCEPTIONAL PUBLIC SPEAKERS IN THE FACULTY OF LAW

The Faculty of Law is home to some of the most brilliant minds, and as far as being a lawyer goes, public speaking ability has always been of the essence. Certain individuals within the Faculty have excelled in this regard, and thus, we present to you:
The current 15 most exceptional public speakers in the Faculty.
Please note that the criteria for the compilation of this list were as follows:
• Titles Won
• Popularity based on public speaking exploits
• Hype and reputation associated with presentations
• Style and innate ability
• Appearance and Looks (Just cuz they all happen to be quite attractive)

Toyosi Obabi-
The 5ft something, 100 Level diamond was the winner and reigning champion of the maiden edition of the LSS Freshers Debate, where her oratory prowess and pristine diction wowed a great many listeners. She has gained admission into the Mooting Society, and it probably wouldn’t be in the too distant future before she becomes a serious force to be reckoned with.

Ilamosi Ekenimoh
This 300 Level firecracker is one of the true gems in the Faculty of Law, and one of 300 Level’s most valuable exports. Her innate ability to be forceful in speech, yet find a balance with empathy and leave room for a great deal of content, leaves her ahead of the pack more often than not. She represented the Faculty in 2015 at the African Moot Competition in Lusaka, Zambia, and alongside Daniel Jaiyeoba emerged as the 3rd best English speaking team in Africa (When she was in Year Two!!!!)

Pelumi Omoniyi
Another proud export of the 300 Level constituency, Mr Omoniyi has a voice so powerful that it could awaken a dead leaf. His style is analogous to a wonderful mix of a powerful civil rights activist and an elderly African storyteller. He also almost always has a much different perspective and approach to his subject matter, which sets him apart from the rest of the crowd. He has presented speeches at the National Model United Nations, NY 2015, emerged as the 4th best in Justice Oputa Chambers’ Word War III, and served on the Faculty of law’s swing team for the University of Lagos Inter-Faculty Debate Competition.

Waleey Fatai Opeyemi
A proud denizen of Gani Fawehinmi Students Chambers, Waleey is absolutely amazing, and is quite simply a quintessential advocate, from the way he marshals every single point with grit and assurance of accuracy to his unwavering palpable confidence at every encounter with the microphone. Waleey practically debates (many of which are outside the faculty) for a living, and is almost always certain of victory at all times. He was victorious at the not too distant Idi-Araba hosted debate, was first runner-up at the 2016 edition of The Advocate, delivered a brilliant speech at the Microphone hosted April Fool’s Special, and is set to jet off to Geneva, Switezerland for a Model United Nations Conference.

Yinka Ekungomi
Mr Yinka’s voice is something more worthy of being marveled at than Spiderman. From his assurance, confidence and stern approach to his subject matter, to his voice, he commands more attention than a Squadron leader in a barracks. He has participated in more Faculty events than any other person, with The Manifesto, Justice Oputa Chambers hosted Word War III, Rape of Africa and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. Of course, he is always assured of being placed in the top echeleon at all these competitions. Oh and lest we forget his awe-inspiring audio clip for Mr Bolaji Benson’s LSS Presidential Campaign….”4 options, 1answer”

Gabriel Aliu
Everytime Gabriel Aliu speaks in public, he defends his place in the Mooting Society. Scared of no competitor and wonderful with the hand gestures, he also always has boatloads upon boatloads (in fact a Spanish Armada) of points, stats, quotes and refrences, which always give his substance a minimum standard which it never falls below, all this done with fantastic structuring and signposting. He was 4th at the second edition of TEC’s “The Manifesto” and finished 2nd in the 2015 edition of the National Tax Debate alongside Tobi Olowokure and Aisha Odekunle, representing the University of Lagos. He also has a couple of speeches at the National Model United Nations, Rome, Italy under his belt. More recently, he led the home team to victory against LASU in the Gani Fawenhimi Chambers hosted Justice Bode Rhodes Vivour mock trial competition 2016.

