Face Offs - the Kumasi Debate Open

HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM KDO!

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Another year begins, and the conversations continue.

At The Kumasi Debate Open, ideas are tested, perspectives are refined, and voices are heard. The new year invites us to keep asking difficult questions and engaging with them thoughtfully and respectfully.

Here’s to another year of Debate and Public Speaking that challenges, educates, and connects.✨

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This won’t be just any May …Ready?

©️KumasiDebateOpen2026

SEASON'S GREETINGS FROM KDO

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This Christmas, we pause to celebrate shared moments, lasting connections, and the journey ahead.

May the season bring joy, rest, and renewed inspiration.
Merry Christmas from The Kumasi Debate Open. 🎄✨

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This won’t be just any May …Ready?

©️KumasiDebateOpen2026

KDO’26 REGO ANNOUNCEMENT

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Here is to officially announce the REGISTRATION FEE for the 7️⃣th Kumasi Debate Open . . . so you can start saving.🙂‍↕️

NB:
Payment Details will be made public after exact tournament dates are announced and registration commences (early next year)✅
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This won’t be just any May … Ready?

©️KumasiDebateOpen2026

KDO’26 lNSTITUTIONAL REP APPLICATION

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🔥 KDO26 Institutional Rep Applications Are LIVE! 🔥

Are you an active member of your debate society, proactive, and an effective communicator? Step up and be the voice of your institution at the 7th Kumasi Debate Open!

Perks? We got you:
💥 30% off standard rego
💥 Free KDO26 shirt
💥 Front-row access to all major updates

Deadline: 23rd December 2025

Register now:
👉https://forms.gle/33uzJ6gDNiE9Dhms6
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⁠ This won’t be just any May ... Ready?

©️KumasiDebateOpen2026

ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE KDO ’26 OFFICIALS (4/4️⃣)

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- The DEBATE CAP📝

⚫️ Abdul Fatawu Alhassan

Phenomenal AFT, as I affectionately call him, has built a debate career defined by curiosity, independence, and a relentless commitment to self-learning. Rising through the ranks by mastering concepts on his own, he embodies the spirit of intellectual resilience.
His achievements reflect this drive: he served on the CAP for the Ghana Universities Debate Championship (GUDC) in both 2021 and 2022, and reached the finals of the Kumasi Debate Open (KDO) in 2023 and 2024.

His debating style is defined by analytical precision and principled reasoning. He prioritizes clear logic, robust characterization, and compelling comparative analysis. As a judge, he focuses on fairness and rewards teams that present strategic, well-weighed argumentation.

Beyond competition, he has played an active role in nurturing new talents. He regularly coaches emerging debaters, breaking down complex argumentation into simple, actionable insights. His mentorship has helped many novices transition into confident, competitive speakers.

Guided by a belief that every accepted truth deserves to be questioned, he continues to inspire debaters to think boldly, challenge assumptions, and pursue excellence through inquiry.
For this reason, expect to have motions that will make you question your core beliefs.

.. Abdul-Malik👌🏾

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⁠ This won’t be just ⁠ any May ⁠ … Ready? ⁠

©️KumasiDebateOpen2026

ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE KDO ’26 OFFICIALS (4/4️⃣)

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- The DEBATE CAP📝

⚫️ Alexandra Adotey

She remains one of the most outstanding forces within the space. She brings the fire and drive everyone needs in a tournament not to mention that calm, cheerful, yet fiercely commanding charisma she carries when she’s working. She doesn’t need any additional spotlight in the room. She is the spotlight.

Every great tournament thrives on a fully equipped CAP, and truly, it could be no other than Alexandra “Lexis” Adotey.
Just leave everything to her and prepare to witness nothing short of excellence because Lexis never shows up halfway. She delivers, dominates, and defines the standard.

Outside debate, you’d hardly catch Lexis talking much. She’ll be sitting quietly in her clean, elegant fits, enjoying her peaceful little world while doing the two things she loves most: eating kenkey and taking effortlessly cute mirror pics. The duality is crazy calm off-stage, unstoppable on it.
Even in silence, she somehow manages to outshine everyone else in the room

From GUDC, RPDA Pre-PAUDC, WAUDC, to the International Women’s Debate Open, she has CAP’ed them all, leaving her signature blend of competence, precision, and quiet authority everywhere she goes. And now, she’s bringing that same brilliance, command, and undeniable energy to KDO ’26.

Bio from Othniel and Nicole🙂‍↔️

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⁠ This won’t be just ⁠ any May ⁠ … Ready? ⁠

©️KumasiDebateOpen2026

ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE KDO ’26 OFFICIALS (4/4️⃣)

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- The DEBATE CAP📝

⚫️ Joy A. Hadome

Joy Awulika "Adwoa” Hadome is one of those people you just know was built for this game.

I’ve watched her walk into rooms and quietly become the standard; by her presence, precision, and the kind of calm confidence that makes everyone sit up straighter. She’s not just good at what she does in debate; she understands it in a way that very few people ever do.

In 2024, at KDO, Joy was the Best Judge, and chaired the Open Grand Final. And because she apparently believes in collecting standards, she was also crowned Best Judge at Accra Open, later that same year.

Internationally, her record speaks loudly. She has served as Deputy Chief Adjudicator (DCA) at PAUDC Kampala 2024, Serbia WSDC 2024, and the All-Nigerian Universities Debating Championship 2024, and as Chief Adjudicator (CA) of the West African Universities Debating Championship 2024 and Drexel Open 2025. She is also set to serve as DCA at Sofia WUDC 2026; and honestly, that stage couldn’t be more fitting.

