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Ajụjụ 1 Ripọtì
Write a story ending with the statement: Indeed, it was the biggest lesson of my life.
Format note: This is a narrative that must close with the exact given sentence. It needs a title, a clear plot with rising action, a climax and a resolution, and it must lead naturally to the final line.
A COSTLY SHORTCUT
Greed, they say, has a way of blinding even the wisest among us. I learnt this the hard way during the long holiday after my Junior Secondary examinations, in a manner I shall never forget.
It all began when a smartly dressed stranger came to our street one afternoon. He gathered a small crowd and announced that he ran a company that doubled people's money within a week. To prove his claim, he handed a woman who had given him two thousand naira a crisp four thousand naira on the spot. The crowd gasped with excitement, and greed lit up every face, mine included.
That night, I could not sleep. I had saved fifteen thousand naira over two years, money meant for my school needs. In my imagination, I already saw it doubled to thirty thousand. Ignoring the quiet warning in my heart, I resolved to hand it over the very next day.
The following morning, I hurried to the appointed spot with my savings tied carefully in a handkerchief. The stranger smiled warmly, collected my money, wrote my name in a big notebook, and told me to return in seven days for double the amount. I floated home on clouds of joy, counting the riches to come.
The seven days crawled by. When at last I rushed to the meeting place, my heart froze. The rented shop was empty, the signboard gone, and the neighbours told me the man had vanished with the savings of dozens of trusting people. My legs gave way beneath me. Two years of careful saving had disappeared in a single reckless moment.
I wept bitterly on my way home, not only for the lost money but for my own foolishness. My father, though angry, sat me down and explained gently that whatever seems too good to be true usually is, and that honest wealth is never gathered through shortcuts. His words sank deep into me.
Since that day, I have never allowed greed to override my reason. I learnt to earn patiently, to think before I act, and to distrust easy promises of sudden riches. Indeed, it was the biggest lesson of my life.
Akọwa Nkọwa
Format note: This is a narrative that must close with the exact given sentence. It needs a title, a clear plot with rising action, a climax and a resolution, and it must lead naturally to the final line.
A COSTLY SHORTCUT
Greed, they say, has a way of blinding even the wisest among us. I learnt this the hard way during the long holiday after my Junior Secondary examinations, in a manner I shall never forget.
It all began when a smartly dressed stranger came to our street one afternoon. He gathered a small crowd and announced that he ran a company that doubled people's money within a week. To prove his claim, he handed a woman who had given him two thousand naira a crisp four thousand naira on the spot. The crowd gasped with excitement, and greed lit up every face, mine included.
That night, I could not sleep. I had saved fifteen thousand naira over two years, money meant for my school needs. In my imagination, I already saw it doubled to thirty thousand. Ignoring the quiet warning in my heart, I resolved to hand it over the very next day.
The following morning, I hurried to the appointed spot with my savings tied carefully in a handkerchief. The stranger smiled warmly, collected my money, wrote my name in a big notebook, and told me to return in seven days for double the amount. I floated home on clouds of joy, counting the riches to come.
The seven days crawled by. When at last I rushed to the meeting place, my heart froze. The rented shop was empty, the signboard gone, and the neighbours told me the man had vanished with the savings of dozens of trusting people. My legs gave way beneath me. Two years of careful saving had disappeared in a single reckless moment.
I wept bitterly on my way home, not only for the lost money but for my own foolishness. My father, though angry, sat me down and explained gently that whatever seems too good to be true usually is, and that honest wealth is never gathered through shortcuts. His words sank deep into me.
Since that day, I have never allowed greed to override my reason. I learnt to earn patiently, to think before I act, and to distrust easy promises of sudden riches. Indeed, it was the biggest lesson of my life.
Ajụjụ 2 Ripọtì
The quality of food prepared for students in your school has become very poor. Write a letter to the Principal complaining about this and explaining ways in which this situation can be remedied.
Format note: This is a formal letter to the Principal, so it requires the writer's address and date, the recipient's address, a formal salutation (Dear Sir), a clear heading, developed body paragraphs, and a formal close (Yours faithfully) with the full name.
