Abstract
A day hardly ever pass without some media reports of ethno-religion conflicts, examination leakages, student unrest, secret cults, sexual abuse, certificate forgery, drug abuse and other cases of indiscipline across the country. Observations reveal that the youths are the common perpetrators of this act today, not only because of the negative societal influence but also because some homes have failed in their primary roles of inculcating socio-cultural values to the affected youths. This study intend to investigate the major causes of moral decadence among youths in offurun community of Uvwie local government area of Delta state. Traditional African people taught their young ones to be morally upright by devising effective and pragmatic ways of impacting certain ideals and virtues in them in order to mold them for leadership position of nation building in future. This discourse employs moral, social, cultural and theological springboards for the exposition through the use of primary data. The study recommended the reawakening of campaign on African traditional cultural values orientation and the encouragement of positive attitudes and values with the view of revamping the youths and the society from moral debility.
TABLE OF CONTENT
Title page
Approval page
Dedication
Acknowledgment
Abstract
Table of content
CHAPETR ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of the study
1.2 Statement of problem
1.3 Objective of the study
1.4 Research Hypotheses
1.5 Significance of the study
1.6 Scope and limitation of the study
1.7 Definition of terms
1.8 Organization of the study
CHAPETR TWO
2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW
CHAPETR THREE
3.0 Research methodology
3.1 sources of data collection
3.3 Population of the study
3.4 Sampling and sampling distribution
3.5 Validation of research instrument
3.6 Method of data analysis
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
4.1 Introductions
4.2 Data analysis
CHAPTER FIVE
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Summary
5.3 Conclusion
5.4 Recommendation
Appendix
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
- Background of the study
Morality has to do with the attitude or behavior of man. Attitude can be cultivated; its cultivation could be personal, corporate, structural or cultural. Our perceptions, values, beliefs, lifestyles, cultural and religious practices that are deep-rooted and longstanding could be held tenaciously and easily translated into attitude that may either enhance or impede development. Attitudes are categorized according to Guaguano, (1996) into personal, cultural and social dimensions. If any category of these attitudes and behaviors is harmful, it cannot pave the way for development unless it is changed. In the light of this, it is obvious that when these categories of attitudes are cultivated and appropriately directed, they lead to the growth and development of the individual and the larger society. Moral attitudes put together help people in communities to live together, settle their differences, maintain peace and harmony and have cordial relationships with their environment. In African culture, the way and manner people conduct themselves matter a lot. An African child is expected to respect and obey elders, dress decently, fear God the creator and be patriotic citizens of their respective communities. That is, the African child is expected to be disciplined in all ramifications. For any nation to experience growth and development, the youths must not be left out as they form the workforce of any nation. These youths also do not just emerge from the sky but from families. The family is the first and most important channel through which societal norms and values are transmitted to the youth’s right from childhood. Every member of the family has an important role to play in the task of moral up bringing of the child. For instance, parents have the responsibility of loving and providing for the needs of their family members. In the same way, children are expected to obey and respect their parents and elders. Mohandas K. Ghandi, the father of Indian nation once says, “The things that will destroy the world are: politics without principle; pleasure without conscience; wealth without work; knowledge without character; business without morality; science without humanity and worship without sacrifice”. The theory that man is a product of his society is not far from the truth as the process of individual character development derives a great influence from the values of the society in question (Albinus, 2012). The Nigerian youth is the future of the country just as the Nigerian child is the youth of tomorrow. In recent years, the mass media has been awash with reports on the spate of youth unemployment that has culminated in the alarming menace of street touts popularly referred to as ‘Area Boys’. Prostitution, armed robbery, fraud, terrorism, kidnapping, ritual killing, street fighting and similar vices are now prevalent in the Efurun Community in Delta state and Nigerian society. A widely held perception which has been proved by research reports indicates that a high percentage of youths in Efurun Community who indulge in anti-social vices are products of lifestyles and practices that do not conform with appropriate and decent moral and cultural values that were transferred to the current generation of parents by the previous one. The extent to which parental irresponsibility is exhibited today will worry any Nigerian adult