The youths clearly form the bulk of the population.

Mathematically, this then is a force to reckon with and it is imperative that their engagement and the motives involved be right and supportive of the general well intentioned nation’s agenda.

If this isn’t right, in terms of the youths’ orientation on the country’s moral compass and patriotism, then clearly we have a misguided missile with a potential of landing in our own base.

The “National will,” an element of national power, shifts it equilibrium based on the populace’s orientation and support to nation’s grand agenda.

So, the youth’s misalignment has national security implications.

Witnessed in most parts, are the youths taking part in large scale violent protests, thuggery that take advantage of disrupted peace and security arising from civil strife and unrests.

Governments have been toppled by uprisings that are majorly youth-driven.

There is hopelessness for the future against the backdrop of skewed conventional aspirations where acceptable standards are richness, “success” and flashy lifestyles.

So then other societal problems /misdemeanours like runaway corruption have become conceptualised and idolised in part as a smart means to those aspirations. Byron Odera

As Robert Merton (1938 – 1957) in his Strain/Anomie Theory in the psychology of criminal conduct opined, deviant behaviour occurs when (our) conventional aspirations exceed the level of satisfaction associated with legitimate behaviour.

The society has played into the pathways to these aspirations several blockages where nepotism, tribalism and sexism reign thereby robbing the youth of opportunities to “make it” legitimately.

Illegitimate behaviour therefore becomes conceptualised as a “smart” and innovative way to succeed in life.

Technology has played into the hands of this generation, especially the educated and tech savvy, the less engaged and unemployed youths the ability to interconnect around with an agenda that may not have good intentions.

So, the gaps between the opportunities to get involved in such societal ills like predation, cybercrime, drug abuse, electronic fraud, extremism among others, and the unemployed youths’ culpability to do the same has steadily narrowed.

Essentially our systems have succeeded effectively in preparing the youths to do nothing.

It is hardly surprising that with these societal challenges, crimes are happening in large scale and those involved in most parts are the unemployed and idle youths.