It’s been a ‘ricy’ period in Nigeria. Evidently, the country has become Rice-geria. Obviously, it is for no other reason but 2027 general elections. Politicians have done nothing but busied themselves with how to either maintain power or clinch one; depending on their political status.
As things stand, one party is doing everything humanly possible, including sharing cups or small bags of rice to impoverished citizens so that they retain power. Meanwhile, high transportation costs due to fuel crisis, insecurity, poor power supply, severe hunger, etc, are killing people daily while driving many others crazy. Ironically, here is a country that exports what it has but can not provide the same things for its own people. It has gotten to the level where rice has the capability to solve all problems while keeping the people blind for like forever.
As it is becoming customary, rather than confronting their leaders openly and demanding good governance, citizens now employ comedy to air their grievances. Everyone is afraid of the brutality from law enforcement waiting for them on the streets. So now, we have ricy skits setting social media on fire.
First, we saw the viral video by comedian Stanley Akpos, aka Mr SimCard. In the video, he decries the recurrent practice of giving out rice as palliative for all Nigeria’s overwhelming challenges. The comedian further calls the government out for turning the country into Rice-geria.
He goes like this, “There are no roads…give them rice. There’s no light…give them rice. There’s no water…give them rice. There are no hospitals…give them rice. There are no schools…give them rice. There is no security…Yakubu, give them rice. Rice answereth all things. Rice-geria. There was a country.”
Trust Nigerians, so many other skits on the same subject have been flooding social media. In a particular skit, a woman was approached on the street and asked what she wanted the government to do for the people. She complained about high hospital bills and severe hardship, and in the end, she was handed a small bag of rice as a solution to the problems she mentioned. That mockery sure hits the soul of this great country. It didn’t stop there. Every other vox pop conducted by several skit makers saw most respondents asking for security across the country, electricity, fuel, good roads, access to healthcare, and education. To all that, they received a small bag of rice and were told that their problems were over.
During an Arise News programme recently, the issue came up, and Ayo Mairo-Ese decride the level at which politicians have weaponized poverty to enslave the people.
“It’s the sad reality of what we have become; a nation that is placated with so little. Who should be blamed, the government and politician who have weaponized poverty so that many people are willing to sell their birth right for a bag of rice?”
She lamented the low expectation of people in terms of what they expect from leaders of the dividends of good governance.
“If only the people can be educated as to what is due to them as citizens, know their rights and entitlements as citizens. They should understand the importance of teaching them how to fish rather than being given fish so they can eat for life. Otherwise, they’ll continue to be satisfied with cups or bags of rice in substitution to education, healthcare, good roads, etc.”
At the end of her comment, Dr Reuben Abati told Ayo, “You deserve a bag of rice. They should give you rice.” The team burst into laughter. Ayo, however, screamed, “I want good governance.” That is exactly what every Nigerians should demand this time around- good governance.
We cannot continue to mortgage our future for rice. The masses need to resist the temptations of eating today and starving tomorrow. That quantity of rice is even an insult to the citizens because it can only last for a few days.
How long will we keep making the same mistakes? Recall how just a few months into this present administration, people began screaming ‘ebi npa wa’ (We are hungry) on the streets. The majority suffered and are still suffering for selling their birth right during the elections.
It’s high time Nigerians understood that politicians deliberately create poverty so that it could be weaponized during elections to keep them perpetually asking for crumbs.
On the positive side, recall again how, in a viral video a few years ago, some Ghanaian youths were seen rejecting bags of rice from a politician. They asked for good governance instead. Nigerians should summon courage and tow the same line. Votes should go to those who deserve them only; people who are ready to turn things around for good for us. That way, we can enjoy the dividends of good governance.
