For Once, Let’s Reject Their Rice, And Vote Right -By Isaac Asabor

In every election season across our nation, a familiar ritual unfolds. Politicians, suddenly aware of the people they claim to serve, descend upon communities with bags of rice, bottles of cooking oil, and envelopes stuffed with a few crumpled notes. They smile, shake hands, and promise heaven on earth. And many of us, weary from hardship, accept these tokens as though they were gifts of salvation. But let us pause and reflect: is this truly what democracy should mean? Is our vote worth no more than a plate of rice that vanishes in a day, while the consequences of our choices linger for years?

This piece is not a sermon, but a heartfelt appeal. It is a call to conscience, a plea to my fellow citizens: for once, let us reject their rice, and vote right.

The distribution of rice and other handouts during elections is not charity, it is manipulation. It is a calculated strategy to exploit poverty and desperation. Politicians know that hunger is a powerful stimulus, and they weaponize it to secure votes. But what does this say about their vision for governance? If they truly cared about the people, would they not build systems that ensure food security, job creation, and sustainable livelihoods, rather than tossing crumbs at us every four years?

The rice is symbolic. It represents short-term relief, but also long-term betrayal. It is the politician’s way of saying: “I do not need to earn your trust with policies or integrity; I only need to buy your silence with a meal.” And tragically, too often, it works.

Our vote is not a commodity to be traded for rice. It is the most powerful tool we possess in shaping the future of our communities and our nation. When we sell it cheaply, we mortgage our children’s tomorrow. A bag of rice lasts a week, perhaps two. But the leaders we elect will make decisions that affect education, healthcare, infrastructure, and security for years.

Think of the roads we drive on, riddled with potholes. Think of hospitals where patients die because there are no medicines or doctors. Think of schools where children sit on bare floors, learning from outdated textbooks. Think of the deepening level of insecurity in the land. These are not accidents; they are the direct consequences of leadership choices. And those choices are made by the very people we empower with our votes.

True leadership is not measured by how much rice a politician can distribute. It is measured by vision, competence, and integrity. A true leader does not bribe people but inspires them. A true leader does not exploit poverty but works to eradicate it. True leaders do not appear only during election season but remain present, accountable, and transparent throughout their tenure.

We must begin to ask ourselves hard questions: Who among the candidates has a track record of service? Who has demonstrated honesty in their dealings? Who has articulated clear policies for education, healthcare, and economic growth? Who has shown empathy for the struggles of ordinary citizens? These are the criteria by which we should judge our leaders, not the size of the rice bag they carry.

When we accept rice in exchange for our votes, we are not just making a personal decision; we are collectively undermining democracy. We are telling politicians that corruption works, that bribery is effective, that accountability is unnecessary. And they listen. They learn that they do not need to govern well; they only need to budget for rice.

The cost is immense. Corruption flourishes. Public funds are siphoned into private pockets. Projects are abandoned. Promises are broken. And the people, the very ones who accept rice, are left to suffer. It is a vicious cycle: poverty breeds desperation, desperation invites manipulation, manipulation perpetuates bad leadership, and bad leadership deepens poverty.

Across the world, nations that have risen from poverty to prosperity did so not because their citizens accepted handouts, but because they demanded accountability. In countries where voters reject bribery and insist on competence, leaders are forced to deliver. Roads are built, schools thrive, healthcare improves, and economies grow. Democracy flourishes when citizens recognize the true value of their votes.

We must learn from these examples. Our nation is rich in resources, talent, and potential. What holds us back is not fate, but leadership. And leadership is determined by the choices we make at the ballot box.

My fellow voters, I know the temptation is strong. Hunger is real, and poverty bites. But let us think beyond today’s meal. Let us think of the future we want for our children. Do we want them to inherit a nation where rice is the currency of democracy, or a nation where integrity and competence guide governance?

Rejecting their rice is not just an act of defiance; it is an act of dignity. It is a statement that we will no longer be bought cheaply. It is a declaration that our votes are sacred, that our future is priceless, that our democracy is worth more than a bag of grain.

To truly safeguard our democracy, we must take deliberate steps. First, we must educate ourselves by reading manifestos, attending debates, and scrutinizing candidates rather than being swayed by slogans or handouts. Then, we should talk to others, family, friends, and neighbors, encouraging them to look beyond short-term gifts and share this message widely. When the inevitable temptation arrives in the form of rice or other inducements, we must resist, take a stand, and refuse to be bought.

Finally, on election day, we must vote wisely, not for the one who fed us for a week, but for the one who can build a future that lasts for decades.

This is not a call to arms, but a call to conscience. The revolution we need is not fought with weapons, but with ballots. It begins when ordinary citizens, tired of being manipulated, decide to reject rice and demand true leadership. It begins when we recognize that democracy is not about handouts, but about accountability. It begins when we vote not for the highest bidder, but for the most competent leader.

My fellow voters, history is watching us. Our children are watching us. The world is watching us. Let us rise to the occasion. Since Nigeria transitioned from military government to civilian regime, that is to a democratic state, we have been trading our votes for rice, salt, pepper, and even branded fez caps, t-shirts and wrist bands. Some of our youths even trade their votes for beer, not to talk of fighting for the politicians, and in most cases making enemies.  For once, let us reject their rice, and vote for true leaders.