Sentiment is an individual’s or a group’s emotions, opinions, attitudes, or overall feelings toward a particular topic, situation, or entity.
In the context of natural language processing and data analysis, sentiment analysis involves identifying and categorizing subjective information within text data to determine the sentiment expressed, such as positive, negative, or neutral.
This analysis is often used in social media monitoring, customer feedback evaluation, and market research to gauge public opinion and attitudes.
Oftentimes, people speak based on their emotions, opinions, attitudes, or overall feelings toward a particular topic, situation, or entity. In some cases, their listeners failed to pay attention.
Politicians all over the world often speak based on their political opinions. Very few of them speak based on personal opinions.
Political opinions are diverse and encompass a wide range of beliefs, viewpoints, and preferences related to governance, policy, and societal issues. They can include stances on social, economic, environmental, and foreign policy matters, as well as attitudes toward specific political figures and parties.
Political opinions are shaped by individual experiences, values, and exposure to information, and they often influence voting behaviour and civic engagement.
It’s important to engage in respectful and informed discourse when discussing political opinions due to their potential to be deeply held and varied.
Personal opinions on the other hand are subjective viewpoints held by individuals based on their experiences, knowledge, values, and beliefs.
These opinions can span a wide range of topics, including politics, culture, entertainment, social issues, and more.
Personal opinions are influenced by various factors such as upbringing, education, cultural background, and exposure to different perspectives.
It’s important therefore to remember that personal opinions differ from factual information and can vary widely from person to person.
Respectful and open-minded dialogue can be beneficial when discussing personal opinions, as it allows for the exchange of diverse viewpoints and mutual understanding.
Recently, Kemi Badenoch made a statement that so many Nigerians find offensive saying, “I find it interesting that everybody defines me as being Nigerian. I identify less with the country than with the specific ethnicity (Yoruba).”
“I have nothing in common with the people from the north of the country, the Boko Haram where Islamism is.
“Being Yoruba is my true identity, and I refuse to be lumped with northern people of Nigeria, who ‘were our ethnic enemies,’ all in the name of being called a Nigerian.”
Continuing, Badenoch recalled how her surname was linked to a warrior and protector of the crown, adding that she was ready to die protecting the country (United Kingdom).
“Somebody once told me when I was very young that my surname was a name for people who were warriors. They protected the crown, and that’s what I see myself as doing.
“I am here to protect, and I will die protecting this country because I know what’s out there,” she added.
In my opinion, her statements are both political and personal opinions.
Kemi is a political leader in the United Kingdom not in Nigeria. Her duty is to protect the nation that gives her the right and the opportunity to lead. If she said that she is in the leadership position to protect, and will die protecting the country I see nothing wrong with that.
If she is a leader in Nigeria I guess she will say the same.
But the question the majority of us are yet to answer is; how many of our political leaders in Nigeria can say the same and stand by it?
Her political position on this is right and it doesn’t matter what the British had done to the Yoruba land in the past or not. That was in the past. Not in the present and not in the future. Let’s bygone be bygones.
At the beginning of her speech, Kemi said, “I find it interesting that everybody defines me as being Nigerian. I identify less with the country than with the specific ethnicity (Yoruba).”
I don’t see any reason why she should be crucified for stating her truth.
The funny thing is, that the majority of us are in denial chasing clout. Someone came out to speak her truth and we are attacking her; I don’t see any wisdom in that.
I was in Abuja the other day when a Hausa Man was telling an Igbo Man that Nigeria belongs to the Hausas and he can do whatever he likes and go away with it when he ‘the Igbo man’ if he does the same will get punished for it.
I said nothing to their conversation because it’s not my business; but still, that is his opinion. The fact that he said so doesn’t mean it is so.
She never denied being a Nigerian. She simply said she identify less with the country than with the specific ethnicity (Yoruba).
To my understanding, identifying more with a specific ethnicity, such as Yoruba, than with the broader national identity indicates a strong sense of belonging, cultural connection, and pride in your ancestral heritage.
We cannot deny the fact that the Yoruba ethnic group has a rich history, language, traditions, and cultural practices that are distinct and meaningful to those who identify with it.
This identification may influence various aspects of life, including customs, celebrations, family dynamics, and personal identity.
