Opana Speaks, Victory Echoes: CoHS Clinches SRC Debate Championship

On this day, the 15th of July 2025, the College of Health Sciences made history: another bragging right claimed, another trophy bagged.

Emerging as champions in the SRC Intercollegiate Debate, the College of Health Sciences once again proved that it houses some of the finest minds on campus. And at the heart of this victory was Kelvin Kwabena Asamoah Damptey a.k.a. Opana the Poet, an MPhil Field Epidemiology and Statistics student, whose performance not only led his team to triumph but also earned him the prestigious title of Best Speaker.

Here’s how the contest unfolded. Six colleges. Six speakers. Each college selected one representative. The six were then divided into two teams of three—one to defend the motion, and the other to oppose it.

The motion?
"This House believes that Ghana prioritises a pre-emptive approach over a reactionary approach in the fight against drug abuse."

While teams competed for victory, each speaker also stood on their own, vying for the coveted Best Speaker title. The pressure was real. Representing your entire college alone is no small task. But Kelvin proved himself. Partnering with the College of Engineering and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences, he stood firm on the Opposition bench, facing off against a strong Government side. His delivery was clear, measured, and persuasive.

If you were in Kelvin’s shoes today, your heart would be pounding like a tachycardic patient’s. But there was no panic. No code blue. Just calm. Composure. Focus.

The kind of calm that comes from juggling research deadlines and community health screenings. The kind of focus sharpened by long hours of research, early morning lectures, and real-life problem-solving in the field.

As he stepped up to speak, his thoughts moved fast. The room was full, the judges alert. He knew his words had to be clear, his points sharp, his tone confident—and that’s exactly what he delivered.

By the end, the Opposition team had secured the win. But it didn’t stop there. Kelvin Damptey was crowned Best Speaker of the entire competition, not just that title, but also the shared cash prize for the team victory, the Championship Trophy, The Best Performing College award,  and a certificate of participation.

It was a proud moment, not just for Kelvin, but for the College of Health Sciences.
The kind of moment that makes you want to jump up and say, “That’s our guy!”

And that was our guy. In a battle of eloquence, boldness, and passion, Kelvin emerged victorious.
The College of Health Sciences and by extension, the Health Sciences Students’ Association (HESA) is truly proud.
Yes! Another bragging right has been claimed, all thanks to the oratory finesse of Opana, the Poet.

Reported by – Dzidula Yawa Tekpor (MSA)

The Health Sciences Chronicle