A viral photo recently showed Hajiya Fatima Aminu Aliyu Garu, wife of House of Representatives member Garu Aminu Aliyu, handing out sugarcane sticks to youths. The lawmaker, a representative of Bauchi Federal Constituency from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was involved in this distribution, but details on the exact date and location remain unclear.This type of “empowerment” initiative is not unusual in Nigerian politics, where public officials and their associates often distribute unconventional items to constituents. Such items have ranged from tricycles and motorcycles to grinding machines and water sachets. For instance, in Kano, donkeys were given out, and in Anambra, cassava stems were distributed under similar empowerment programs.In Benue State, former Governor Samuel Ortom’s aide once distributed wheelbarrows emblazoned with “Gov Ortom for You,” supposedly to aid constituents in running errands. Similarly, in Taraba State, wheelbarrows were given by House of Representatives member Maigari Bello-Kasimu to help constituents who previously had to rent them. The late Chinwe Ugwu, former caretaker chairperson of Nsukka Local Government Area in Enugu State, also provided wheelbarrows to youths for their economic activities.The practice extends beyond wheelbarrows. Kano State Governor Abdullahi Ganduje once spent N208 million to provide items like noodles, eggs, and milk to tea sellers, while the late Katsina State Commissioner for Education, Halimatu Idris, distributed goats to female students with the stipulation they return them after a year. More recently, Senator Rufai Hanga of Kano Central gave out burial materials, including cloth and clay pots, and Ginger Onwusibe, representing Isialangwa North and South in Abia State, distributed farming supplies such as cassava stems and yam seedlings to mark his anniversary in office.These examples reflect a broader trend of unconventional empowerment efforts by Nigerian politicians, often criticized for their limited impact on real economic development.