432 32 FORMATION OF THE YOUTH AND ITS IMPLICATIONS ON NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT Osamede Christopher, OSAWARU Department of Philosophy, University of Benin, Benin-City, Edo State, Nigeria. chrisosawaru4@gmail.com, christopher.osawaru@uniben.edu Abstract It is often said that today’s youth are tomorrows’ leaders. The youths are the pillars upon which the success, progress and prosperity of a nations’ future are built. When their strengths and potentials and creativity are properly harnessed, they are great assets to any nation. Youths are the major human capital (resources) hence the need to channel their energies accordingly and dissipate it appropriately for the benefit of the nation and humanity as a whole. Today’s youths are faced with the challenge of coping with an ever broadening spectrum of influences on decision making and behavior. These influences stem from the home, peer pressure, the media, technological advancement and the society and they have negative effects on their growth and development. The youth cannot be who they ought to be without the gentle and loving guidance of everyone charged with the responsibility of molding their lives. The manifestations of uncivilized acts among the youths are as result of the missing link in the execution of these responsibilities. This paper is an attempt to provide a philosophical investigation into the formation of the youth with a view of emphasizing the need to harness the potentials of these youths for national development. The paper argues that everyone charged with the responsibility of contributing to the formation of the youth are stakeholders in this onerous task and it is justifiable and rational for all hands to be on deck. The paper adopted an expository method of philosophical inquiry Section III: Religious/Socio-Cultural Perspectives And Human Formation 433 Keywords: Youth, Youth formation, Development, National development, Human capital, Stakeholders. Introduction It is often said that ‘today’s youth are tomorrows’ leaders. They are our future leaders because they will outlive today’s leaders. Historically, this is essentially true. They are the pillars upon which the success, progress and prosperity of a nations’ future are built. When their strength, potentials and creativity are properly harnessed, they are great assets to any nation. But when their abilities are not properly channeled, they can become a great danger to themselves and the society. This is the reason every nation that hopes to remain relevant in future must give priority to the formation, development and training of its youths. There will be no success without a successor. However, it is imperative that the cliché that youths are the leaders of tomorrow go beyond mere platitudes and words to action. Efforts must be made to ensure that it actually become a reality because the youths are special breeds with unique abilities to drive positive and lasting change in every facet of life. But in order for them to maximize their potentials and get to the peak of their abilities, they need to be adequately equipped today. The older generation has the responsibility to prepare the younger ones for their future relevance, first by their examples and then by helping the youths understand their calling and future responsibilities. Parents, schools, religious organizations, the society and the government are the stakeholders who have special tasks in making the youths ready for the future; to equip them with skills, knowledge and support needed to take advantage of the opportunities of the modern world and make their societies a better place to the benefit of humanity. Parents are the primary care givers of their children, the training and development of the youths should begin at home. It is the home that morals are first inculcated and characters moulded. The Holy Bible for Christians stated that “Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6). This places enormous responsibilities on parents because parental care and guidance are major cornerstones in the formation process of every child. The school should also help in preparing the youth for the future by preparing them mentally and intellectually so that they can adequately meet the challenge of this century. Education remains an essential key to ensuring a brighter future. Therefore, the government should make the education of the youth a priority. Beyond this, it should also create an enabling environment for young people to actualize their dreams through its policies and programmes. 434 Formation of the Human Person in the 21st Century It is axiomatic therefore to posit that there is a linkage between youth formation and national development. This intercourse is not only symbiotically connected; but, one depends on the other for its sustenance. Therefore, the role of youth on national development cannot be over emphasized. The wheel of development of any country lies on the shoulder of how productive and creative the youthful populations are. The youth in any society are the engine of growth and development; because, they provide the labour force for production of goods and service to take effect. And also, are the critical masses of people, whose action and inaction can develop or destroy the hegemonies/fabrics of their society. The thrust of this paper is to expose the role of various stakeholders in the formation of the youths using a simple analytical survey, this paper tries to examine how youths could be helped to develop skills that can enhance their abilities and also achieve a promising future for themselves. Conceptual Clarifications Who is a Youth? The word “youth” has a relatively clear connotation but for the purpose of this article, it is important we proceed with a clarification of the notion of a youth. There is no universal definition of the youth population. “Youths” is traditionally defined as a period of transition from childhood to adulthood. According to Chambers Dictionary, a youth is a person between childhood/adolescents and maturity, from this, it could be deduced that a youth is a young person still going through the process of formation or development. This starts right