Rocktation: Thanks Sisi! I came armed with the child agency talk, to combat the incapability of kids to think rational. And no one mentioned that. thank God

I was going to ask you to expatiate on the "child agency" talk but decided to overlook it because of time. I would have had to read your opening argument again. Moreover, the other parts of your opening compensated for the vagueness of this concept.

It seems to be a common fallacy to be comparing children in peaceful and prosperous societies to those trying to survive in war-torn ones and conclude from this, that soldiering is entirely negative and thus, undesirable, for children. War, with its multiplier effect, often creates new social, economic, and political systems and relations and compels people to constantly negotiate, adapt, and strategise their options and relationships, however difficult their circumstances might be.

That right there was what brought Cleopatra's argument together. It was absolutely on point! We do tend to compare those children with children living in peaceful societies. These children have seen their brothers murdered, the sisters raped. . .sometimes right in front of them. Violence is not far away from them, so what are they being shielded against?

Again, remember for these kids, their greatest concern is not whether Betsy in the SS2 will say yes to his proposal to go steady despite the fact that he is in SS1 but whether he is going to come back home (if he is still lucky enough to have one) to living relatives.

Yep, that was a strong point!!

Kudos!

maclatunji: All-in-all, I salute you all for the time, energy and effort made to make this a success. You have represented womenfolk well. Special greetings to Queen Amina, my rather harsh criticism is to help you improve- I know you have potential to be much better next time.

I thank the organisers, my fellow judges and the readers too. Really nice being a part of this.

Thank you.

Oh yeah, I would like to reiterate my Uncle Mac's point here about our critiques. . .please don't take it personally.

You ladies stepped up to the plate in spite of everything thrown your way during the planning stage and for that. . .you forever have our respect.

Thanks again and well done!

Rocktation: Thanks Sisi! I came armed with the child agency talk, to combat the incapability of kids to think rational. And no one mentioned that. thank God

I would have really loved to read more on that. . .you know it could be a debate on it own.

Anyone who has been following this debate from it's planning stage will definitely know, Cleopatra1 was Rocktation-you did great dear + your argument was flawless-didn't see it from that perspective.

@Queen Amina and Victoria,
well done Queens, was really rooting for you ladies.

Rocky, I am sorry I did not vote, I was compromised. But hey, you won.

Make we go section go pop something jorh

the slowness from the debaters is evident enough. they were sourcing for materials online or third party. this was not to the advantage of some debaters. i will let this one slide. no point opening canker worms.

focusstayed: the slowness from the debaters is evident enough. they were sourcing for materials online or third party. this was not to the advantage of some debaters. i will let this one slide. no point opening canker worms.

I swear Seun needs to add a slap button.

Dude/ma'am na joke oo

just move on. This is gone no point going into what might have and might have not happened

Mynd_44:
I swear Seun needs to add a slap button.

Dude/ma'am na joke oo

just move on. This is gone no point going into what might have and might have not happened

why are you whining like a baby. i made my observations known, were you expecting me to oblivious?

focusstayed:

why are you whining like a baby. i made my observations known, were you expecting me to oblivious?

why so serious? It was a joke. I even wrote it there.

The point of an online debate is that you can actually get help from a thrid party as no one even know if you are the one posting in the first place

Mynd_44:
why so serious? It was a joke. I even wrote it there.

The point of an online debate is that you can actually get help from a thrid party as no one even know if you are the one posting in the first place

truce. where is efe

focusstayed:

truce. where is efe

Huh?

maclatunji:

I was going to ask you to expatiate on the "child agency" talk but decided to overlook it because of time. I would have had to read your opening argument again. Moreover, the other parts of your opening compensated for the vagueness of this concept.

Sisi_Kill:

Oh yeah, I would like to reiterate my Uncle Mac's point here about our critiques. . .please don't take it personally.

You ladies stepped up to the plate in spite of everything thrown your way during the planning stage and for that. . .you forever have our respect.

Thanks again and well done!




I would have really loved to read more on that. . .you know it could be a debate on it own.

I still have it. Here;

Young people usually play what Honwana (2005; 2006) calls a ‘tactical agency,’ which is the agency of the weak within structural confinements. This concept of agency is a critical one in understanding the phenomenon of ‘child soldiers,’ as it refers to one’s active engagement with the world and their own efforts to cope with adversity. Failure to understand this concept, paralyzes all attempts to account for the unintended consequences of humanitarian programmes to assist ‘child soldiers’ at the local level. That is to say, their social, economic, and political needs and aspirations under the assumption of their vulnerability and lack of real agency in recruitment, will be denied.
The young, consciously devise means to evade their adverse life situations...even if they entail grievous risks or lead to committing crimes that hurt other people.

As an example, it has been documented that the civil war in Liberia, opened doors to marginalized men and women. Some of the men were joyous at becoming strong men and commanders, while the women could go into the public sphere and be accepted as equals of the male species. Their perceived high yield gains, were known to have casted shadows on their high risk games.

Putting it differently, what may seem to an outsider "an abhorrent violation of rights", may have been understood by the participants as a life-adventure and even a once-in-a-life time opportunity.

Most of the regional warriors that were once interviewed by the HRW responded that they used the money they earned through their military activity to pay for rent, school, or hospital fees for their immediate as well as extended family. Others testified to using the money to set up a petty business in their villages (Ibid.). On the whole, this case of ex-child soldiers becoming ‘regional warriors’ in West Africa powerfully confirms young people’s agency, as it shows that young people would take matters into their own hands if they are treated as ‘vulnerable children’ and given no socio-economic and political empowerment.

Are we no free to derail?

**runs away**

This is more like asking whether it's right to be a paedophile or not.It is undebatable.

Helpless children are the victims of evil and bacwardward adults.They need to be rescued from the shackles of ignorance that has befallen them.

Rocktation: Eyaa, this ended pretty fast. I was busy all through.

People (greatGod something something), this was for fun. I found that opposing the motion was a tad too easy.

my sister, u did a wonderful work here, u overtry, believe me, i never thought anybody can support child-soldiering and have beautiful points to raise like this, i dont critisize pple o, what really happened was that myself and my hubby were following d thread together, so each time i say, ha, this person try o, he would oppose me, so he used my handle/moniker to post that question, and where u actually dissapointed me is dt, even if u know u cant do it, u should have answered affimatively, that would have given me d opportunity of being ahead of him, anyway, it was fun, i enjoyed every beat of d debate, u guys really tried.

And by d way, why will i oppose u, when i too will be debating today on sex topic. Pls o, dont have bad impression about me, i dont critisize pple, everybody is entitled to his/her opinions, this is a free world, gerrit?
Thanks.

'Cos, I understand. I did not respond because Maclatunji had posed that question, somewhat, a few minutes before you did. Answering yours would have made me sound like a broken record.
And it's not 'really' my opinion, pinky swear. . Any one that goes near my baby will have a lot to answer for it!

Well done cleopatra. I just couldn't fault your presentation cos it was well researched and facts provided to back up claims at each junction. You did well.
Just so you know, i was almost going to question you on why you think some child soldiers having some sort of bush education provided by the rfu means it's somewhat acceptible only to realise you had started that paragraph by stating frankly that schools are closed during war which meant any form of education is a gain during such time.

The debate should have been easy meat for the two queens but they probably didn't do enough research and should have expantiated further on the negative effects child soldiers have to endure once the war ends.

You guys rock

It's not easy going against what most people consider as evil, unjust and maddening (child soldier) and still come out top. Congrats Cleopatra!!!! You made the argument interesting.
I dare not forget to thank Queen Amina for her composed thoughts and constructs, they were superb!!! I'd say congrats to you too.