Can youths engage their leaders? Assessing Nigerian youths’ capacity to demand accountability

This paper examined the capacity of Nigerian youths in demanding accountability from their leaders for good governance. The study employed a descriptive survey design guided by two research questions. A total population of 235 final year students of Peaceland College of Education, Enugu in the Southern East region of Nigeria was used for the study. The instrument for data collection was a 23 items researcher developed questionnaire titled Youth Capacities for Accountability and Good Governance Questionnaire (YCAGGQ). It was structured in two clusters in-line with the two research questions that guided the study. The instrument was face validated by three experts in the Faculty of Education, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. The reliability of the instrument was established using Cronbach Alpha Method which yielded an overall reliability co-efficient of 0.89. Data for the study was delivered and collected personally by the researchers with the help of two research assistants. Mean and Standard deviation scores were used in answering the two research questions. The result of the study revealed that both male and female undergraduate students identified all the items as factors that triggered the youths for demanding accountability from their leaders as well as workable ways for ensuring accountability from their leaders for good governance. This is evident in their mean scores which were above the cut-off point of 2.5 at a four point rating scale. The study among others recommended that: the government through its agencies should organize workshops on accountability and good governance on a frequent basis for the political leaders while in office to keep on grooming their minds on the issue of accountability and good governance. Equally, it was recommended that while expecting the government to be accountable, Nigerian youths should as well serve as agents of peace and unity, they should engage their leaders in a peaceful dialogue when necessary instead of protest as no meaningful development can take place in an environment dominated by chaos and violence.