Rational Decision and Influence of Facebook in “Get Rich Quick Syndrome” and Ritual Killings among Youth in Nigeria

Abstract

Well-meaning Nigerian are concerned about the motivations underlying the pursuit of wealth at all costs, which has emerged as a contemporary social crisis. Social media has been connected to this irrational culture of instant wealth among young people. This study examined the influence of Facebook on the get-rich-quick mentality and ritual killings among youth in Nigeria. It used a survey research approach and a sample size of 366 respondents was derived using the sample size calculation and power analysis formula from a population of 202,725 (NPC, 2006). Data collected were subjected to descriptive statistics and linear regression. The results (β= .123, t= 31.118, p<0.05) showed that among other social media platforms, Facebook plays a role in the drive of the get-rich-quick syndrome and ritual killings among youth. The study concluded that Facebook influenced the drive for get-rich-quick syndrome among young people in the city of Ibadan.