Boarding House B,
Holy Trinity College,
Ibadan.
10 July, 2026.
The Principal,
Holy Trinity College,
Ibadan.
Dear Sir,
POOR QUALITY OF FOOD SERVED TO STUDENTS
I am writing on behalf of the students of this school to draw your attention to the alarming decline in the quality of the food served to us in the dining hall, and respectfully to suggest ways in which the situation can be remedied.
For several weeks now, the meals have been most unsatisfactory. The rice is often half-cooked and served without adequate stew or meat; the beans are frequently sour, a sign that they have gone bad; and the portions are so small that many students leave the dining hall still hungry. Worse still, the kitchen and its utensils are not kept clean, and only last week a number of students reported to the sick bay with stomach upsets after eating.
This situation is affecting us seriously. Hungry students cannot concentrate in class, and the frequent cases of illness are disrupting our studies and endangering our health. Some students have even begun to buy food secretly from outside the school, which is against the rules.
To remedy the situation, I humbly wish to suggest the following. First, the school should employ or retrain competent cooks and supervise them closely to ensure proper cooking and hygiene. Second, fresh and wholesome ingredients should be purchased, and the food store inspected regularly to remove spoilt items. Third, a food committee made up of a teacher and student representatives could be set up to monitor the menu and the standard of meals. Finally, students should be served balanced diets in adequate quantities.
I am confident that with your prompt intervention, healthy and nourishing meals will be restored to the dining hall. Thank you, Sir, for your understanding and kind attention.
Yours faithfully,
Bola Ajayi
(Dining Hall Prefect)
Akọwa Nkọwa
Format note: This is a formal letter to the Principal, so it requires the writer's address and date, the recipient's address, a formal salutation (Dear Sir), a clear heading, developed body paragraphs, and a formal close (Yours faithfully) with the full name.
Boarding House B,
Holy Trinity College,
Ibadan.
10 July, 2026.
The Principal,
Holy Trinity College,
Ibadan.
Dear Sir,
POOR QUALITY OF FOOD SERVED TO STUDENTS
I am writing on behalf of the students of this school to draw your attention to the alarming decline in the quality of the food served to us in the dining hall, and respectfully to suggest ways in which the situation can be remedied.
For several weeks now, the meals have been most unsatisfactory. The rice is often half-cooked and served without adequate stew or meat; the beans are frequently sour, a sign that they have gone bad; and the portions are so small that many students leave the dining hall still hungry. Worse still, the kitchen and its utensils are not kept clean, and only last week a number of students reported to the sick bay with stomach upsets after eating.
This situation is affecting us seriously. Hungry students cannot concentrate in class, and the frequent cases of illness are disrupting our studies and endangering our health. Some students have even begun to buy food secretly from outside the school, which is against the rules.
To remedy the situation, I humbly wish to suggest the following. First, the school should employ or retrain competent cooks and supervise them closely to ensure proper cooking and hygiene. Second, fresh and wholesome ingredients should be purchased, and the food store inspected regularly to remove spoilt items. Third, a food committee made up of a teacher and student representatives could be set up to monitor the menu and the standard of meals. Finally, students should be served balanced diets in adequate quantities.
I am confident that with your prompt intervention, healthy and nourishing meals will be restored to the dining hall. Thank you, Sir, for your understanding and kind attention.
Yours faithfully,
Bola Ajayi
(Dining Hall Prefect)
Ajụjụ 3 Ripọtì
Read the following passage carefully and answer the question on it.
When the principal introduced Mr. Njobe as our new Mathematics teacher, we did not think much of him. He did not look very likeable nor did he appear to be an achiever. Nothing was spectacular about him apart from the fact that he was a South African. Most of us who knew the goings-on in his country regarded him as one of the luckless refugees from the apartheid regime. After the mild clapping, we forgot about the man with giant, hungry looks.
During his first lesson in our class, it struck me that not once did he consult the textbook. Rather, to teach the properties of the square and rectangle, he made us measure the top of our tables, the classroom doors, and other objects around. From there, we discovered that these objects had opposite equal sides, and all the angles were equal. We did not have to learn these from books; he made us find out. When later I consulted my textbook, what Durell, the great mathematician, wrote came every much alive. I started to see Mr. Njobe as equal to Durrell.
