S.O.S ALIEME

Nigeria’s democracy is being systematically weakened by what can be described as a dangerous consolidation of power or as an enticement to the position of power through the distribution of rice and other items as palliatives to the people. The political class is deliberately shrinking Nigeria’s democratic space knowing fully well that the hungry man cannot make appropriate decision. The strategy of stomach infrastructure politics such as distribution of rice and spaghetti cannot replace public trust or guarantee good governance. Bags of rice, spaghetti, and indomie may offer temporary relief, but they cannot secure legitimacy at the ballot box. Are Nigerians gluttons? Are many Nigerians poor due to laziness or is it as a result of bad leadership?

One of the most damaging habits undermining democracy in our society is not corruption alone, but the willingness of citizens to trade their conscience for a plate of rice. When politicians learn that hunger is enough to silence accountability, governance becomes charity, and citizenship is reduced to begging. This is the tragedy that continues to replay itself during election and after election. The irony is painful. The same individuals who celebrate temporary hand-outs such as bags of rice, noodles, cash gifts, etc. are often the loudest voices demanding dividends of democracy once elections are over. Yet they forget a fundamental truth: roads, hospitals, schools, water, electricity, and security are not gifts from politicians. They are paid for with taxpayers’ money. They are rights, not favours. When citizens allow their votes and loyalty to be bought cheaply, they surrender the moral authority to demand accountability later.

A politician who buys loyalty with food is not compassionate; he is strategic. He understands that hunger weakens resistance and desperation clouds judgment. Such politicians do not fear accountability because they have learned that short-term relief can override long-term thinking. When a plate of rice replaces a demand for roads, when a stipend replaces a demand for healthcare, society remains trapped in a cycle of underdevelopment. True democracy demands memory and courage. Memory, to remember that election seasons are not festivals of food sharing but moments of decision that shape generations. Courage, to reject inducements and insist on policies, competence, and performance. The citizen who sells his vote today mortgages his tomorrow. The community that applauds hand-outs sabotages its future.

There is also an uncomfortable hypocrisy at play. One cannot celebrate transactional politics and later protest bad governance with credibility. You cannot trade your conscience willingly and still claim betrayal when the system fails you. Accountability is a two-way contract. If citizens abandon their responsibility to choose wisely, they weaken their right to complain. This is not a call for moral perfection but for political maturity. Hunger is real, and survival is not a crime. But normalizing vote-buying and political loyalty based on crumbs ensures that hunger remains permanent.

Development does not come from generosity during campaigns; it comes from planning, budgeting, and governance after elections. The dividends of democracy are not bags of rice. They are functioning roads, quality education, accessible healthcare, economic opportunities, and dignity. Until citizens refuse to sell their conscience cheaply, politicians will continue to pay them cheaply and steal expensively.

Democracy cannot thrive where the electorate is loyal to stomachs instead of principles. The moment citizens realize that their votes are more valuable than any plate of rice is the moment real governance can begin. Open your eyes, don't trade your audacity to ask for accountability. 2027 is by the corner, and 2026 carries with it all the deceptive activities that go on from the desks of scrupulous politicians.

Ours is a rich land that is bequeathed to us by nature, enough of rainfall, sunshine, rich soil, good weather and the like but our politicians who can best be described as “ruiners” and have made mess of the whole thing. Nigeria is poor by design because those who ruined this country did it on purpose. Their hold on power is strengthened by the poverty of the people.  An unsettled mind cannot query simple questions affecting him in the society. A poor man’s mind, a hungry man’s mind is focused on survival.  He is thinking on means of survival, he is thinking about what to eat, he is thinking about what to drink, he is thinking of various bills to be paid, school bills, electricity, transportation, house rent bills if he has a house, where to lay his head if he is walking the street, he is thinking about his security, and lastly his stomach. 

A man who is dependent on the grace of his political master to eat is not likely to query the wisdom of his political master who tells him that his neighbour and his best friend are his enemy.  So, it thus means that the Nigerian system deliberately weaponized poverty against its people.  If you look at the distribution of palliatives to the people it gives you an idea of weaponization of poverty in Nigeria. You will see that Nigerians fight for items or food items like animals. You see people scooping rice with sand as if we are at war but the people have been reduced drastically to the level of animals in a country where people are flying private jets all over the place. You see young men and women reduced to beggars.  It is the problem of the “ruiners” and not rulers because a ruler will see a destination even with his two eyes closed and he will lead rightly; leading the people in the direction of his vision. But “ruiners” have no vision.  Most of the concepts they are planning for the people are already outdated. What is the vision governing anyone in Nigeria, None!!! “Ruiners” develop and build concepts that are only fit for the 60s in 2020s.  What a vision. A “ruiner” is clueless!!! Rulers and leaders will consider what is good for the future and generations yet unborn will enjoy and make use of.

The excessive personalisation of the commonwealth of the country by a few individuals has made Nigeria emerge as the country with the highest number of poor people. It is regrettable that nothing can be bought outside this country that is made in Nigeria because crude happened to be the only commodity exported by the country. Nigeria needs a functional democracy to keep people accountable; more people need to show leadership commitment in the country. Why can’t our business leaders use their power and influence to effect the implementation of a growth and development template? These are central to changing the narrative.

 

God Bless Nigeria!!!