The governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress in Oyo State, Taofeek Adegoke, on Tuesday stirred reactions after a video of him distributing boiled corn to supporters by the roadside went viral.
In a now-trending video, Adegoke was seen standing beside a pot of boiled corn, personally handing it to supporters who thronged around him.
The supporters, who struggled to receive the corn directly from the governorship hopeful, hailed him as “Mr Governor” while chanting slogans in his support. Some of them insisted on collecting the corn from Adegoke himself, describing the gesture as a blessing, as they stretched their hands towards him amid the crowd.
The video has since attracted reactions on social media, with supporters commending the ADC candidate for what they described as his humility and accessibility. However, others argued that such gestures are common during election campaigns, when politicians often seek to project themselves as being close to ordinary citizens.
Public displays of humility have become a recurring feature of electioneering in Nigeria. During campaign periods, politicians across party lines have been seen eating at roadside food joints, patronising local markets, riding commercial motorcycles and tricycles, joining residents at community events and engaging in other everyday activities intended to reinforce their connection with the electorate. While supporters often interpret such actions as evidence of simplicity and empathy, critics contend that they are largely symbolic campaign strategies designed to appeal to voters.
Reacting to the video, a user identified as Sam Oladayo on TikTok described him as a very humble governor and jokingly suggested making him President of the USA. Another user, identified as Finiyi Samuel, argued that the people following him know he cannot win the election, yet continue to follow him and collect his money. A user identified as Ayinla Kusela dismissed the gesture as a pure lie and an old-school tactic, while another user, Atom, called it an old style of fooling people. Meanwhile, a user identified as Afolayan Femi stressed that aside from his gubernatorial bid, he is a good person.