who is adequately informed about the threatening growth of a breed that has been properly positioned to promote vices capable of destroying Nigeria’s tomorrow. The phenomenon of moral decadence among the youths of Nigeria has reached an unbearable level. Recent research studies have shown that higher percentage of secondary schools and university students are engaging in various immoral activities such as examination malpractices, cultism, violence, cybercrimes, sexual immoralities, etc, and if something is not done to curb these vices, it may adversely degenerate the progress of this our country-Nigeria (Adebisi, 2013).Though moral decadence among youths has been majorly blamed on the parents (for lack of proper up-bringing of their kids) and the media (for exposing some critical scenes capable of polluting the innocent minds of the youths), our government on the other hand should not be left out as one of the prominent culprit. Nigeria leaders due to their corrupt practices have neglected the rule of law, show no respect to human rights, and are deeply involved in bribery and financial mismanagement. These corrupt practices have eaten deep into the nation’s fabrics, and when a government cannot help her youth with employment, the youths in search of means of livelihood would involve themselves in various activities (legal/illegal) to make ends meet. However, since the system is corrupt, youths usually follow suit, as it is considered the faster route to make it in life. It is high time the government be more people oriented, create jobs and improve Nigerian economic status. They should try and practice true DEMOCRACY and not absolute AUTOCRACY. The media has not been of great benefit in the fight against moral decadence. The information being broadcasted to the public, are most of the times not being censored. Youths that come across these information such as war films, pornographic scenes, drug addiction and trafficking scenes, etc, usually try to practice them directly or indirectly. Therefore, the media should scrutinized and deliver sound information that can be useful for the moral development of the youths. Also, some of the sophisticated technology products being produced also contribute their own quota. One could easily see what video games, blackberry pinging, face book, movie magic, super sports, etc, has done to the academic records of some youths, who abuse the purpose of their invention (Adebisi, 2013). The fight against moral decadence among youth is what everybody should join hands in combating. It should not be a question of who is to be blamed, rather, who is ready to help. Our government, corporate bodies, Medias and families should all join hands to help out. Nigeria youths too should learn how to help themselves by imbibing self-discipline, having in mind that they are the leaders of the future.
- STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
There are many outcries against immorality in the Nigerian society today. The level of indiscipline and crime waves among the youths has seriously escalated in geometric progression. Moral decadence in the Nigerian society today is beyond sexual perversion. From general observations, the severity of immoral actions ranges from “simple cheating” at school to drug abuse, murder and the exhibition of other anti-social behaviors. The depth of the problem has reached a point where common decency can no longer be described as common. For instance, decent people are honest and behave in a way that most people approve of, but in our society today, honesty as a virtue most especially among our youths, is not as common as it was in years past and this in one way or the other has affected the development of the society. Educational institutions have become comfortable dens for gangsters, cultists and prostitutes. Wearing of “decorated rags” and seductive attires has become a fad for ladies, and the virtue of virginity is becoming unthinkable and abominable. Examination malpractice, which is aided by parents and teachers, has become common place in Nigerian schools. This entails that students rely on fraudulent means to earn certificates, thereby giving little or no regard to hard work. However, the government at all levels, non-governmental organizations, traditional leaders and religious organizations have been unrelenting in their efforts to checkmate gross immorality in the society. Turaki (1989), has indicated that from 1975 to the present there has been an increasing national concern over the question of morality and ethics. For example, General Obasanjo’s Jaji declaration was more of a treatise on moral, political and philosophy. This declaration is a call to all Nigerians to take national morality and ethics seriously. In contrast was President Shehu Shagari Ethical Revolution, also General Buhari tried to checkmate immorality with War Against Indiscipline(WAI)but it is sad to note that this evil still persists. These moral crises have eaten deep into the fabric of the nation and pose tremendous barrier to the moral, spiritual, social and economic development of the Nigerian populace especially the youths in Efurun community of Delta state. Kumuyi (2001) observed that the problem of immorality among the youths is mainly caused by carelessness and negligence of parents most especially the mothers. The gravity of the issue of moral decadence has motivated the researcher to investigate moral decadence among youth in Efurun community of Ovwie local government area of Delta state.
- OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The main objective of this study is to investigate the causes of moral decadence among youth in Efurun community in Owvie local government of Delta state, but to aid the completion of the study, the researcher intends to achieve the following specific objectives;
- To examine the causes of moral decadence among the youths in Efurun community
- To examine the effect of moral decadence on community development in Efurun community in owvie local government
- To ascertain if there are measures that can be adopted to curb moral decadence
- To examine the relationship between moral decadence and community development.
- RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The following research questions were formulated by the researcher to aid the completion of the study;
- Are they causes of moral decadence among the youths in Efurun community?
- Does moral decadence have any effect on community development in Efurun community in owvie local government?
- Is there any significant relationship between moral decadence and community development?
- Are they measures that can be adopted to curb moral decadence?
- SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
First, moral crisis is a deadly problem in the Nigerian society and efforts are being put in place by governments and different organizations and even international organizations to checkmate the problem of moral decadence in the society. This research therefore, seeks to contribute to this aspect by taking a survey of what women especially Christian women are doing to resolve this moral crisis associated with the youths in Nigerian. Secondly, it seeks to contribute to the pool of literature that has been generated about the role of women in the society and serve as a resource or reference material to others who may want to undertake further research in this area. Thirdly, the research is expected to chart a path for the critical appraisal of the central role of women in the society apart from their traditional roles in the family. This is because God created the woman to play multiple roles and imbued her with divine power of transformation. Finally the study is expected to serve as a source of encouragement to women in the society, as this will enable them to know that their efforts, no matter how little, are not in vain.
- SCOPE AND LIMITATION OF THE STUDY
The scope of the study covers an investigation into moral decadence among youth in Efurun community in Owvie LGA of Delta state. But in the cause of the study, there are some factors that limited the scope of the study;
- Availability of research material: The research material available to the researcher is insufficient, thereby limiting the study.
- Time: The time frame allocated to the study does not enhance wider coverage as the researcher has to combine other academic activities and examinations with the study.
- Organizational privacy: most of the top management of the selected companies was un-corporative in responding to the questionnaire administered by the researcher.
- OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS
Moral
Moral comes from the Latin word mores, for habits. The moral of a story is supposed to teach you how to be a better person. If moral is used as an adjective, it means good, or ethical. If you have a strong moral character, you are a good member of society.
Morality
Morality is the differentiation of intentions, decisions and actions between those that are distinguished as proper and those that are improper
Decadence
The word decadence, which at first meant simply “decline” in an abstract sense, is now most often used to refer to a perceived decay in standards, morals, dignity, religious faith, or skill at governing among the members of the elite of a very large social structure, such as an empire or nation state
Youth
Youth is the time of life when one is young, and often means the time between childhood and adulthood (maturity). It is also defined as “the appearance, freshness, vigor, spirit, etc., characteristic of one who is young.
- ORGANIZATION OF THE STUDY
This research work is organized in five chapters for easy understanding as follows Chapter one is concern with the introduction which consist of the (overview, of the study), statement of problem, objectives of the study, research question, significance or the study, research methodology, definition of terms and historical background of the study. Chapter two highlights the theoretical framework on which the study it’s based thus the review of related literature. Chapter three deals on the research design and methodology adopted in the study. Chapter four concentrate on the data collection and analysis and presentation of finding. Chapter five gives summary, conclusion and recommendations made of the study.
This material content is developed to serve as a GUIDE for students to conduct academic research
AN INVESTIGATION INTO MORAL DECADENCE AMONG YOUTH IN EFURUN COMMUNITY IN OWVIE LOCAL GOVERNMENT ARE OF DELTA STATE>
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