INTERROGATING YOUTH RESTIVENESS AND LEADERSHIP PROBLEM IN AFRICA: THE NIGERIA EXPERIENCE

This research sought to interrogate the implications of youth restiveness on leadership problem in Africa using the Nigeria experience. Three research questions were formulated. 1,000 respondents were sampled from youth in Edo, Delta and Anambra States. The conflict theory was adopted as the theoretical orientation for the study. The quantitative technique which relied on a self-constructed instrument was employed to collect data while the data generated from the field was analyzed with the aid of percentage. The study found that youth restiveness in Africa is mostly a result of employment, illiteracy and unfair distribution of mineral resources. Violent protests and destruction of properties, increase in social and criminal vices were some of youth restiveness. The study recommends that the ills associated with youth restiveness can be curbed through good governance, provision of skill acquisition programmes, creation of more employment opportunities for youth as well as public enlightenment against this social malaise which has become evident in the African continent.