Youth Violence and Its Implications on Socio-political Development
CHAPTER ONE
Objective of the study
The objectives of the study are;
- To ascertain the effect of youth violence on socio political development
- To find out why youth involve in political violence
- To ascertain find out the factors the prevent youth from engaging in political violence
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
Political Thuggery
The Oxford Dictionary of Current English (1998), defined thuggery as violent act or behaviour by ruffians. It is observed that thuggery has relationship with violence activities. Thuggery is an act which is associated with stealing, killing, rudeness, hooliganism, touting, intimidation and harassment. It is a behaviour that contradicts peace, harmony and co-existence among groups. Political thuggery is an illegitimate and violent means of seeking political power with a view to subverting national opinion for parochial ends through self imposition (Howell, 2004). Therefore, political thuggery is simply the criminalisation of politics. When politics is criminalized, it is left in the hands of ruffians, thugs and hooligans, because the good people are scared away. In fact, contemporary events, across the country have clearly demonstrated that Nigerian politics has been hijacked by political thugs (Asiegbu, 2011). The politicians recruit the youths comprising of men as their thugs and touts. These thugs compelled innocent people to vote against their wishes. The party agents at the polling booths were threatened to compromise, and INEC officials were forced to do what they would not have done ordinarily.
Violence
Violence is defined as “the illegitimate and unauthorized use of force to effect decisions against the will or desires of others” (Wolff, 1969). Karl (1968) posits that violence, particularly political violence, represents a disturbance to the political equilibrium system. According to Gurr (1970), political violence refers to all collective attacks within a political community against the political regime, its actors including competing political groups as well as incumbents – or its policies. From the foregoing, one can observe that there is a correlative relationship between the two concepts. As a matter of fact, they are complementary. The end-product of thuggery is violence. Violence is the means through which thugs achieve their aims
The Menace of Political violence/thuggery in Africa
One of the most pressing questions challenging Africa is how to hold peaceful elections. This is important because African elections have frequently triggered conflict. At least 80% of Africa elections are associated with a serious violent incident that has resulted in loss of lives. Fierce competitions between rival leaders or political parties during elections has been implicated in outbreak of civil unrest in such places as Burundi, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Togo, Uganda, Zanzibar, CAR, South Sudan etc. As the number of nations involved increases, so the number of life and properties lost increases. Political thuggery and violence in African context/continent can manifest in difference forms sometimes, making it more spurious to the search light bean of conflict experts. Thuough the issue of political violence is defined, based on the direct relationship between the violent act and the immediate political incidence, political violence has surfaced from certain unclear channels. In most African nations, certain violence which had claimed lives and properties have emanated from long time grievances over political situation in the country in question. In some places like CAR, Marley, Senegal, Somalia, Libya, Guinea Bissau, Lesotho and Egypt; political violence have surfaced under the smoke screen of ethnic rivalry, religious domination, quest for change of overdue government and assumed corrupt government.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research design
The researcher used descriptive research survey design in building up this project work the choice of this research design was considered appropriate because of its advantages of identifying attributes of a large population from a group of individuals. The design was suitable for the study as the study sought youth violence and its implications on socio political development
Sources of data collection
Data were collected from two main sources namely:
Primary source and Secondary source
Primary source:
These are materials of statistical investigation which were collected by the research for a particular purpose. They can be obtained through a survey, observation questionnaire or as experiment; the researcher has adopted the questionnaire method for this study.
Secondary source:
These are data from textbook Journal handset etc. they arise as byproducts of the same other purposes. Example administration, various other unpublished works and write ups were also used.
CHAPTER FOUR
PRESENTATION ANALYSIS INTERPRETATION OF DATA
Introduction
Efforts will be made at this stage to present, analyze and interpret the data collected during the field survey. This presentation will be based on the responses from the completed questionnaires. The result of this exercise will be summarized in tabular forms for easy references and analysis. It will also show answers to questions relating to the research questions for this research study. The researcher employed simple percentage in the analysis.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Introduction
It is important to ascertain that the objective of this study was to ascertain youth violence and its implications on socio political development. In the preceding chapter, the relevant data collected for this study were presented, critically analyzed and appropriate interpretation given. In this chapter, certain recommendations made which in the opinion of the researcher will be of benefits in addressing the challenges of youth violence and its implications on socio political development
Summary
This study was on youth violence and its implications on socio political development. Three objectives were raised which included: To ascertain the effect of youth violence on socio political development, to find out why youth involve in political violence and to ascertain find out the factors the prevent youth from engaging in political violence. In line with these objectives, two research hypotheses were formulated and two null hypotheses were posited. The total population for the study is 200 residents of lokoja local government of Kogi state. The researcher used questionnaires as the instrument for the data collection. Descriptive Survey research design was adopted for this study. A total of 133 respondents made public servants, elderly men, elderly women and youths were used for the study. The data collected were presented in tables and analyzed using simple percentages and frequencies
- Conclusion
Democracy is the harbinger of socio economic and other aspects of human development. Of paramount interest are the regeneration of the society and the facilitation of egalitarian society. However, as every other phenomenon is faced with counter-actions, so democracy faces especially in African continent as the hub of developing and to underdeveloped nations.
Recommendation
In view of the evidences from historic and empirical data so far, and other scholarly arguments regarding youth involvement in political violence and the fate of democracy in Nigeria, the following recommendations were made: the three major social institutions (educational, family and Religious Institutions) should be utilized in ensuring healthy political culture among the African youth via political socialization; Youth participation in leadership positions should be encouraged; Politics in Africa should be neutralized from ethnic, religious and party affiliation, and focused towards individual rights to vote and to be voted for; Regular orientation and enlightenment of the youth on organizations should be encouraged in African nations at all levels
References
- Abbass. I.M (2008) Electoral Violence in Nigeria and the problem of democratic politics. A paper presented at the 27th Annual conference of the Nigeria political Science Association on Electoral Reform, political succession and democratization in Africa.
- Akpuru-Aja A. (2009) “Basic concepts of conflict” in Ikejiani Clart, M. (ed) (2008), peace studies and conflict in Nigeria; A Reader, Ibadan, Spectrum Books Limited.
- Aja Akpuru .A., Ndifon, C.0, and Nwaodu, N.O (2012) law, conflicts an human rights in Africa, Abuja; continental books projects Ltd.
- Akzin .B. (1960) “Election and Appointment” American political science Review. Vol.LIV, No-3, pp.706-8
- Anugwom, E.E (2009) “Theories of social conflict” in Ikejiani-Clark, M.(ed) (2008), peace studies and conflict in Nigeria; A Reader, Ibadan, Spectrum Books Limited.
- Bryce, Lord James (1921); Modern democracies New York; Macmillan. Ciscope (2007) Manuel for Election observers including Code of conduct for CISCOPE OBSERVERS.
- Dahl, R. (1956), A preface to Democratic theory. Chicago University of Chicago Press. Daudu .J. (2015) 2015 general elections and survival of democracy in Nigeria; Vanguard online. Retrieved 7/04/2015.
- Dundas, W.C (1994) Dimension of free and fair election London; Commonwealth secretariat.
- Deutsch, Karl (1974); Politics and Government, How people decide their fate. Bostton; Houghton Mifflin Company.
