Nigerian Youths: Time Bomb Waiting to Explode? By Prof MK Othman

Nigerian Youths: Time Bomb Waiting to Explode?
 

In the last five years, I have written five articles on the Nigerian youth and their future, including “Nigerian Youths and Nation’s Future: A Time Bomb Waiting to Explode?” I and II in 2021, and “Nigeria-2023: Crying Aloud for the Youth” I, II, III in 2022. Instead of improving, the situation appears to be deteriorating, prompting updates to my previous articles. Young people are the future of the nation, and the nation’s prospects rely on the quality and quantity of its youth, as they can lead to prosperity or a perilous abyss of decadence with murderous consequences.
Nigeria is a country of youth, but not for the youth, as we fail to prepare, train, and orient them to take over the mantle of leadership, nor do we properly plan for a smooth transition. Yes, Nigeria is a country of youth; young men and women under the age of 30 constitute approximately 70% of the Nigerian population. A significant portion, 42%, is under 15 years old. In December 2024, the Nigerian population was estimated to be 235 million and is projected to reach 238 million by the end of 2025. Nigeria has an average birth rate of 850 babies per hour and an average death rate of 280 people per hour, resulting in a population increase of 570 people per hour, 13,491 people per day, and 4.92 million people per year. At this rate, Nigeria is projected to reach 263 million by 2030 and 401 million by 2050, making it the third most populous country in the world, up from its current position of sixth, which accounts for 2.89% of the world population. Last year, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) denounced the growing number of out-of-school children in Nigeria, stating that it had now reached 18.3 million.
The Nigerian population explosion, with youth as the majority, presents a delicate situation. The country could become an Eldorado by transforming its large population into human capital. Conversely, it could face self-destruction, leading to disastrous consequences that may destabilize the African continent and extend to Europe and America. Indeed, a few years ago, we witnessed mass migration into Europe. Are things right with our youths? Instant checking of bags at both the girls’ and boys’ hostels of tertiary institutions of learning brings out shocking evidence of drug addiction, rebellion, deep-rooted pain, and hook-up practices. Recently, Babcock University expelled a teenager who was found with ₦100,000 ceremonial soap from a herbalist, having taken out a ₦500,000 loan. He turned into a drug dealer. He was not from a low-income family nor a kid from the streets; however, he was a clean-cut boy from a wealthy family. Indeed, he is not among the 18.3 million out-of-school children. The youths are desperate for quick wealth without hard work, integrity, and dignity. They are looking for easy money, comfort, luxury, and enjoyment without having to work for it.
In their quest for quick cash, all they want to do is purchase expensive phones, browse through them, and attend parties. Without drugs or alcohol, it is impossible to do a hook-up, Yahoo, or engage in social crimes. They complement each other. What are the factors responsible for shaping the lives of youths?
We must recognize that youth and children are the most vulnerable members of society. Children are like a clean whiteboard; whatever is inscribed upon it appears, good or bad. Numerous influences affect this whiteboard: parents, teachers, peer groups, the environment, society, and, above all, destiny. The influencers of youth – young men and women – are classified into two categories: parents and the government, which serves as the overall regulator of society and the environment.
As responsible parents, it is our moral responsibility and parental obligation, within societal constraints and abilities, to ensure that our children are taught proper lessons using the correct procedures. We must be keenly interested in what our children are doing at all times, who they are associating with, and how they spend their active and leisure time. Are we doing so? It is the crux of the matter.
Parents are classified into responsible and irresponsible parents. Recently, a father of 24 children made a shocking confession of having 24 children but could only remember the names of four, was aware of the whereabouts of two, and had no idea of the whereabouts and what the rest of the twenty-two children were doing. The man was breeding children for society without a shred of parental responsibility. A typical classical case of irresponsible parents who keep on bearing children without care or concern for what becomes of such children. How many such kinds of parents do we have across the nation? The responsible parents are toiling day in and day out to fulfill their parental responsibilities with limited success, while the majority are trying but failing to meet up. In between the two classifications, there is another category of parents who almost worship their children. Naturally, as parents, we love our children, but the parents in this category have no limit to the kind of love they have for their children. They over-pamper them. Instead of showing them that hard work, dedication, and discipline lead to success in life, they go the extra mile to “purchase” success for their children by bribing teachers to give them good grades and excellent NECO/WAEC results. Nowadays, I am no longer impressed when I see 6-9 credits of NECO/WAEC scored by our youth until I am convinced of how they obtained such a result. The situation is worsening as parents come to our campuses to “lobby” for their children to pass exams rather than advising them to work diligently. School disciplines of yonder years have disappeared. What factors cause this kind of situation?
Two major factors contribute to producing irresponsible parents: illiteracy (lack of Western and religious knowledge) and poverty. How do impoverished families cope with the harsh economic conditions in contemporary Nigeria? Today, I watched with pain and discomfort as salary earners with large families returned home with less than N100,000 a month. In these circumstances, family members—both children and adults—are often exploited for survival, whether through legitimate or illegitimate means. The ongoing economic crisis in Nigeria, worsened by irresponsible and insensitive so-called democratic leaders, is stripping Nigerians of their means for a decent livelihood, with children and youth bearing the brunt of this hardship. They roam our streets with hopelessness etched on their faces, making us feel guilty as we stare at them helplessly.
It hurts me a great deal when a child under ten approaches me for financial help or food on several streets in the north. It is a common sight and experience in Kano, Katsina, Kaduna, Maiduguri, Sokoto, and several other cities. What a shame to our leaders and the nation. Still, as parents, what can we do to prevent the bomb from detonating? What are the roles of the government in stemming the trend? To be continued next week.