from conception through childhood and adolescence to maturity, if this is ever fully achieved. In the African Youths Report 2009 (UNECA 2009), “youths” are defined as people between 15 and 39 years of age. However, several African countries define their youth population differently. For example, Ghana, Tanzania and South Africa define the youth population as those between 15 and 35 years of age; Nigeria and Swaziland define it as those between 12 and 30 years; and Botswana and Mauritius define it as those between 14 and 25 years.1 These varying definitions of the youth population make it difficult to effectively discuss issues affecting youths in Africa generally and to compare information across countries. The age band used in the AYR is too wide because it is generally agreed that people in their 30s are adults, and hence not part of those youths who are in transition to adulthood. For statistical purposes, the United Nations (2011d) defines youths as “those aged 15 to 24 years.”2 Although arbitrary, this is the age group that has been recognized internationally as “Youths.” Though generally acceptable and preferable, its implementation often poses Section III: Religious/Socio-Cultural Perspectives And Human Formation 435 problems because the data for different countries are not provided using this definition. For example, population data are commonly presented in five-year age bands or presented for children (below 15 years) and for adults (15 years and above). Similarly, labor market data are typically presented for adults (16–64 years).3 A problem with this attempt at defining a youth however is that while we are reasonably sure that the process of formation, employed to define who a youth is, begins right from childhood, we are not sure if and when this process stops and maturity is fully attained. Indeed, there are two important questions we need to address in this regard. It relates to when childhood starts. Is it from conception, from birth or a certain point after birth? At least, it is obvious that development characterizes the life of each individual right from conception. Without unnecessarily belabouring the issue of when childhood commences we may safely put this at immediately after conception. A reason for this position is that we observe in individual persons marked signs of growth, especially physical growth, right from birth with manifestations of other forms of growth (intellectual, emotional, spiritual and cognitive following as the child develops physically. The second question is “is there any point in the life of the human person that he/she finally achieves maturity and ceases from growing and developing?’ From the legal perspective, the age of maturity/adulthood is located between the age of eighteen and twenty- one in virtually all countries. But, one fact that we can hardly contest is that the process of growth and development extends far beyond the age bracket of eighteen and twenty-one. Thus, if maturity is to be understood as the point at which the process of growth and development terminates and maturity is fully attained then it is obvious that this cannot be rightly located between the age of eighteen and twenty-one. Besides, it is very much doubtful that we can identify a definite age at which persons attain maturity, understood as the age of full growth and development. Thus, the problem with the attempt to define a youth in terms of the period and the process of development is that these vary from person to person. The process might even continue in some individuals from childhood, far beyond what people would ordinarily want to consider as the period of youthfulness and extend to what is described as the middle or even the old age. There is really no period in human life that development cannot and as a matter of fact, does not take place in ones aspect of life or the other. Given this understanding, if we are to retain our conception of the youth being marked by the period and process of growth, then it might be helpful to extend the concept to include anyone who appreciates the need for growth, seeks for growth or is actually growing in areas that are 436 Formation of the Human Person in the 21st Century crucial for both personal and social development. However, for our purpose, a youth can be defined as a person who is still in his/her formative years, undergoing character modeling, personality development and sometimes receiving training that has to do with human capacity development. “The youth therefore could be influenced by whatever transpires in and around his/her environment because he/she learns through observation and experience”.4 (Adeyemo & Co) The Concept of Development There is no agreement as to what development is. There are various aspects as to what constitutes development; however common to all is a positive change in human wellbeing. The individual and his quality of life must be the center of the conception of national development, for the purpose of this paper; the youth must be equipped to contribute their own quota to the development of the nation. The term development could be used interchangeably with evolution depending on the contexts in which it is being used, either positively or negatively to refer to situations, trends, or issues. Development, ordinarily means “man’s effort to make the necessary impact on nature; his environment, and on himself with a view to transforming and improving himself and his environment”5 (Nwafor, 2006). It is clear therefore that development and improvement are synonymous. When something has been made to wear a new look from what it was before, we can say that a development has taken place. The words “growth” and expansion” are coterminous with development, and they suggest positive development. These words equally denote progress being made from one stage to another, which do not denote negative development like retardation, degeneration or decline. Development is the progressive realization of capabilities, abilities and talents of each individual for his /her own satisfaction and enhancement of the social good. Development in a wider context deals with socio-economic and political life of the society; it connotes