Over The Years And the Marks Left: Queen Elizabeth ll Hall in the Jaw War Journey

 

By Oludare Olufunmilola 

Initially, it was a beloved public speaking event that brought students of the first and best together, providing the avenue for students to relish the experience it offered. Over time, a gradual transformation has elevated Jawwar from a beloved gathering to a revered and cherished tradition.

Today, Jaw War has become an important part of every student's experience and journey within the premier university's grounds. With every passing year, there's a deeper understanding of Jawwar and how it has refined the average student's perspective on what it means to be part of a well-rounded university community.

 The various Halls of residence and Faculties have had their fair share of victory, loss and cheers over the years. There is barely any hall of residence or faculty without a story to tell about how they have forged their unique narratives through the journey of Jawwar; for some, it's been a beautiful ride of victory and for others, it's been a beautiful admixture of victory and losses. Notwithstanding, Jawwar leaves us every year with a lingering sense of anticipation, indicating how it has formed an important part of our lives as students in this prestigious institution. 

Just like every other hall of residence, Queen Elizabeth ll Hall has had her own part of the experience. From early setbacks to narrowly missing ICC and to future eager expectations of victory. Queen Elizabeth ll Hall is known for housing ladies with class and of impeccable character. It is often said that, Queenites are the most elegant set of women on the campus. While this notion may be subjective, one thing is undeniable: Queenites are the walking synonym of excellence and distinction. Little wonder, the hall motto reads “we teach others where to tread.”

 

In the Jaw War journey, Queen Elizabeth ll Hall has experienced quite a deal of losses. In fact, Queen Elizabeth ll Hall has not made it to the quarter final in the last 4 years and the last 3 years have seen the exit of the Hall from the competition as early as the first round. This year's Jawwar marked a remarkable turning point in Queen Elizabeth II Hall's history, having broken the recurring trend of exiting in the first round. Instead, the hall embarked on an entertaining, and occasionally exasperating journey all the way to the semifinals. For many Queenites, this progress is a welcome improvement and a testament to the hall's growth. However, others remain skeptical, viewing this year's performance as merely a repetition of history, with little or no change.

In the words of Desola, a resident of Queen Elizabeth ll Hall,

“ I was actually really impressed by the LnD’s performance this year. The speakers were obviously well prepared and it’s a feat for them to have gotten as far as the semifinals.”

This encouraging performance by Queen Elizabeth II Hall at Jaw War has garnered praise from residents of other Halls. Many have noted that the Hall's Literary and Debating society has shown significant improvement, with noticeable progress compared to previous years. While speaking with Adeoluwa, a resident of Independence Hall, he stated that,

“first I always have the opinion that the support from the hall and showing up in numbers does a lot of good to speakers mentally and Queenite show up this edition. And yea, I think Queens Hall did well this year more like L&D team is more organized this year and it showed in the speeches rendered”

At this point, we should acknowledge the notable improvements and commend the tireless efforts of everyone working to propel Queen Elizabeth II Hall to the forefront of Jawwar. While it's premature to declare the hall as having the best speakers or being the top contender for the Jawwar cup, the prospects are certainly promising. With ample room for growth and development, we can continue to strive for excellence, pushing the hall to new heights and nurturing talented speakers for future Jawwar ev

ents.