Journal of African Studies and Sustainable Development

There is no gainsaying the fact that social and economic advancements of a nation are dependent on the ability of its youths, as they (the youths) are perceived to be industrious, desirous and critical in thinking for good and positive living. Hence, they are a potential force in the development of a nation. However, the former president of Nigeria, President Mohammadu Buhari described the contemporary Nigerian youth as a lazy entity who lacks the capacity to garner good social and developmental attitudes. This paper counters this description by interrogating how some Nigerian youths who are undergraduates have deployed their energy through the channel of Theatre for Development (TfD) initiatives in achieving social and behavioural change. Adopting the qualitative research method of content analysis for selected universities Theatre for Development (TfD) projects, the paper explicates the approaches to TfD pedagogies and their deployment in social engineering process. Findings reveal that the Nigerian youths are ready to channel their resources and energy into social development actions, if they are properly guided and educated. The paper concludes that the social readiness of the Nigerian youths is not in doubt. They are ready to be part of the nation building effort and for this to come to manifestation, the government must encourage them, and not condemnation, as the former president had stated. The government should allow them full participation in the political affairs and running of the nation.

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