Empowered Youths. Drivers of Nigeria¿s Socio-Economic Growth and Development

Research Paper (undergraduate) from the year 2019 in the subject African Studies - Culture and Applied Geography, , language: English, abstract: The popular Aphorism; ¿Black is not synonymous to lack¿ is constantly brought to check every time the media reveals disheartening news and clips of poverty-ravaged places in Nigeria. Like it or not, current statistics globally relates the black race to skyrocketing levels of wants and poverty. It is forever bewildering when the stats are brought up and a country such as Nigeria- the supposed giant of Africa sits amidst nations perishing in the loosed hands of poverty. It is more perplexing when the resources in the country are taken into consideration. Consisting of virtually all kinds of raw materials capable of changing the socio-economic phase of her people, it is distasteful that a large set of Nigerians live in abject poverty. In a bid to counter the problem at hand, some ¿well-Meaning-Nigerians¿ has proffered that the wretched climate of the nation is attributed to the fact that the nation is barely young when compared to other civilizations and hence must not be viewed on a parallel basis. This statement however, is not entirely true as it will spell folly on the nation if we wait to be over Three hundred (300) years before expecting significant change. In my own outlook, we stand a better chance than any nation in the world today. We have the experiences of these nations to learn from, a bountiful land arguably the most blessed in terms of mineral and agricultural resources, and above all, a whooping youthful population capable of rejuvenating the socio-economic facade of the nation. For a country having all it takes to be a major world power, it is typical to wonder why her current status quo says otherwise. It is not with all the acumen in the world if the issues constraining her socio-economic redundancy is attributed to a direct negligence to the Nigerian youth. The youth remains the active set of individuals and thereby responsible for nation building. I consider the Nigerian youth as a fragile bomb. If handled carefully, they possess the prowess to deliver the nation into victory over her socio-economic hurdles. Likewise, neglect will spell catastrophe on the socio-economic development of the nation as they find solace in antisocial vices.