Beyond titles, Joy is someone I’ve seen choose people over ego, fairness over comfort, and excellence over shortcuts. She has served as an Equity Officer at Vietnam WUDC 2024, Sydney AWGMDC 2023, Togo PAUDC 2023, Malaysia UADC 2023, Northeast Asian Debating Championship 2022, and Campbelltown Australs 2022, and contributed her voice to spaces like the Glasgow EUDC 2024 Equity Appeals Committee and the Vietnam WSDC 2023 Complaints Committee.

And if I’m being honest for a second, writing this as someone who knows her personally, Joy is the kind of person who makes you believe debate spaces can be kinder, fairer, and still world-class. I’ve seen the work, the late nights (yea very very late nights), the quiet sacrifices, and the heart behind everything she does.

As a KDO’26 Debate CA, we’re not just getting experience.
We’re getting intention. We’re getting integrity. We’re getting Joy.

So,

…this won’t be just any May …(it will be a May with Joy)…..ready?

P.S.: I wrote all this at gun point (Franco Osei-Wusu)

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⁠ This won’t be just ⁠ any May ⁠ … Ready? ⁠

©️KumasiDebateOpen2026

ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE KDO ’26 OFFICIALS (4/4️⃣)

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- The DEBATE CAP📝

⚫️ Kojo O. Acheampong

Kojo is someone everyone aspires to be . He’s hardworking, a great debater, and so good at solving problems. I’ve watched him handle stressful moments with so much patience and clarity, always making sure every tournament he ca's runs smoothly.

KDO is the tournament that shows his range, He has won KDO, chaired the final, been second best speaker, best judge, and he has also tabbed the tournament. He has seen it all in the six generations of KDO (including losing the finals and not advancing from the semi-finals) and he is now here as your venerable CA.

That's not all, Kojo has countless achievements to his name from being the PAUDC 2020 champion, to GUDC back-to-back champion in 2022 and 2023. And has been the DCA and CA of serveral tournaments, from Uhuru Worlds, to Open Coast, to GNDC, he also has about 30+ judge breaks across Africa, Europe & Asia, his Laurels are too many, I can't type all so let's stop here.
In all, every tournament needs a Kojo.
This won’t be just ⁠ any tournament ... because Kojo is here. This won't be just any May ...ready?

Bio by Annie

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⁠ This won’t be just ⁠ any May ⁠ … Ready? ⁠

©️KumasiDebateOpen2026

ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE KDO ’26 OFFICIALS (3/4️⃣)

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- The PS CAP🗣️

⚫️ Chris Foli

You want mind-wracking, creative, and downright mesmerizing public speaking rounds for KDO? Then relax, because you’ve landed the right person: Dr. Chris Foli. When he speaks, even the tree leaves stop ruffling beacause nature itself doesn’t want to miss a single line.
This man isn’t just an African Public Speaking Champion with an iconic speech that I still quote like it’s scripture. He’s also one of the continent’s most trusted adjudicators: CA for WAUDC 2025 and Best Judge at WAUDC 2024, Add "Grand Finals Chair at KDO 2024” to that list, and suddenly his CV starts looking like a trophy cabinet.
With him on the team, KDO 2026’s Public Speaking category isn’t just getting better, it’s getting a glow up, a plot twist, and maybe even standing ovations. Experiencing his tasks and prompts is something you definitely don’t want to miss.

Bio by AHS

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⁠ This won’t be just ⁠ any May ⁠ … Ready? ⁠

©️KumasiDebateOpen2026

ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE KDO ’26 OFFICIALS (3/4️⃣)

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- The PS CAP🗣️

⚫️ Joan Charity Oko

"Is an introduction really necessary for someone we all know......"

I have typed and deleted this so many times because there's just not enough words to describe the enigma that is Joan Charity Oko but it's safe to say that you cannot speak about public speaking in this space without mentioning her name once or two hundred times.
And that too, with evidence backing it up.
CAP Ldo 2025; champion NDC 2024, CAP ANUDC 2025.....ahn ah, mapami nau 😭 🔥

Joan is the type of person that will draw you in and make you love the sport with her bubbly personality but still be the unforgiving judge and jury to your speeches at the same time. Yeah. She's just that great.

That is how I know that there is no better person to grace Kumasi with her presence as PS CAP other than Joan.

Sit tight, buckle up. And let Joan take you on a ride I promise you'll never forget.

Bio by Wicked Angry Feminist

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⁠ This won’t be just ⁠ any May ⁠ … Ready? ⁠

©️KumasiDebateOpen2026

ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE KDO ’26 OFFICIALS (3/4️⃣)

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- The PS CAP🗣️

⚫️ Bernard Opoku Baah

Have you ever met Genesis in a round? His rebuttals are so nicely and simplistically done that you'll just concede defeat before the judges say Jack. It'll make you awestruck so much so that you find yourself writing a bio for him at 3 a.m. Benard Opoku Baah is the true main character moving from humble boy from Ayeduase to an innocent household name and now has risen up the ranks to become a community favorite. He is a KDO Champion, a Monrovia Debate Open finalist, and GENESIS Open Finalist and a PAUDC quarterfinalist. When he's not debating in Africa, he's too busy claiming ESL finals spots like I drink water daily. From Western IV to Sofia Online, even Uhuru ESL Semis, he makes sure his mark is left. Guess what, you can't really call this glazing if they're just that versatile, this guy has chaired on stages like Pre-PAUDC Open Finals, 1962 Open Finals, Pre-ANYDC Open Finals, GUDC Novice Finals bagging a handful of best Adjudicator awards too.
To top it all off, this man has been PS CA for the most prestigious RP Baffour and literally has won KDO PS. You realise that when it comes to the G.O.A.T conversation across the continent, Benard Opoku Baah is the GENESIS of all the chat
Bio by P.Gasky!

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⁠ This won’t be just ⁠ any May ⁠ … Ready? ⁠

©️KumasiDebateOpen2026