Esther Eze
Jurgen Klopp on the touchline, an inferno further doused with fuel and a diligent artist are just some of the illusions one can think of to describe the extent and intensity of the passion displayed by Esther Eze anytime she comes on stage. She is analogous to a ranger when she’s debating, as she sends her points like bullets faster and harder at every opponent. She’s also very intelligent and as such is quite adept at properly analyzing and approaching any argument. A proud member of the Unilag Debate Society, Esther Eze is the President of the SCM, attended the National Model United Nations, NY 2015 and finished in the quarter-finals at the University of Lagos Inter-Faculty Debate. She also finished as the runner-up in the 2016 edition of “The Manifesto”. It borders on impossible to leave a debate and not be fully sure of what Esther has said. Oh, and more recently too, she made a name for herself at the Microphone’s April Fools Special, where she left no doubt in any mind, that mercy is not an option when fighting on the mic.

Nwachukwu Obi
Mr Nwachukwu Obi is a public speaker par excellence, who has distinguished himself as many times as he has opened his mouth to address the public. His strength lies in the fact that he is usually very well informed about the topic he is to address, yet he is very adept at thinking on his feet. He also has quite a powerful voice, and a good mastery of the English language. He was the winner of the maiden edition of “The Manifesto”, finished 4th in Justice Oputa Chambers’ “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang”, and of course did his stylings at the National Model United Nations, D.C.

Fikayo Oyewunmi
Fikayo Oyewunmi is a very mature speaker who has a standard that almost never flinches. He does not engage in whimsical aural theatrics, but rather calmy and practically unhindered, delivers his points in such calm, yet precise yet very intelligible way. He also has very good diction, and is clothed with oodles of confidence. He finished 3rd in Justice Oputa Chambers’ hosted Word War III, was the first runner-up in TEC’s second edition of “The Manifesto”. He also presented a 90 second speech in front of Nigeria’s premier public speaker, Mr. Ubong Essien, which is reputed to have been the best thing since party rice. He gave a series of speeches on the Protection of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights of Refugees at the 2016 National Model United Nations in New York, and was well known in his committee for his astute command of spoken English and perfect diction. In summary, Fikayo is a sabinus who headed to the National Model United Nations, NY 2016 and burst more heads…and he has been at it since secondary school.

Toyosi Onikosi
Very few would argue against the assertion that Toyosi is the best female public speaker in the Faculty of Law, why? Well, she’s relentless, she’s bold, she’s always armed to the teeth with information, she has a voice that resonates, her diction is good, and her intelligence shows anytime she has go at rebuttals. The winner of Justice Oputa Chambers’ Word War III with her wonderful emulation of Pres. Robert Mugabe and 3rd runner-up at the 2016 edition of “The Manifesto”, Toyosi is skilled. Her “Outstanding Delegate” award at the Harvard Model United Nations 2016, lay more credence to the grease on her elbows.

Hosanna William-Adusa
The newly crowned champion of the 2016 edition of “The Manifesto”, boasts of an amazing ability to commandeer the attention of all the audiences that he steps in front of. His main strength is not in the way the words come out of his mouth, but in the actual words that come out of his mouth…and the way they come out of his mouth. The boy is intelligent, and has wit and creativity rivalled by few (if any in fact), oh I also forgot to mention the fact that he does this dryly, making him an absolute delight to listen to every single time. Also, Hosanna has an uncanny way of delivering his presentation in a machine gunlike manner, practically taking just one breath, and flying through all his information, yet he does this without at anytime being too fast or inaudible. He mercurially finished as first runner-up in Justice Oputa Chambers’ Word War III, depicting Abubakar Shekau in the most creative and enlightening manner possible, thereby earning him the moniker “Shekau”. He won the 2016 edition of TEC’s “The Manifesto”, fending off 11 other formidable competitors and being invested as a “Mic Man” by two other microphone mavens. Again, he wowed the entire audience with his performance at the Microphone’s April Fools Special, where he took on Alexander Chukwu in a heated debate that left people talking about it for quite a while. Oh, we also forgot to mention that he’s just getting started.