With time, we began to like his teaching. He taught with zeal and usually through playlike methods. His class was always lively and full of jokes. For instance, to each us the properties of a circle, he instructed us to bring out the bowls which we used for the midday meal. During the lesson, he made each one measure the distance round his bowl. Incidentally, almost every bowl was different in size. We laughed at the sizes of the different bowls while we measured them. Throughout the lesson, there was much laughter. Finally, he told each student to divide the distance round the bowl by the distance through the centre. Imagine our amazement when we discovered that, whatever the size of the bowl, all the answers were the same. This he explained is the base in all computations regarding the circle. That was fifty years ago and I have not forgotten. He actually tamed Mathematics for us, terrifying as it was.
Then, one day, we learnt that Mr. Njobe was on admission in Wesley Guild Hospital. Our representatives sent to convey our good wishes were refused entry into the intensive care unit: they were told that his condition was critical. We virtually went into mourning for weeks. But just as we were writing him off our mind, one hot afternoon, his car crawled into the school compound. As he stepped out, students swarmed out, carried him shoulder-high and danced round the school, chanting spontaneously, Njobe, welcome! Mathematics welcome!"
(a) Describe the appearance of Mr. Njobe on his first day in the school.
(b) With what concept of South Africa did the writer associate Mr. Njobe?
(c) What did the students' mild clapping suggest?
(d) What impressed the writer about the new teacher during the first lesson?
(e) What is the unique about the new teacher's method of teaching?
(f) "...that i these objects had opposite equal sides..."
(i) What is the grammatical name given to this expression as it is used in the passage?
(ii) What is its function?
(g) "He actually tamed Mathematics for us..." What figure of speech s used in this expression?
(h) For each of the following words, find another word or phrase which means the same and which can replace it as it is used in the passage: (i) luckless (ii) consult (iii) meticulously (iv) amazement (v) terrifying (vi) critical
(a) The appearance of Mr. Njobe on his first day: He did not look very likeable, nor did he appear to be an achiever; there was nothing spectacular about him, and he was a man with giant, hungry looks.
(b) The concept of South Africa the writer associated Mr. Njobe with: The apartheid regime; the writer regarded him as one of the luckless refugees who had fled from apartheid in South Africa.
(c) What the students' mild clapping suggested: It suggested that the students did not think much of him and were not impressed by him; they had little regard or enthusiasm for the new teacher.
(d) What impressed the writer about the new teacher during the first lesson: The writer was struck that not once did Mr. Njobe consult the textbook; instead, he made the students measure their tables, the classroom doors and other objects so that they discovered the properties of shapes for themselves.
(e) What is unique about the new teacher's method of teaching: He taught practically and through play-like, discovery methods, making his lively, joke-filled class find out facts by measuring real objects rather than memorising them from books.
(f) "...that these objects had opposite equal sides..."
(i) Grammatical name: Noun clause.
(ii) Function: It is the object of the verb "discovered".
(g) "He actually tamed Mathematics for us..." The figure of speech is a metaphor (Mathematics is spoken of as a wild creature that could be tamed and made harmless).
(h) Words and their replacements as used in the passage:
Akọwa Nkọwa
(a) The appearance of Mr. Njobe on his first day: He did not look very likeable, nor did he appear to be an achiever; there was nothing spectacular about him, and he was a man with giant, hungry looks.
(b) The concept of South Africa the writer associated Mr. Njobe with: The apartheid regime; the writer regarded him as one of the luckless refugees who had fled from apartheid in South Africa.
(c) What the students' mild clapping suggested: It suggested that the students did not think much of him and were not impressed by him; they had little regard or enthusiasm for the new teacher.
(d) What impressed the writer about the new teacher during the first lesson: The writer was struck that not once did Mr. Njobe consult the textbook; instead, he made the students measure their tables, the classroom doors and other objects so that they discovered the properties of shapes for themselves.
(e) What is unique about the new teacher's method of teaching: He taught practically and through play-like, discovery methods, making his lively, joke-filled class find out facts by measuring real objects rather than memorising them from books.