It’s important to recognize and honour diverse cultural affiliations and identities, as they contribute to the richness of human experience and understanding rather than being stereotyping and unnecessarily sentimental.
It’s irritating to see how people criticize what they don’t understand. Even the media personalities and journalists one expects should have a better understanding of what she said still failed to connect with her sense of loyalty to her tribe and of duty to the nation that had allowed her to serve.
Reno Omokri made a short post on his wall that reads, “If there were an election in the UK today and Kemi Badenoch and Ademola Lookman were the candidates for Prime Minister, who would you vote for and why?”
Adedayo S. Ajayi responded by saying, “I have immense respect for both Mrs Kemi Badenoch and Ademola Lookman, who excel in their respective careers. However, if I had to choose based on performance alone, I would opt for Kemi Badenoch. Her stance against the injustices in Nigeria doesn’t diminish her capabilities, and we must judge individuals based on merit rather than sentiment. For Nigeria to progress, we must prioritize honesty and recognize talent regardless of personal beliefs.”
Ade Sola said, “I’m surprised that certain sections of people here support Kemi, a Yoruba woman and they don’t like Yoruba generally. They go for what we reject and reject what we support. Their situation may not change in Nigeria setting”
Even though I know that Reno means well and he is not trying to run Kemi down or throw him under the bus or say all his saying to gain favour from the Federal Government.
For me, there is no need for any comparison between Kemi and Lookman and I’ll tell you why.
First, Kemi is a Public Servant with a huge responsibility to see to the well-being of the people and nation under her jurisdiction.
Her role as a Public Servant and a Political Leader required that she speak and stand against injustice whenever she was confronted with one either directly or indirectly.
Yes, I might not be One hundred per cent in support of all she said but she is not far from the truth.
For years now, the Yorubas had been demanding for the Yoruba Nation. They had gone as far as printing their currencies which are already in circulation and are even more valuable than Naira.
The Easterners had been demanding for the Biafra Nation. They also had gone to print their currencies, and flags and had their national anthem already.
In the eyes of some political leaders across the world, things are changing in the country and whether we believe it or not; Kemi knows what is happening or will happen in Nigeria more than anyone else including Reno.
So, rather than attacking him and trying to make his point sound like someone who is against the Government, I think we should all sit back and watch how things are playing out.
Many of us know the truth but are either sentimental or cowardly to speak our minds and express our views.
Second, Lookman is a young Man. He’s only responsible for himself at the moment.
Yes he is making money to take care of his parents, probably and his siblings.
Speaking Yoruba on a global platform and wearing Yoruba attire doesn’t depict your character, attitude and one’s sense of responsibility.
The question is, if Lookman happens to be in the same position Kemi is today, can he do or say anything different?
Kemi said she is more connected to the Yorubas her tribe than to the Northerners. Lookman wore Yoruba attire and spoke the Yoruba language on a global platform and we still cannot recognize the connections between what Kemi said and what Lookman did.
I think they are both saying the same things. While Kemi was bold and direct, Lookman was diplomatic and indirect.
Reno went on to jump from Kemi to Davido saying, “Recently, the singer David Adeleke was given a global stage to do whatever he wanted and deliver any message.
Sadly, Mr. Adeleke used the opportunity to speak in an American accent. Not only that, he used that American accent to talk down on Nigeria and tell the world not to invest in Nigeria because, as he put it, Nigeria’s “economy is in shambles”.
Truth must be told whether we want to accept it or not. The Nigerian economy is currently in crisis, with high inflation, a depreciating currency, and a rising cost of living.
Inflation
Inflation rose from 18.8% in 2022 to 24.5% in 2023.
Exchange rate
The naira depreciated by 95.6% in 2023.
Cost of living
The price of petrol increased 167% from May 2023 to December 2023, and the price of rice has more than doubled in the past year.
Wages
Wages have not kept up with the rising cost of living.
Per capita income
The average Nigerian’s per capita income has plummeted by 72.8 per cent, the lowest since 2004.
Yes, the crisis is largely due to reforms introduced by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, including the partial removal of fuel subsidies and the floating of the currency. However, the country has also experienced economic shocks from beyond its shores.
My question is, does Reno expect Davido to lie about something that is evidence to the whole world?
