Political leadership and brain drain among Nigerian youths: Causes and effects

Abstract

The paper examines political leadership and how it has impacted on youth development inNigeria. Leadership had played germane roles to enhance youth development in most states across the world, but the reverse is the case in Nigeria. This study made use of qualitative approach and adopted greed-based theory as its theoretical framework. Political Leadership since the return to democratic government in 1999 has perpetually made most of the youths in the country to be less productive as a result of policies and dispositions of government to their plights. This is majorly perceived to be a result of monumental diversion of public funds meant for the economic development of Nigeria at different levels into individual pockets, thus, affecting the energetic population of the country in virtually all sectors, including education, health, agriculture, politics, science and technology, among others negatively. Aside other social vices discovered to have emanated from the nonchalant attitudes of the political leaders in Nigeria, the paper singled out “Japa-syndrome” (brain drain) as the major consequence of youth underdevelopment in Nigeria today. The paper therefore recommended among other, the need to make political leadership positions at all levels less attractive in terms of financial and other benefits, as this, will reduce the unhealthy scrambling for political power in the country and pave way for serious minded individuals to aspire for political leadership positions for the benefits of the entire populace.