SOCIAL MEDIA AND YOUTH AWARENESS ON CIVIC GOVERNANCE AND PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY IN ZAMFARA STATE

Abstract

The commanding effects of social media has changed the traditional and conservative way in
which the Nigerian youths participate and respond to political activities particularly in the areas of governance and public accountability, its specifics and mechanics. It is in recognition of this development, that, the research examined the extents of youths’ awareness on civic governance, public accountability and political participation through social media use in Zamfara state. The objective of the study was to identify Zamfara youth knowledge on governance and their preferences on their civic responsibility in the advocacy for good governance and public accountability viz-as-viz analysing how the youths on social media play a central role on advancing their communities to the limelight devoid of e-begging. The paper applied quantitative survey research method using contents observation on Zamfara facebook groups’ update and sharing among youths with active facebook account. This work employed purposive sampling method of research; in which five hundred (500) respondents were selected and filled an online questionnaire using Google form developed for data collection; although only 486 respondents were found active on facebook. The paper found that, Zamfara youths are suffering from poverty of thought and are dependent-minded on politicians with little concern for the development of their communities, rather for their politicians. The paper further established that the youths lack courage to demand for good civic governance, and public accountability in the govern space. The paper recommended that few among the enlightened youths and academic elites should use social media channels and mobilize the youths to understand their political rights to demand for good
governance and government officials’ accountability. The social media youths should also detach themselves from rallying around politicians for e-begging. The paper concluded that Zamfara social media are blindly into political engagement without idea, knowledge and understanding of the political party constitution and its manifestos.