Truth must be told, the government has implemented some measures to help, including: Eliminating the gasoline subsidy, Unifying the exchange rate, Tightening monetary policy, Implementing temporary cash transfers to 15 million households, and Distributing grain from the national grain reserve.
God bless our President; but still, people are not smiling.
In his words, Reno said, “Is it not strange that it took the BBC and a British politician to promote Nigeria as one of the fastest-growing economies in Africa? In contrast, Davido and Kemi Badenoch used their global platforms to pooh-pooh our economy.”
I said it earlier, whether we want to accept it or not, Kemi Badenoch knows what many of us do not know and with Divido’s involvement with politics in Nigeria and Africa, I can tell that he knows what Reno and the majority of us do not know.
BBC can report whatever it seems right to broadcast, they are set up to make money just like every other media house across the world. They are not charity organizations. They are commercial media organizations that are saddled with the responsibility of making money for the United Kingdom.
Comparing Kemi Badenoch, Davido and Ademola Lookman’s stand is unwise. Besides, Lookman’s speech was focused on Football nothing more.
Lookman never in any sense of duty used the global podium he was granted by his winning the 2024 African Footballer of the Year award to promote or project Nigeria; he only greeted the audience in the Yoruba language.
What Lookman did was to identify himself with his culture and his tribe just as Dr Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala did when she spoke Igbo on the podium of the World Trade Organisation in Geneva, Switzerland, identifying with her Igbo route. The same thing the American rapper Jidenna did some time past.
To understand the dynamics of life and the politics that come with with, one must go beyond sentiments. You just have to open your eyes and free your mind to see this and stop being sentimental.
Human sentiment refers to the emotions, opinions, and attitudes expressed by individuals. It encompasses a wide range of feelings, including happiness, sadness, anger, excitement, disappointment, and more.
Understanding human sentiment is important in various fields such as market research, customer feedback analysis, social media monitoring, and political analysis.
Companies and organizations often use sentiment analysis to gauge public opinion and respond to customer needs. It can also be used to track trends and identify areas for improvement.
Unfortunately, this is one area of life many do not pay closer attention to because they are so carried away with their emotions trying to defend whatever it is that had been said rather than looking within what had been said to see how some positive changes can be effected.
Some individuals are in the habit of reacting to issues rather than responding to them.
Reacting to issues typically involves addressing problems more immediately and emotionally, often without much forethought. It may involve a quick, instinctive response, sometimes driven by emotion or urgency.
On the other hand, responding to issues typically involves a more thoughtful and deliberate approach. It often includes carefully considering the situation, gathering information, and then providing a well-considered and potentially more effective response.
In many cases, responding to issues implies a more proactive and strategic approach, while reacting often implies a more reflexive and instinctive action.
So many people fail in life because they are so quick to react to every little thing rather than reflect on them and see how things can be done better.
The first line of action in any given circumstance is never to react impulsively. It is dangerously dangerous.
Reacting to issues can carry the danger of making hasty decisions, allowing emotions to take over, and potentially exacerbating the problem. It may lead to short-term solutions that do not address the root cause of the issue.
On the other hand, responding to issues offers the benefit of thoughtful decision-making, a better understanding of the problem, and the opportunity to implement long-term solutions.
By responding, individuals and organizations can demonstrate professionalism, maintain credibility, and potentially prevent similar issues from arising in the future.
Not just that, responding to issues can lead to improved relationships and trust with stakeholders, as it shows a commitment to addressing concerns in a meaningful way.
For us to move forward as a nation and as individuals, we must learn not to be emotionally sentimental no matter what. It blocks our sense of reasoning and hinders us from processing the situations effectively and making concrete decisions.
A case was brought to Jesus in John 8:3-11 “The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery.
Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone, such women. So what do you say?”
This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground.
And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.”
And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him.
Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”
She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more.”
If Jesus had been sentimental like the scribes and the Pharisees He would have asked that the woman be dealt with in line with the law of Moses.
We pray for peace in our nation Nigeria.
We pray for wisdom and sound health for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
We pray for economic growth and prosperity.
We pray for all our political leaders. May the Lord continue to bless them and cause them to reap what they’ve sown in abundance.
We pray for all of Nigeria’s sons and daughters home and abroad. May the good Lord continue to keep you, bless you, guide you, protect you, increase you and enlarge you on all sides.
Merry Christmas 🎄
Sam Adeoye