the fulfillment, realization or actualization of goals and objectives, hopes and aspirations of that society. The process of actualization begins when a society recognizes its inadequacies, and sets goals for itself, and decides to make deliberate efforts to remedy perceived deficiencies in order to attain desired goals.6 (Nwafor, 2006). In this regard, Nyerere in Ezimah (2004) views development as having an emancipator goal, i.e., it liberates man from shackles of ignorance, superstition and oppression in all its ramifications.7 Consequently, all forms of development have to some extent a reasonable dose of educational process. For that reason, the development of the intellectual frontiers of the individual youth cannot Section III: Religious/Socio-Cultural Perspectives And Human Formation 437 be left untouched. By extension therefore, the development of the individual’s intellectual capacity and capability empowers him/ her socially, economically and politically; thereby giving him not only a sense of self-fulfillment, but also a sense of belonging and commitment to the overall development of society. Development entails more than the economic aspect of people lives. A significant development in a country like Nigeria must take into account man as a whole and not just an aspect of him. This supports the notion of subjecting development to multidisciplinary interpretation and usage, these various perceptions only contribute to showing the richness as well as the problems associated with the concept of development. The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) distinguishes between two sides of development. One is the formation of human capabilities and the other is the use people make of their acquired capabilities. This implies that development could be at the level of individual and also at the level of the society. Development is a multidimensional process involving the totality of man in his political, economic, psychological, social relations, among others. Development is not a completed affair; it is an on-going process. Thus people are the objects of development. It must involve among other things the eradication of certain human -demeaning social phenomena, such as poverty, illiteracy, lowlife expectancy; development should be the creation and maintenance of livelihood opportunities. Development is a social concept standing for the process through which human beings strive to improve the conditions of their lives. Development is not an abstraction; it is a process of social transformation, which involves the replacement of those factors that inhibit the capacity of the individual for self-direction and the promotion of social cooperation with those which promote these ideals. In short, it is a process whose essence concerns the quality of life of the people. National Development The term national development is a term that refers to a sustainable growth and development of a nation to a more desirable one. National development is people oriented and its success is evaluated in terms of the impact it has had in improving the lot of the masses. True development must mean the development of man, the unfolding and realization of his creative potentials, enabling him to improve his material conditions of living through the use of resources available to him. It is a process by which man’s personality is enhanced, and it is this enhanced personality and creativity, organized and disciplined- which is the moving force behind the socioeconomic transformation of any society. According to Onabajo and M’Bayo (2009), says ‘national 438 Formation of the Human Person in the 21st Century development should be man oriented and not institution oriented, that is, individually in collectiveness and not individual.8 To Elugbe, (1994), ‘national development refers among other things, to the growth of the nation in terms of unity, education, economic well-being and mass participation in government.9 In summary development entails the provision of all the necessary materials and equipment’s that will guarantee that man in every society make a living and essence out of life. Anaeto and Anaeto (2010) citing Todaro and Smith (2003), identified three objectives of development which are; 1. Increase availability and widen the distribution of basic life sustaining goods such as food, shelter, health and protection. 2. To raise levels of living in addition to higher incomes, the provision of more jobs, better education, and greater attention to cultural and human values, all of which will serve not only to enhance material well-being but also to generate greater individual and national self-esteem and 3. To expand the range of economic and social choices available to individuals and nation by freeing them from servitude and dependence, not only in relation to other people and nation states but also to the forces of ignorance and human misery.10 Development is the socio-cultural, political, economic and the spiritual well-being of a society. In a truly developed state there is assurance of good quality of life, exercise of all human rights, and freedom to participate in the democratic process. From the foregoing, development implies enhanced quality of life, equity and justice, as it takes into consideration the wellbeing, growth and advancement of individuals within the society. National development could be described as the process of putting in place all it require for a nation state to stand on its own as an independent autonomous state.it entails more than the economic aspect of people lives. A significant development in a country like Nigeria must take into account man as a whole and not just an aspect of him. This supports the notion of subjecting development to multidisciplinary interpretation and usage, these various perceptions only contribute to showing the richness as well as the problems associated with the concept of national development. The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) distinguishes between two sides of development. One is the formation of human capabilities and the other is the use people make of their acquired capabilities. This implies that development could be at the level of individual