Longlist: 2020 Punocracy Prize for Satire

It’s been about two months since we shut the windows to applications for this year’s prize for satire writing competition and it gives us great pleasure to finally announce the longlist of 50. All the entries in this list will be published gradually on the website (we hope you enjoy reading them as much as we did), after which the shortlisted articles will be revealed.

Last year, the longlist had a total of 38 articles and this time it is a bit longer because of the quality of entries received. (This means a lot to us since it reflects a significant increase in satirical literacy among the young population.) It was extremely difficult coming up with this list and we fully recognise that a lot of great submissions are still left out.

Just like in 2019, during the preliminary assessment, we had six judges evaluate all the applications, after dividing them into three sets with two judges assigned to each set.

The shortlist contains the five best entries in each of the sets, based on the average score, as well as the next five best using overall grades (to allow for variations in the judges’ discretion in awarding scores). And it is the entries in this list that qualify for the second level of assessment, handled by by distinguished jurors, Chuma Nwokolo, lawyer, publisher, and author of Diaries of a Dead African, The Extinction of Menai, and other books; and Elnathan John, lawyer, satirist, and author of Be(com)ing Nigerian: A Guide, Born on a Tuesday, and other books.

We also cannot wait to find out who the top three entrants are. But, in the meantime, here are the applicants who made it to the 33rd percentile:

1. Adeyomola Kazeem, How To Replace Doctors On Strike: A Fool, Proof Guide
2. Agbaje Ayomide, Becoming A Motivational Speaker: The Surefire Way
3. Akindayo Peace Akinwale, The Commandments For Men
4. Akinnawonu Joseph Olaoluwa, A Nation In Transit
5. Alabi Muheez Ajibola, Crazy Demo
6. Anuoluwa Olusegun Soneye, A Lab Report On Covik 19: Assessing The Biomedical Files Of A Virus Peculiar To The Nigeria Government
7. Ayobami Kayode Tijani Ah’mad, October 1st 2061
8. Ayodimeji Ameenat Oluwaseun, How To Stay Woke During The Covid-19 Pandemic
9. Blessing Adediwura, Not This World — A Dead Man’s Tale
10. Chisom Clare Akwue, The Nigerian Young Adult Manual
11. Chisom Cynthia Nnabude, TWIMC
12. Damilola Ayomide, No Title
13. Daniel Ajayi, Beatitudes
14. Elejaitan Bernard Atilade, Political Party Preparatory Election Memos In Nigeria
15. Eluwa Emmanuel, How To Raise Your Children
16. Faith Ofure EHIS, The Horrors Of Homosexuality
17. Favour Olajide, The Next Nigerian Leader
18. Gabriel Ikisang, On Mourning A Son
19. Gracious Egedegbe, The Many Reasons Why I Am Pro-Abortion
20. Halimah Adisa, The Police Force: One Hassle, Different Officers
21. Isreal Winlade, Made In Nanja
22. Iyilade Adeboye Samuel, Candid Suggestions For President Mumu-Man-Du
23. Jadesola Ajao, Nigerian Parenting — A Small Handbook
24. Jehu Etimbuk Sylas, Achieving Success As A Nigerian Musician: A Practical Guide On How To Blow
25. Joy Abraham, The Economic Importance Of Buttocks
26. Kachi Martin Ebubedike, Creating Efficient Healthcare Systems: The Nigerian Model
27. Lukpata Lomba Joseph, The Making Of An Award-Winning Thriller
28. Malik Kolade, The Legal Way To Do Yahoo Yahoo In Nigeria
29. Mariam Adetona, Being A Virtuous Lady
30. Melody, Danfo
31. Mojoyinoluwa Kofoworola Agbonde, How To Be A Nigerian Parent
32. Muhammed Bello, Touch Not My Anointed
33. Obinna Tony-Francis Ochem, #Notallmen; A Guide On How To Decimate Twitter Feminists
34. Ogunwale Emmanuel, The Committee
35. Ola W. Halim, He’s A Stray Dog If He Rapes You, But —
36. Oladini Omotola, Dear Misogynists (And The Closet Ones Too)
37. Olamide Francis, Becoming A Nigerian Parent
38. Olawunmi Olaniyi, We Are Eloquent Speakers
39. Olugbuyiro Success, A Psalm Of Covid
40. Oluwadamilare Ajiboye, Ubuntu; I Am Because You Are!
41. Oluwaseun Osanyinro, OPI(Nion) (Dia)LOGUE
42. Oluwatimilehin Odueso, How To Raise A True Believer, Or A Believer’s Manifesto In Four Commandments
43. Orisaheyi Bisola Omolade, The Nigerian Handbook On How To Get A Man
44. Sami Tunji, Ugly God
45. Solomon Nzere, The Gospelpreneur: Letter To David
46. Sunday Michael Oyeleke, Mr Integrity
47. Theophilus Femi Alawonde, You Have A Political Ambition? What’s Next
48. Uchenna Emelife, Masterclass: How To Become A Nigerian Society
49. Uzoechina Chisom Chigozie, Mr Martin And His Son
50. Zenas Ubere, How To Gain The ‘Yahoo Boy’ Tag

We, sadly, did not receive enough entries for the visual art category to make it truly competitive and will let the applicants know what our decision is in the coming days.

Please note that entries that did not qualify for the longlist can be shared with us to be considered for publication. We will be glad to push them to our site too as guest articles.

Cheers to little victories and long lists!