The purpose of satire has been rightly stated as to strip off the veneer of comforting illusion and cosy half-truth, and our job, as I see it, is to put it back again! —
Lyricist, actor and singer Michael Flanders
Shucks. We are not accepting applications at the moment.
Punocracy is a community of young writers of satire in Nigeria that was launched in March 2018 to encourage free speech, promote critical thinking, and spread political consciousness.
Our objective is to make satire a widely accepted and understood tool of socio-political commentary in the country and to kindle the fire of interest in the genre. In short, we are on a mission to improve satirical literacy and create a safe space for writers and lovers of satire.
In further advancing these goals, we are seeking entries for the third edition of the Prize for Satire. We believe other forms of writing, from poetry to non-fiction, have received significant attention, and it is high time we equally spotlighted the significance of satirising in opinion-shaping and nation-building. There is hardly a better way to do this than through a healthy rivalry.
All longlisted submissions will be published on Punocracy’s website and winners will be awarded during the World Satire Day celebration.
Judges are looking for great works of satire, and by definition, this includes articles that creatively deploy wit, irony, sarcasm, and/or ridicule in criticising faults. Entries may take the shape of prose, drama, news, poetry, a speech, a bill, a letter, a manual, a prophecy, an essay, an advert, or even quasi-scriptural passages. Whatever works for you really. There are also no restrictions on topics. We, however, encourage that the selected topic is approached in a way that will make the work relevant for an extended period.
Kindly note that by entering for this prize, you agree your article or artwork can be used by Punocracy and may be published in the public domain via electronic or printed media.
Eligibility
Applicants should be Nigerians aged between 15 and 30 years as of November 2022.
Only one entry is allowed per person.
Also, the entry must:
— Be written in English and saved in a .doc format.
— Be anything between 300 and 1500 words.
— Not be plagiarised in part or in whole.
— Not be jointly authored or created.
— Not have been previously published.
— Most importantly, be satirical.
Prizes
Grand prize: N50,000 and certificate.
Consolation runner-up prizes: Books and certificates.
Deadline
11:59 pm (GMT+1), Sunday, October 16, 2022
Application
Please visit this page to apply for the competition.
Winners from the last edition
For enquiries, send an email to hello@punocracy.com.