The Rise of Rice Politics in Nigeria and Rice Scarcity

A new brand of politics is taking over our nation and it is alarming. This dangerous trend, if not stopped will swallow all of us in the next few months and we will be wondering how we got there. I don’t know if this tide started with the last Ekiti gubernatorial election but it obviously was brought to national attention during the election and was apparently crucial in determining the outcome of the election. This new brand of politics or governance has been tagged ‘riceocracy,’ which according to my definition is “the government that comes into power having capitalised on the poverty of its people by temporarily satisfying their hunger”.

During the last governorship election in Ekiti State, the two major contenders were reported to have shared rice (raw and cooked) and it is believed that this to a very large extent influenced, among other things, the result of the election.

Bags of rice with the picture of Ayo Fayose and inscriptions asking people to vote for him

Governor Kayode Fayemi and others serving cooked rice

People carrying Fayose's bags of rice

Many Nigerians are asking questions about the propriety of such acts. One of those asking questions is popular actress, Omotola Jolade Ekeinde, who asked via twitter if such an act is not a crime.

It seems other politicians are taking a cue from what transpired in Ekiti because politicians in other states are also devising means of sharing rice to the electorate.

A PDP gubernatorial aspirant in Zamfara State

Bag of rice by Senator Isiaka Adeleke asking people to vote for Governor Rauf Aregbesola

Bag of rice bearing Alao-Akala's name

I think this path we are beginning to tread as a nation is one that will not lead us to where we want. Do citizens expect a politician who took loans to share rice during elections to get to office and not seek ways to recoup the money he spent? That is why I have told my friends from Ekiti not to be disappointed if their expectations (if they have any) are not met. Another thing these developments indicate is that Nigerian politicians believe we cannot think beyond our bellies. This, I know, is not true! Politics should not be reduced to stomach matters. Is it not amusing or appalling, that a new term has entered our lexicon in Nigeria? The term is “infrastructure of the stomach” or “stomach structure.” The argument now is that a politician who does not pay attention to the stomach structure of his people will not get their votes.

I am also of the opinion that if this drift to stomach politics is not stopped, a time will come when Nigeria will experience scarcity of rice, especially during elections, because politicians would have hoarded or diverted as many bags of rice as they can. If this happens, who will bear the brunt? Is it not the same people who will not vote for those who don’t share rice? Nigerians should reject this brand of politics by refusing to vote for candidates and parties who try to induce them. We must understand that as long as we do not rise beyond the cravings of our stomachs, we should not expect developments in Nigeria.

MAY GOD HELP US!