VALUE RE-ORIENTATION FOR YOUTHS: AN IMPERATIVE FOR NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

This study was conducted to examine value reorientation for youths as an imperative for national development. The study was carried out because of the observed growing rate of moral decadence among youths in Nigeria. The youths seem disoriented and this calls for value reorientation. The study adopted descriptive research design of the survey type. Population of the study consisted of all youths in Ekiti state within the age of 15 and 35 years. The sample consisted of 500 youths in Ado Ekiti selected through simple random sampling technique. A self-designed questionnaire titled “Value Reorientation for Youths Questionnaire” (VRYQ) was used for data collection. The instrument was validated while reliability test conducted yielded 0.79 coefficients. Findings of the study revealed that self-discipline, humility, hard work among others are the societal values required by youths. The study showed lack of value based leadership, parents’ failure to inculcate values in children at early stage and impunity as factors militating against youths’ development of societal values while demonstration of positive habits by all citizens and value based leadership were suggested as means of reorientating the youths. It was concluded that youths need reorientation to develop values and attitudes that will make them contribute meaningfully to national development