(f) "...that these objects had opposite equal sides..."
(i) Grammatical name: Noun clause.
(ii) Function: It is the object of the verb "discovered".
(g) "He actually tamed Mathematics for us..." The figure of speech is a metaphor (Mathematics is spoken of as a wild creature that could be tamed and made harmless).
(h) Words and their replacements as used in the passage:
Ajụjụ 4 Ripọtì
Your school fees have been increased astronomically and your father has threatened to transfer you to another school. Write a letter to him giving, at least, three reasons why you would like to remain in your present school.
Government College,
P.M.B. 1020,
Enugu.
10th July, 2026.
Dear Daddy,
I hope this letter meets you and the rest of the family in good health. I am writing with great respect concerning your recent decision to transfer me to another school because of the sharp increase in my school fees. I understand the burden this increase places on you, and I am truly grateful for all your sacrifices. However, I humbly plead that you allow me to remain in my present school, and I wish to give you my reasons.
In the first place, the academic standard here is very high. The teachers are dedicated and well qualified, and the school records excellent results in public examinations every year. Since I intend to sit for my final examinations soon, changing schools now may disrupt my preparation and lower my performance.
Secondly, I have settled well into the system. I have adjusted to the teaching methods, joined the science club and made serious-minded friends who encourage me to study hard. Moving to a new environment would mean starting all over again, and the time lost in adjusting could affect my grades.
Thirdly, the school offers facilities that are rare elsewhere. The well-equipped laboratories and the large library have helped me greatly, especially in the science subjects I need for my future career in medicine. A school without these facilities would put me at a disadvantage.
Dear Daddy, I promise to justify your sacrifice by working even harder and making you proud. I am also willing to reduce my other expenses so that the fees will be less of a strain. Please consider my plea kindly.
Thank you, and please extend my greetings to Mummy and my siblings.
Your loving son,
Chidozie.
Akọwa Nkọwa
Government College,
P.M.B. 1020,
Enugu.
10th July, 2026.
Dear Daddy,
I hope this letter meets you and the rest of the family in good health. I am writing with great respect concerning your recent decision to transfer me to another school because of the sharp increase in my school fees. I understand the burden this increase places on you, and I am truly grateful for all your sacrifices. However, I humbly plead that you allow me to remain in my present school, and I wish to give you my reasons.
In the first place, the academic standard here is very high. The teachers are dedicated and well qualified, and the school records excellent results in public examinations every year. Since I intend to sit for my final examinations soon, changing schools now may disrupt my preparation and lower my performance.
Secondly, I have settled well into the system. I have adjusted to the teaching methods, joined the science club and made serious-minded friends who encourage me to study hard. Moving to a new environment would mean starting all over again, and the time lost in adjusting could affect my grades.
Thirdly, the school offers facilities that are rare elsewhere. The well-equipped laboratories and the large library have helped me greatly, especially in the science subjects I need for my future career in medicine. A school without these facilities would put me at a disadvantage.
Dear Daddy, I promise to justify your sacrifice by working even harder and making you proud. I am also willing to reduce my other expenses so that the fees will be less of a strain. Please consider my plea kindly.
Thank you, and please extend my greetings to Mummy and my siblings.
Your loving son,
Chidozie.
Ajụjụ 5 Ripọtì
Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions on it.
It was Mr. Ogun that wooed me for school. That was decades ago, I had resisted vehemently: I even ran away to hibernate with my maternal grandmother. I had told Granny that I wanted to spend a few days with her. By nightfall, my father, who suspected that I was hiding there, came to take me away. The following morning, he dragged me all the way to school where Mr. Ogun received all fresh students.
I swore secretly that I would abscond at the first opportunity. but throughout the day, Mr. Ogun kept a watchful eye on fresh pupils. He had a smiling face and looked very friendly. As soon as he had registered our names, he led us to the field to play. Of all the children, I was probably the only one who looked forward to an opportunity to abscond. Mr. Ogun seemed to have read my mind, he used my name in the songs he composed as we marched round the field. He once held me by the hand and marched along with me. As we went on. he announced, "What a smart fellow! Clap for him."
