The first maiden edition of the Zazzau Public Speaking Contest 1.0 showcased the exceptional public speaking abilities of young people from Zaria and Sabon Gari Local Government Areas, with participants demonstrating confidence, eloquence, and leadership potential.
The competition was organised by Youth Together, Work Together (YTWT) in collaboration with YHUNIC Mentors Academy at PABS Hotel, Rock Road, GRA, Sabon Gari, Kaduna State.
Speaking at the event, the District Head of Sabon Gari, Dan Barhin Zazzau, Alhaji Ahmad Bashir Aminu, who was represented By Garkuwan Dan-Barhim Zazzau,Garba Danlami Umar, urged Nigerian youths to confront the country's challenges with courage, stressing that despite the nation's security and governance difficulties, they must not lose hope in building a better future.
He called on leaders to fulfil their responsibilities to the younger generation and encouraged youths to embrace unity, quoting Helen Keller: "Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much," as a reminder that collective effort is the key to making Nigeria great again.
The Chief Judge, Professor Ahmed Adam, described the contest as a remarkable display of talent, noting that the judges faced a difficult task in selecting the winners because many contestants delivered outstanding performances.
He said the competition had revealed the immense potential of young people in Zazzau, adding that such platforms inspire participants to develop their public speaking skills through continuous practice.
Professor Adam congratulated all the contestants and encouraged them to regard the competition as the beginning of a lifelong journey of personal growth and self-development rather than the end of the process.
The Founder of YHUNIC Mentors Academy and a partner in the organising committee, Shamsuddin Hassan Abuki, said the initiative was designed to unlock the enormous potential of young people in Northern Nigeria by helping them communicate confidently and seize opportunities through effective public speaking.
According to him, many talented youths possess brilliant ideas that often go unheard because they lack the confidence to express themselves.
He explained that the finalists underwent one month of intensive training and urged young people to embrace public speaking, describing it as a "master key" capable of opening doors to education, leadership, and career opportunities.
The Chairman of the Planning Committee, Youth Together, Work Together (YTWT), Aliyu Suleiman, said the competition was restricted to participants from Zaria and Sabon Gari Local Government Areas in its maiden edition.
He disclosed that 134 applications were received between April and May, from which 50 participants were shortlisted for screening. Following auditions held in July, 25 contestants advanced to the grand finale.
Suleiman expressed hope that the government and other stakeholders would support future editions by providing more platforms for young people to express their views and contribute to national development.
The competition featured 25 contestants in the opening round, after which 10 advanced to the second stage before the field was narrowed to the five finalists.
Khadijah Abubakar Hassan from Zaria emerged as the overall winner and received a cash prize of ₦200,000, expressing gratitude to Almighty Allah for her victory.
Hauwau Haruna Jidda finished second and received ₦150,000, while Abdullah Muhammad Bello from Zaria Local Government Area and Hafsah Shehu Aliyu tied for third place and each received ₦100,000.
Anisa Mohammed Mustapha finished fifth and received ₦25,000.
0 Comments