How I won the “Best debater” during a debate in my school.
These things actually matter to me, even tough they may seem to look small. My co-debaters were also young and creative people like Chinemerem. Aside the judges announcing that I was the best debater, I was awarded by a guest in the event with a cash price (picture above).
I wrote the content myself and it was really stressful because then, I will have to come home after the stress in school, begin to make blog posts, practice for the debate,and read for my examination that period. As soon as I finished debating that fateful day, I felt I was freed from a burden.
Having been given 5 minutes to debate, I finished before the time elapsed because I speak very fast at times. Read the content of what I said below;
These are details of the debate;
Organizers : Policy Analysis and Research Forum
Time given : 5 minutes
Speaker : Second
Topic : “Austerity measures or borrowing which is the best option for Nigeria”
Good-day my co-debaters, fellow Parefites, accurate time keeper and the impartial panel of judges.
Standing here before you is Okoye Somtochukwu Lady Diana who wants to share her views on the Topic- “Austerity measures or borrowing, which is a better option for Nigeria?”
I stand strongly in support of Austerity measures and I will tell my honest reasons.
Let me quickly start with the basics of the definition and terms so that you will able to understand my view on this and how it is applicable to each and every one of us sitting or standing here.
According to the Oxford dictionary, the word “Austere” means Severe or Strict, it can also be said to be discipline. While Austerity measures refers to “official actions” – I emphasize on the word official actions” which actually means that they are legitimate options taken by the Government during a period of adverse economic conditions to reduce its budget deficit using the combination of spending cuts or tax rises.
Firstly, why is Austerity measures a good one? Austerity measures doesn’t bring about unemployment. 50 % of us here knows that maintaining a low level of unemployment is an economy is 1/5 of the macro- economic objectives of a country. To the remaining 50%, that may not know about that, I am glad that you just learnt that.
According to the Monetarists, they stated that if the salaries of workers are reduced, it will bring about unemployment, but this failed because Austerity measures has already been applied effectively in Anambra State whereby the government reduced the salary of its workers in order to gather enough money to finance other sectors and yet didn’t create unemployment.
So you can see how the government of Anambra state looked inwards to reduce its spending rather than resorting to borrowing.
Secondly, Austerity measures gives us our freedom. According to a German Proverbs “He who borrows, sells his freedom”. Using Nigeria as a case study, how well have we been able to repay our loans – we have been lagging behind and this has made us debtors.
Why do you think that Nigerians are usually embarrassed when they go to the Airport of Embassies? This is simply because we are debtors and we have lost our freedom as a people.
Honestly, it applies to our normal life,if you see somebody that has been owing you money on the road, you will have the guts, rights and courage to begin to harass such a person because psychologically, a creditor is higher than a debtor.
So, in order for us to have our freedom and prestige to ourselves, I stand to say that we should look inwards by using Austerity measures.
Furthermore, Austerity measure saves the future generation. It is annoying to know that some group of persons will come out here and begin to state so many theories to tell me that Borrowing is the best option for the country. Come to think of it, don’t you think about the future. Let’s rewind a little by going back in history, a contributory factor of the challenges we face today as a country is a result of the borrowing of our fore-leaders. Do you know that 22.7% of the countries budget is used in debt servicing? – the situation is that bad.
See, I usually tell people that there is no Nigeria, it is we as the citizens that are the Nigeria and we are to blame for whatever good or bad that happens in the country.
So, as the upcoming generation, we need to put our hands on deck and learn from the past mistakes in order to save the future.
The last but not the least reason is that I believe that Austerity measure shouldn’t just be implemented during a period of adverse economic conditions, it should be a normal trend. We are meant to “Make Hay While the Sun Shines” and protect whatever is ours.
With this few points of mine, I am sure I have been able to rekindle our consciousness of looking inwards towards building the Sustainable Nigeria we all dream for.
Thank you.
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