Alexander Chukwu
Alex is the quintessential public speaker, with a skillset wider than Tinubu’s influence in Nigerian politics; Mooting, Mock Trials, Debates, Speeches and Compering…the only thing Alex hasn’t done on the microphone yet is to rap. He’s literally godlike, he never ever fails to control the crowd, his voice is so audible and powerful, and his innate ability to basically make a story or background on practically everything he talks on, always makes his presentations compelling. Alex just has to be listened to, to understand just how good he is. The man is much better than most, and would cause cold feet amongst most competitors. The Justice Rhodes Vivour Mock Trial Competition (which he and Busayo Oladapo won) and Justice Oputa Chambers’ Kiss Kiss Bang Bang are just some of the conquests in which he has been successful. He clashed with William-Adusa Hosanna at the Microphone’s April Fools Special, and showed the entire audience why both their names are on this list. “Good” is a surreal euphemism for him.

Timi Oyewo
Timi Oyewo, if the realm of public speaking were set in medieval times, Mr Oyewo would be knight clad in shining armour. The bright and gallant denizen of 500 level is one of the best to ever do it. His ultimate weapons would probably be his characteristics of focus and persuasiveness. Few are more relentless or serious minded once the time for battle comes, he’s so in character that even his colloquial conversations look like him presenting before an audience. All the basic techniques of public speaking, from intellectual laden content to sterling structure to wonderful use of imagery to… sha everything. He’s a cardinal member of the Unilag Debate Society, the Director of Research of the Mooting Society, and the winner of the 2014 Chief Wole Olanipekun Moot Competition. Tell a number of people that Timi will be in so and so competition, and they will not bother to try competing. It has been said that girls cannot make up their minds who they like listening to more between himself and his father.

Jones Ayuwo and Tobi(Tobolos)Olowokure
Now, we have been unable to decide and properly place them in any order, mainly because rather than battle each other and permit us to arrive at a decision on who is the better MIC-MAN, the hosts of the Microphone class would rather play an April Fools prank. Undoubtedly however, these two quite deserve a spot at the top because beyond being a good public speaker on one’s own, it takes something extra to be willing, first of all to give away one’s secrets and stand a higher chance of losing to just anybody by teaching them what you know, and then to actually be able to do so. It is a rare kind of bravery that few, even among the greats on this list, possess. Apart from that of course, their style and achievements speak for themselves.
Mr Ayuwo is an absolute spectacle to listen to. He literally is a public speaking machine. The confidence and eloquence that he exhumes would envelope you wholly and completely. He has become so advanced and refined in his work that one may say that it has now become his craft. Olowokure on the mic, is like a magic trick being performed. You do not want to take your eyes or ears away from the show, for fear that you miss a single detail, but still find yourself wondering at the end of it, ‘what just happened, how did he do it’. Tobolos’ ability to switch to a perfectly polished and refined accent when speaking in public makes you stop whatever you are doing and listen, and wish that he would go on even after he has stopped. Jones’ down to earth, storyteller-like manner of speech has a way of making you invariably nod and agree with him as he takes you on a journey of words, and enjoying every single bit of it. They are considerably intelligent too, and as a result always make sure that they know what they are talking about, supporting it with facts, figures, and vivid illustrations. Be careful too, they have been known to have a penchant for making their opponents look quite silly, if they are not adequately prepared. Jones won the ‘Rape of Africa’ public speaking competition. Tobi won the 2nd Edition of ‘The Manifesto’. Tobi placed second in the National Tax Debate 2015. Jones won ‘The Advocate’ in his third year. Tobi has spoken at the United Nation’s General Assembly, in the National Model United Nations Conference, New York, 2016. Tobi’s manifesto when he ran for the position of ASG of the LSS in his third year, made people vote for him without caring who his opponent was, and Jones’ presidential manifesto is the best display of public speaking prowess in the Faculty to date.

List compiled from selections of random members of the faculty.
Written by: A MIC MAN
Edited by : Another MIC MAN
Photographs supplied by: The individuals on this list, at the request of the Blog…and the internet.