In the classroom, Mr. Ogun told me to sit in front as he stated, "My Smartic will keep the pieces of chalk and the duster." Gradually, I was mellowing in my plan to abscond. I began to think that I could give school a try. At the end of that day, my father was around to take me home. Perhaps he decided not to take chances.
During the first week, my father took me to school everyday. Somehow, my resistance was softening to his surprise. Every morning, as I produced the pieces of chalk from the cupboard. Mr. Ogun smiled broadly, nodding approvingly. Before we left the classroom for recess, for games or for home, I dutifully kept the materials safe, and as soon as we returned, I produced them. It took some time before I realized that my role was crucial since the pilfering of such materials was common in all the other classes.
My father soon stopped bothering about me as I would get up from bed, take my bath, and get into my uniform without any prodding. My love for school was deepening. especially when I discovered that I was among the few that always did well in most tests. And Mr. Ogun would praise me to the skies.
Towards the end of the school year, we learnt that Mr. Ogun was going on transfer to another school. How devastated I felt! Now, at last, was the time to abscond from school. But then. I simply could not take the crucial step because my bond with school had become very firm.
(a) What evidence is there in the passage that the writer's experience took place long ago?
(b) Mention two things that Mr. Ogun did that won the writer for school.
(c) What was the benefit of the duty performed by the writer to his class?
(d) What do you think the writer implies when he states that he dressed up for school without any prodding?
(e) Why could he not carry out his plan to abscond when his mentor had left?
(f) ...that my role was crucial.. (i) What is the grammatical name given to this expression as it is used in the passage? (ii) What is its function?
(g) "...my bond with school had become very firm" What figure of speech is used in this expression?
(h) For each of the following words. find another word or phrase which means the same and which can replace it as it is used in the passage: (i) vehemently — (ii) abscond (iii) probably (iv) gradually (v) prodding (vi) devastated
(a) Evidence that the writer's experience took place long ago: The writer states plainly that Mr. Ogun wooed him for school "decades ago", showing that the event happened many years in the past.
(b) Two things Mr. Ogun did that won the writer for school (any two): He received the fresh pupils with a smiling, friendly face and led them to the field to play; he used the writer's name in the songs he composed, held him by the hand and marched with him, praising him publicly ("What a smart fellow! Clap for him"); and he gave the writer the responsible duty of keeping the pieces of chalk and the duster.
(c) The benefit of the duty performed by the writer to his class: Because the writer kept the chalk and duster safe, his class did not suffer the pilfering of such materials that was common in all the other classes.
(d) What the writer implies by saying he dressed up for school without any prodding: He implies that he had come to love school and now went willingly and eagerly, so he no longer needed to be forced, persuaded or pushed by his father.
(e) Why he could not carry out his plan to abscond after his mentor left: Because by then his bond with school had become very firm; his love for and attachment to school had grown so strong that he could no longer bring himself to run away.
(f) "...that my role was crucial..."
(i) Grammatical name: Noun clause.
(ii) Function: It is the object of the verb "realized".
(g) "...my bond with school had become very firm." The figure of speech is a metaphor (the writer's attachment to school is spoken of as a physical bond that can be firm).
(h) Words and their replacements as used in the passage:
Akọwa Nkọwa
(a) Evidence that the writer's experience took place long ago: The writer states plainly that Mr. Ogun wooed him for school "decades ago", showing that the event happened many years in the past.
(b) Two things Mr. Ogun did that won the writer for school (any two): He received the fresh pupils with a smiling, friendly face and led them to the field to play; he used the writer's name in the songs he composed, held him by the hand and marched with him, praising him publicly ("What a smart fellow! Clap for him"); and he gave the writer the responsible duty of keeping the pieces of chalk and the duster.
(c) The benefit of the duty performed by the writer to his class: Because the writer kept the chalk and duster safe, his class did not suffer the pilfering of such materials that was common in all the other classes.
(d) What the writer implies by saying he dressed up for school without any prodding: He implies that he had come to love school and now went willingly and eagerly, so he no longer needed to be forced, persuaded or pushed by his father.
