DIGITAL PUBLIC OPINION AND POLITICAL SYMBOLISM: A TEXTUAL ANALYSIS OF SOCIAL MEDIA COMMENTS ON OLUREMI TINUBU'S AKARA, CORN AND KULI KULI EMPOWERMENT PROGRAMME

Abstract

This study examined digital public opinion and political symbolism through a textual analysis of social media comments on Oluremi Tinubu's Akara, Corn and Kuli Kuli Empowerment Programme. The study was motivated by the widespread online reactions that followed the First Lady's remarks promoting grant-supported micro-enterprises as a means of economic empowerment. Anchored on Symbolic Interactionism Theory and Framing Theory, the study investigated the dominant themes emerging from online discussions, the symbolic meanings attached to the programme, the linguistic and rhetorical strategies employed by users, the dominant interpretive frames, and the implications of digital public opinion for political communication in Nigeria. A qualitative research approach was adopted using textual analysis. Ten purposively selected textual items comprising comments from X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp Status updates served as the units of analysis. The findings revealed that the dominant themes were economic hardship, criticism of government economic performance, distrust of public spending, perceived absence of visionary leadership, mockery and ridicule, ethnic interpretation, and limited support for the initiative. The study further found that the programme evolved into a political symbol of poverty, economic decline, failed governance, elite disconnect and low national ambition. Humour, satire, sarcasm, metaphors, hyperbole and emojis were widely employed to express public dissatisfaction and reconstruct political meanings. The dominant interpretive frames identified were economic hardship, government failure, public accountability, elite disconnect, political protest and humour. The study concludes that digital platforms have transformed citizens into active producers of political meaning, with social media discourse significantly shaping public perception and political legitimacy. It recommends that government communication should be more context-sensitive, transparent and responsive to citizens' socio-economic realities in order to enhance public trust and reduce negative symbolic interpretations.