Youth turbulence and Colossal Moral Loss: Antithesis of Social Order

Abstract

The disappearance of values ignites turbulence out of which, Sociology as a disciplineemanated to counter the antithesis and synthesis orderliness. In spite of webs of rules guidingsocial existence, the colossal moral loss (values/virtues) has reached alarming crescendos. Thus, this study takes one of its numerous pandemics hindering social order-unemployment and youth involvement in voodoo/rituals in Biu, Borno State, Nigeria. The study explored Systemic Frustration paradigm and Anomie Strain theory- explaining the criminal activities of "having money and attaining success" illegally by the youth as situated within the framework of the theories. And pragmatically, examined the public perception of the propelling factors responsible for youth involvement in voodoo/rituals; the public perception of factors responsible for youth’s unemployment and equally examined the public perception of various forms of voodoo/rituals among youths in Biu LGA, Borno State. A descriptive and purposive
study as intended, and snowballing with the aid of simple random sampling and the use of questionnaire and interview (mixed methods) were used in order to elicit responses from the respondents/participants (both the actor and non- actor) respectively. A simple statistical method of frequencies and percentile was applied to present the results, as well as analyzed the demographic data of youth involvement in the act – voodoo/rituals. As such, findings from this study revealed that unemployment, high level of poverty and peer influence are the motivating factors responsible for youth involvement in voodoo /rituals as alternative measure to elude poverty. Also, the study revealed that the factors responsible for youth unemployment in Biu include: poor/dearth of industrial development, corruption in government and private sector, age restriction placed on advertised jobs, including high population growth which, have continued to water the soil for various societal vices to thrive. Therefore, the study succinctly recommends that the National Assembly should amend all extant laws in government and private sectors that discriminate youth with age restriction for employment. In addition, the government should create skill acquisition programmes and empower youth with grants to set up investment. It is conceived that the study is in consonance with SDGs – goal 3 (good health and well-being) which, will spur the actualization of goal 8 (promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all). Thereby and strongly in cycle with the notion - to resolving contemporary social issues and
attaining sustainable development -a pathway to eradicate one of the societal pandemics and sustain social order in Nigeria.