(e) Why he could not carry out his plan to abscond after his mentor left: Because by then his bond with school had become very firm; his love for and attachment to school had grown so strong that he could no longer bring himself to run away.
(f) "...that my role was crucial..."
(i) Grammatical name: Noun clause.
(ii) Function: It is the object of the verb "realized".
(g) "...my bond with school had become very firm." The figure of speech is a metaphor (the writer's attachment to school is spoken of as a physical bond that can be firm).
(h) Words and their replacements as used in the passage:
Ajụjụ 6 Ripọtì
Write an article for publication in a national newspaper on the importance of education in national development.
Format note: This is a newspaper article, so it needs a title, the writer's name, an engaging introduction, well-organised body paragraphs, and a firm conclusion, written in a formal, persuasive register.
EDUCATION: THE BEDROCK OF NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
By Tunde Bello
No nation has ever risen higher than the quality of its education. From the industrialised countries of the West to the fast-rising economies of Asia, history teaches one clear lesson: education is the engine that drives national development. For a developing country like ours, this truth deserves our fullest attention.
To begin with, education produces the skilled manpower a nation needs. Doctors, engineers, teachers, scientists and administrators are all products of the classroom. Without a steady supply of trained minds, no country can run its hospitals, build its roads, manage its industries or govern itself wisely. Education, therefore, is the factory that manufactures a nation's builders.
Secondly, education promotes economic growth. An educated population is a productive population. Educated citizens invent new technologies, improve farming and manufacturing methods, and create businesses that generate wealth and employment. A country that neglects education condemns itself to poverty and perpetual dependence on others.
Thirdly, education enlightens the citizenry and strengthens democracy. Educated people understand their rights and duties, vote wisely, reject dangerous propaganda, and hold their leaders accountable. Education also curbs harmful practices, superstition and disease by teaching people to reason and to live healthily.
Moreover, education fosters unity and peace. In a diverse nation, the school brings together children of different backgrounds, teaching them tolerance, cooperation and patriotism. A well-educated society is far less prone to violence, crime and ignorance-driven conflict.
It is true that education demands heavy investment, but the returns are priceless. Government must therefore build more schools, train and motivate teachers, and make quality education affordable to every child, especially in rural areas. Parents, too, must value learning and keep their children in school.
In conclusion, education is not a luxury but a necessity, the very foundation on which a great nation is built. If we truly desire progress, we must give education the priority it deserves, for the nation that educates its people secures its own future.
Akọwa Nkọwa
Format note: This is a newspaper article, so it needs a title, the writer's name, an engaging introduction, well-organised body paragraphs, and a firm conclusion, written in a formal, persuasive register.
EDUCATION: THE BEDROCK OF NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
By Tunde Bello
No nation has ever risen higher than the quality of its education. From the industrialised countries of the West to the fast-rising economies of Asia, history teaches one clear lesson: education is the engine that drives national development. For a developing country like ours, this truth deserves our fullest attention.
To begin with, education produces the skilled manpower a nation needs. Doctors, engineers, teachers, scientists and administrators are all products of the classroom. Without a steady supply of trained minds, no country can run its hospitals, build its roads, manage its industries or govern itself wisely. Education, therefore, is the factory that manufactures a nation's builders.
Secondly, education promotes economic growth. An educated population is a productive population. Educated citizens invent new technologies, improve farming and manufacturing methods, and create businesses that generate wealth and employment. A country that neglects education condemns itself to poverty and perpetual dependence on others.
Thirdly, education enlightens the citizenry and strengthens democracy. Educated people understand their rights and duties, vote wisely, reject dangerous propaganda, and hold their leaders accountable. Education also curbs harmful practices, superstition and disease by teaching people to reason and to live healthily.
Moreover, education fosters unity and peace. In a diverse nation, the school brings together children of different backgrounds, teaching them tolerance, cooperation and patriotism. A well-educated society is far less prone to violence, crime and ignorance-driven conflict.
It is true that education demands heavy investment, but the returns are priceless. Government must therefore build more schools, train and motivate teachers, and make quality education affordable to every child, especially in rural areas. Parents, too, must value learning and keep their children in school.
