A STUDY ON THE ROLE OF YOUTH IN NATION DEVELOPMENT

A STUDY ON THE ROLE OF YOUTH IN NATION DEVELOPMENT

CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.0   The Concept of The Role Of The Youth In Nation Building 

Johnson (2008) stated that youth  are one of the  greatest assets that any nation can have not only are they      legitimately regarded as the future leaders, they are, potentially and actually the greatest investment for a country’s  development, they serve as a good measure of the extent to which a country can  reproduce as well we sustain itself, the extent of their  vitality, responsible conduct, and role in society is positively correlated with the development of their country, the issue of Nigeria  population is  predominantly young. Furthermore Johnson said that having  given  due consideration to the significance of the youth in socio-economic and political development has found it most desirable and necessary to invite this national youth development policy so that there will be a purposeful, focused, well articulated and well resourcefulness of the youth and development of the country  well into the 21st century. Chillegbu (2009) view that youths are  the foundation of a society, their energy, inventiveness, character and orientation define the peace of development and the security of the  nation through their creative  talents and labour power, a nation makes giants stridles in economic development and socio-political attainments, in their dreams and hopes, a nation  founds her motivation, on their energies, she build her vitality and purpose. Furthermore Chillegbu emphasized that because  of their dreams and aspirants the  future of a nation is assured, he opined that youth constitute Nigeria’s only real hope for a great future, therefore, taken a  critical look at the  plight of Nigerian youth and caused to be prepared a  consenus blue print  for their development consultation were held nation wide with relevant youth organization, administrators, and non governmental organizations  through zonal youth summits, their reconciled views  term the  basis of this  draft policy document which you are here to deliberate for final adoption.

Jacki (2001) view that it is indicative of the readiness of the  federal government to meet  the needs and aspiration of the youth as well as seek solution to their problems it sets a guidelines for all the  stake holders to empower the youth to realize their potentialities and take advantage of the opportunities available  to make position contribution to the well-being of their communities and the society as  a whole, the policy takes into account the range of problems  faced by the youth anticipates the challenges that they are like to comfort and outline appropriate objectives, policies and programmes and implementation. He opined a plans which will  be put in place so as to  empower the youth to take change of their own destiny as well as make them actives…. Participants in the shaping of the political and economic destiny of our nation, the policy also recognize that youth are not a homogenous category and that differences exist among them. Therefore, the policy contains provisions that will address the  specific and special news  of each of several identified target groups. 

Batten (1999) said that this resolve and commitment to the development of the youth has been reinforced by resolutions of various international organizations which draw attention to the need to concretely address the problems of the youth nd empower them, (e.g. the common wealth plan of action for youth  empowerment approved in may 1998). He emphasized that the unprecedented number of young people in the  world today can be isolated as one of the crucial reality factors conditioning political and cultural development. He was of the view that this  ascertain would be very much true of France where a student revolt of may-June 1995 was so serious enough that the Gaulsit  regimes come within a  hairs breadth of collapse, the above ascertain would also be true of Thailand where the youths are force to reckon speak they are listened to, Nigerian system not only physical but also physiologically the plan truth of the  matter is that Nigerian youth actively desire to maintain the status although there are shouts here and there on corruptions and others societal  ills and mal practices.

2.1   The Advantages Of The Youth In Nation Building
Okolo (2009) said that to build a  youth with a sense of hope, self confidence, imagination, creativity and pride in the nations heritage, youth who represent hope in the future of their nation, youth  who are disciplined, well focused, law abiding and good citizens, youth full of the spirit of entrepreneurship, self  reliance, mutual  cooperation, understanding and  respect, youth who are not corrupt and self serving, youth with equality of opportunity, free from gender and other forms of discrimination, exploitation and abuse. Furthermore Okolo said that some of the advantage of youth, who imbibe  a culture of democracy and good governance, youth who take pride in our diverse cultural heritage and geographical conditions, and  youth committed to the ideal of national  unity and development as enshrined in the 1999 constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria.  

Nicolas (2009) opined that are the position future role of the youth in national socio economic development it is the vision of empowered Nigerian youths to full realize their potentialities and positively contribute to the overall development of their nation, to make decision, foster appropriate values and positive attitudes amongs youths, the advent ages is to ensure that all youths are given equal opportunities and guided to reach their full potentials, recognize the rights of youth choose in building their nation....