Conceptualizing Youth Homelessness in Nigeria

Famous, Joseph Aigbolosimon (2023) Conceptualizing Youth Homelessness in Nigeria. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF AFRICAN STUDIES, 3 (1). pp. 24-40. ISSN 2710-4680

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Abstract

Homelessness itself is complex and multidimensional across the world as many studies have indicated but it is even more complex and multidimensional in crisis and insurgencies regions like Nigeria than it is in many developed countries. Homelessness is a serious sociological problem that violates the principles of human rights, undermines human dignity, and threatens social cohesion. Youth homelessness is a severe form of homelessness, and its driving factors are rooted in the whole social system, but the manifestation of the problem reflects social exclusionary pressure which may not only impede daily social engagements of the public but threatens the general peace and embarrass the whole economy. The driving factors are in most cases hidden within the social system with the potential of triggering homelessness and social vulnerability of youths in the society which could in the long run expose the vulnerable homeless youths to anti-social behaviors such as addictions, drug abuse, prostitution, street begging, pocket-picking, shoplifting, kidnapping, terrorism, and insurgency in the country. This paper conceptualizes the phenomenon in the context of Nigeria. The study indicates that there are generative mechanisms within the society which influence the proliferation of youth homelessness in the country. Extreme poverty, insurgency, almajiri education system, high unemployment rate among the youths and insecurity are cited as some of the reasons for youth homelessness in Nigeria.

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