In conclusion, education is not a luxury but a necessity, the very foundation on which a great nation is built. If we truly desire progress, we must give education the priority it deserves, for the nation that educates its people secures its own future.
Ajụjụ 7 Ripọtì
You are the Chief Speaker in a debate on the topic: Education is not as important as riches. Write your argument for or against the topic.
Format note: A debate speech needs the vocative opening, a clear statement of the side taken, well-reasoned arguments with examples, a rebuttal, and a strong conclusion. This model argues against the motion, that is, it holds that education is as important as, indeed more important than, riches.
Mr. Chairman, distinguished panel of judges, accurate and unbiased timekeeper, my worthy opponents, ladies and gentlemen. I stand before you to oppose the motion which claims that education is not as important as riches. I shall show, beyond doubt, that education is far more valuable than mere wealth.
Mr. Chairman, my first argument is that education is the very source of lasting riches. The wealthy industrialists, doctors, engineers and inventors who drive the world's economy did not stumble upon their fortunes; they built them upon knowledge and skill acquired through education. Take away education and you take away the ideas that create wealth in the first place.
Secondly, riches without education are easily lost, but education can never be stolen. A rich but ignorant man may be cheated, defrauded or ruined, and his fortune can vanish in a single misfortune. But the knowledge in an educated person's head remains his forever, through it he can always rebuild whatever he loses. As the saying goes, if you give a man a fish you feed him for a day, but if you teach him to fish you feed him for life.
Thirdly, education develops the whole person and benefits society, which riches alone cannot do. Education produces good character, sound judgement, healthy living and responsible citizenship. An educated society enjoys better healthcare, justice and progress, while a merely rich but uneducated society breeds ignorance, disease and disorder.
My opponents may argue that it is money, not certificates, that commands respect and comfort in life. I concede that riches are useful, but I insist that they are only a tool. In the wrong, uneducated hands, wealth is squandered or used for evil; in educated hands, it is multiplied and used for good. Money is a good servant but a poor master, and only education teaches a person to master it.
In conclusion, Mr. Chairman, since education creates riches, preserves them, and builds both the individual and the nation, it is clearly the greater treasure. I therefore urge this house to reject the motion entirely. Thank you.
Akọwa Nkọwa
Format note: A debate speech needs the vocative opening, a clear statement of the side taken, well-reasoned arguments with examples, a rebuttal, and a strong conclusion. This model argues against the motion, that is, it holds that education is as important as, indeed more important than, riches.
Mr. Chairman, distinguished panel of judges, accurate and unbiased timekeeper, my worthy opponents, ladies and gentlemen. I stand before you to oppose the motion which claims that education is not as important as riches. I shall show, beyond doubt, that education is far more valuable than mere wealth.
Mr. Chairman, my first argument is that education is the very source of lasting riches. The wealthy industrialists, doctors, engineers and inventors who drive the world's economy did not stumble upon their fortunes; they built them upon knowledge and skill acquired through education. Take away education and you take away the ideas that create wealth in the first place.
Secondly, riches without education are easily lost, but education can never be stolen. A rich but ignorant man may be cheated, defrauded or ruined, and his fortune can vanish in a single misfortune. But the knowledge in an educated person's head remains his forever, through it he can always rebuild whatever he loses. As the saying goes, if you give a man a fish you feed him for a day, but if you teach him to fish you feed him for life.
Thirdly, education develops the whole person and benefits society, which riches alone cannot do. Education produces good character, sound judgement, healthy living and responsible citizenship. An educated society enjoys better healthcare, justice and progress, while a merely rich but uneducated society breeds ignorance, disease and disorder.
My opponents may argue that it is money, not certificates, that commands respect and comfort in life. I concede that riches are useful, but I insist that they are only a tool. In the wrong, uneducated hands, wealth is squandered or used for evil; in educated hands, it is multiplied and used for good. Money is a good servant but a poor master, and only education teaches a person to master it.
In conclusion, Mr. Chairman, since education creates riches, preserves them, and builds both the individual and the nation, it is clearly the greater treasure. I therefore urge this house to reject the motion entirely. Thank you.
Ị ga-achọ ịga n'ihu na omume a?