PUNCH journalist, Adetutu Sobowale, is among the six journalists shortlisted for the inaugural Reporter Slam Nigeria. The competition gives participants a chance to share the stories and experiences behind their journalism.
Sobowale, who focuses on human-centred digital reporting, public-interest journalism and special features, has featured on platforms including African Women in Media, where she is a fellow, the Africa Centre for Development Journalism and the Women Radio Centre. The digital journalist has also volunteered with FactCheck Africa, reflecting her interest in fact-checking and credible journalism.
The 2026 edition of Reporter Slam Nigeria, themed “Journalism and the Nigerian Story”, with “Beyond the Byline” as its broader message, is scheduled for Wednesday, October 14, at the Alliance Française, Mike Adenuga Centre, Ikoyi, Lagos.
Speaking about the event, Reporter Slam Nigeria convener, Melony Ishola, a broadcaster, multimedia journalist and Head of Programmes at PUNCH Videos, said the contest was created to give journalists a platform to share the experiences, challenges and discoveries behind their published stories.
“Reporter Slam Nigeria exists because journalists are the most under-told story in Nigerian media. We spend our careers putting other people’s lives on the record and almost nobody asks about ours.
“The platform gives journalists the room to step out from behind their bylines and tell the story behind the story: the fear, the doubt, the discovery, the moment everything shifted. That is what Reporter Slam does,” she said.
She said the initiative also aimed to encourage younger journalists to develop their storytelling skills beyond conventional news reporting.
“The impact I am working towards is cultural, not just ceremonial. I want Nigerian journalists, especially younger ones to see storytelling as a skill worth sharpening, not just a vehicle for news delivery,” Ishola said.
She added that the long-term goal was to connect Nigerian journalists with the global Reporter Slam community, creating opportunities for international participation and professional development.
According to Ishola, other shortlisted contestants are Temiloluwa Bamgbose of BusinessDay, Lagos; Melody Agwom Dauda of Albarka Radio 97.5 FM, Bauchi; Tina H. Abeku of The Guardian Nigeria, Abuja; Abdul-Hafeez Fadehan, a freelancer and contributor to Third Lens in Lagos; and Aliyu Muhammad of the Nigerian Television Authority, Sokoto.
The six journalists will present stories drawn from their professional experiences before a live audience and a five-member jury.
Addressing concerns about the transparency of the voting and winner-selection process, Ishola said the outcome would be determined equally by audience votes and the jury’s assessment.
“Completely transparent, by design. The voting is split 50/50 between a virtual vote consisting of the live internet audience and a panel of five jurors. The audience votes in the room, in real time,” she said.
According to her, the jurors will independently assess each performance using five published criteria, “Story Opening and Hook, Story Depth and Human Connection, Narrative Structure and Journey, Authenticity and Emotional Resonance, and Delivery and Audience Engagement.”
She said the arrangement was designed to balance audience reactions with professional assessment.
“The audience brings the emotional pulse of the room; the jury brings professional rigour. Neither overrides the other,” she said.
Ishola said the winner, known as the Slampion, would represent Nigeria at the regional Reporter Slam competition.
She cited her experience as the winner of inaugural Reporter Slam Africa in 2024, which she said led to her participation in the global competition in Berlin in January 2025 and her subsequent role in hosting a regional edition in Lagos that year.
Beyond the competition, she said participants would have opportunities to connect with fellow journalists, editors, industry leaders and potential collaborators.
“We are also building a network of Reporter Slam alumni that we intend to activate beyond this one night: future opportunities, partnerships, and platforms will come through that community,” she said.
Ishola said the specific prizes, including award plaques and other rewards, would be announced at the event. She added that all six contestants had undergone a rigorous selection process and that their participation would provide professional visibility and opportunities to engage with the wider journalism community.