Nigerian Youths and Political Apathy: A Survey of Undergraduate Students of Federal University Lafia, Nasarawa State, Nigeria

Abstract

Youths are the future of every nation and as such their interest or lack of it in the political affairs of a country become paramount. The history of Nigeria is not complete without mentioning the roles that youths played in the years leading to the independence of the country. In recent times however, the issue of political apathy among Nigerian youths has become worrisome. This survey was conducted to measure political apathy among youths and its implication for the development of the country. The study was conducted using both secondary and primary methods of data. The secondary sources used data from the internet, newspapers and journal articles while the primary data, relied on 320 undergraduate students of Federal University Lafia who were randomly selected. The questionnaires were given and completed on the spot with no student collaboration allowed. Analysis of the data found a high level of political apathy among youths caused by the failure of major institutions of the society namely, INEC/government, political parties/politicians, the press and the family and based on these findings, the study recommended that opportunities should be created by these institutions to ensure that youths participate in decision-making at all levels, politicians must be positive role models to youths while youths on their parts must strive to make their mark in Nigerian politics.