Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
On a sweltering Sunday afternoon in one of Lagos’s most affluent neighborhoods, thousands of Nigerians, many of whom had travelled from distant slums and suburbs, queued for hours along Awolowo Road in Ikoyi to receive a “Congo” measure of rice and other food items in an outreach programme that residents and eyewitnesses have linked to a political campaign team associated with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The distribution, which took place on Sunday, May 24, 2026, drew massive crowds, with videos circulating on social media showing men, women, and children pressing against barriers as volunteers handed out bags of rice and other staples. An eyewitness who spoke to Instablog9ja disclosed that a similar exercise had also taken place the previous Sunday, with beneficiaries receiving one Congo of rice each—a unit of measurement roughly equivalent to a paint bucket, typically holding between 2.5 and 5 kilogrammes—alongside other food items.
The Ikoyi distribution is the latest in a series of food outreach programmes that have been organised in the run‑up to the 2027 general elections, as political parties and their supporters seek to woo a struggling electorate with direct material aid. Although no official campaign banner or party insignia was visible in the videos, multiple sources confirmed that the event was organised by a group linked to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and, more specifically, to President Tinubu’s political network. The choice of Ikoyi, a neighbourhood known for its luxury apartments, corporate headquarters, and affluent residents, raised eyebrows, but eyewitnesses said the beneficiaries were not mainly from Ikoyi itself. “Most of the people in the queue came from places like Ajegunle, Bariga, and even as far as Ikorodu,” one resident told Stone Reporters News. “They heard about the giveaway and started arriving as early as 6 a.m.”
The term “Congo” is a popular measure in Lagos markets, referring to a standard paint bucket used to sell rice, beans, and other grains. At current market prices, one Congo of rice costs between ₦3,500 and ₦5,000, a sum that has become increasingly prohibitive for millions of Nigerians as food inflation has soared to over 16 percent. According to the National Bureau of Statistics, the price of a 50kg bag of local rice rose by nearly 90 percent between May 2025 and May 2026, driven by a combination of fuel subsidy removal, exchange rate volatility, and persistent insecurity in rice‑producing northern states. For many beneficiaries, the free rice distribution was not merely a gesture of political goodwill but a lifeline.
The queue snaked along Awolowo Road, past the high walls of private estates and diplomatic missions, a stark juxtaposition of extreme wealth and deepening poverty. Videos from the scene showed women fanning themselves with newspapers as the sun beat down, children clutching empty bags, and young men arguing with volunteers over the size of the scoops. Police officers were present to maintain order, and at one point, the distribution was briefly halted when the crowd surged forward. No injuries were reported.
This is not the first time food distribution has been used as a political tool ahead of the 2027 elections. In April 2026, a pro‑Tinubu group distributed thousands of bags of rice in Kano and Kaduna states. In May, a similar event was reported in Ondo and Ogun states. However, the Ikoyi distribution has attracted particular attention because of its location and the massive turnout. Critics have argued that the event underscores the failure of government policies, forcing citizens to rely on political handouts for basic sustenance. “When people queue for hours for a bucket of rice, it is not a sign of political popularity; it is a sign of starvation,” said Adeola Adeniyi, an economist based in Lagos. “The government should be judged on its ability to make food affordable, not on its ability to distribute it free during campaign season.”
Supporters of the outreach, however, have defended it as a commendable effort to alleviate suffering. “The President’s team is simply responding to the needs of the people. Food is a basic right, and if the government cannot provide it, then political groups must step in,” said a community organiser who participated in the event but declined to be named.
The political impact of such giveaways remains a subject of debate. While they may generate short‑term goodwill, there is little evidence that they translate into lasting voter loyalty. In the 2023 elections, similar distributions by various parties did not always produce the expected electoral outcomes. Nevertheless, with the 2027 elections still 18 months away, the frequency and scale of these events appear to be increasing, suggesting that political actors are betting that hungry voters will remember a bucket of rice when they enter the polling booth.
As the sun set over Ikoyi, the last of the rice was distributed, and the crowds dispersed, carrying their precious cargo home. For many, the bucket of rice would feed a family for a week. For others, it was a reminder of how far their purchasing power had fallen. And for the political operatives who organised the giveaway, it was a successful public relations exercise — one that cost relatively little in campaign funds but generated significant media attention and, potentially, a few thousand grateful votes. The question that remains is whether such gestures can substitute for the structural reforms needed to restore Nigeria’s food security. The answer, for the millions still hungry, is a resounding no.
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters News | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments