When Rice Became Ballot Bait: Nigeria’s Staple Turned Political Power

Rice is Nigeria’s most cherished staple. Its price often gauges an administration’s success. As a child in a civil-servant family, rice was our Sunday treat—jollof, stew, beans, or simple concoctions. No celebration feels complete without it. In the 1990s, Chief Lamidi Adedibu transformed rice into political bait. He fed thousands with amala and small cash gifts. This “stomach infrastructure” recalls the biblical story of Esau selling his birthright for a bowl of stew. Ayodele Fayose refined the strategy in the 2014 Ekiti election. He distributed rice, chickens, and cash, using branded bags to spread his message. He swept all 16 local councils and unseated an incumbent governor. Today President Tinubu has ordered nationwide rice distributions ahead of the next election. While it may ease hunger during Ramadan and Lent, it also secures political loyalty. In Nigeria, rice is more than food. It is now a powerful tool for buying votes.

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