HUMAN DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA: A MIRAGE BY YOUTH ALIENATION

Abstract

Alienation is increasingly causing challenges in many parts of the world including in Nigeria where it has grown to be one of the most serious social issues bedevilling the lives of a few Nigerian youths, causing frustration and dejection, and dependency on family members and friends, who also have their own issues to take care of. Comprehensive published literature was undertaken by the author to identify journal articles and books dealing with alienation, youth and human development to establish a relationship between youth alienation and development. Findings affirmed that youth alienation has manifested itself through youth involvement in violence, terrorism, homicide, banditry, jungle justice and demonstrations/protests. It was also discovered that youth alienation has been triggered by structural challenges such as unemployment, poverty/hunger, corruption, poor political representation, among others. The consequences of youth alienation are pretty high for both individual Nigerians and the nation. While youth alienation stunts individual personal development and interferes with their potential, it affects society through numerous illicit activities engaged in by the youth which tend to slow the tempo of development and divert the attention of government from real businesses. This paper concludes that youth alienation is a menace in Nigeria that constitutes an actual threat and a danger to social, economic and political development. It is recommended that youth empowerment, extended political participation, favourable policies, among others, should be promoted by governments and private individuals to facilitate inclusion and human development.