and also at the level of the society. National development is a multidimensional process involving the totality of the nation in its political, economic, psychological, social relations, among others. National development is not a completed affair; it is an on-going process. Thus people are the objects of national development. It must involve among other things the eradication of Section III: Religious/Socio-Cultural Perspectives And Human Formation 439 certain human -demeaning social phenomena, such as poverty, illiteracy, lowlife expectancy, national development should be the creation and maintenance of livelihood opportunities amongst the citizens that makes up such nation. Such process includes training and retraining of the human resources. The aim is to harness and exploit the available resources in the country. In most cases, the training is focused majorly on areas of critical needs at a particular point in time. National development means the conscious, deliberate and concerted effort made by people to address the fundamental needs or issues of their nationhood. Human Capital Development Human capital development was described as an end or objective of development. It is a way to fulfill the potential of people by enlarging their capabilities, and this necessarily implies empowerment of people, enabling them to participate actively in their own development. Human capital development is also a means since it enhances the skills, knowledge, productivity and inventiveness of people through a process of human capital formation broadly conceived. Thus, human capital development is a people centered strategy, and not goods centered or production centered strategy of development. What really matters is the empowerment of people to identify their own priorities and to implement programmes and projects of direct benefit to them. This in turn implies the active participation of people in the development process and the consequent need to construct institutions that permit and indeed encourage that participation. In human capital development, education and health are essential. Education is concerned with the cultivation of “the whole person” including intellectual, character and psychomotor development. It is the human resources of any nation, rather than its physical, capital and material resources, which ultimately determine the character and pace of its economic and social development. According to Harbison, Human resources constitute the ultimate basis for the wealth of nations. Capital and natural resources are passive factors of production; human beings are the active agents who accumulate capital, exploit natural resources, build social, economic and political organization, and carry forward national development. A country which is unable to develop the skills and knowledge of its people and utilize them effectively for national progress will be unable to develop anything else.11 (Harbison, 1973, p.3). Education occupies an important place in most plans for economic and social development. Whichever way one looks at it, the education sector is important in human development as a supplier of the 440 Formation of the Human Person in the 21st Century trained manpower and it is a prerequisite for the accomplishment of other development goals. Also, it is the main sector through whose national identity goals and aspirations are given meaning and reality among the people. The Uniqueness of Youthfulness The youthful age is the most exciting, active, dynamic period of one’s life. This stage of life is characterized by physical strength, dreams of a great future, a quest for adventure and acquisition of knowledge and experience. At this stage, one can achieve the best in life. The average youth is full of life and dreams; they want to try new things. In a way, these are advantageous to them because this penchant to discover, create and try new things can be channeled towards productivity. Besides some great innovations in the world today were pioneered by young people who were curious, passionate and adventurous; young men and women who dared to dream. If the youths are well guided and mentored, they will discover their God-given potentials and channel those potentials towards problem solving. They will not only be useful to themselves and their families, they will also be making substantial inputs to national development. History is replete with youths who have contributed immensely to the progress of their countries. So many discoveries and inventions have been made by young minds. Sixteen years old Olivia Hallisely discovered a way to detect Ebola in less than thirty minutes compared to the current method that takes up to twelve hours to get results.12 Cancer survivor, Kylie Simonds, designed a stylish backpack that allows children taking chemotherapy intravenously to move around without having to carry IV poles along. Kylie was only thirteen when she invented the backpack,13 four Nigerian high school students all under age 15 years, devised a “urine-powered” generator that can supply six hours uninterrupted electricity with one liter of processed urine.14 These are ingenious minds and they are just few of the countless numbers of dynamic youths in our generation. Youths are unique; they should constantly be reminded of that and be encouraged to be at their best before this stage of their lives passes by. . For example according to the 2006 census, the youthful population constituted over 70% of the Nigerian population. Therefore, this quantum of population is a great asset for the Nigerian state if they are harnessed and utilized in the right direction. Interestingly, the transition of society from one generation to another is critical to the formative and developmental aspiration of such society. This is why society that prepares their youth for the sake of future aspiration will not only secure her future development; but, will prepare her next set of leaders with the challenges of national reconciliation and development. Hence, the Section III: Religious/Socio-Cultural Perspectives And Human Formation 441 formation of youth has its implications on national development and is sacrosanct to the whole developmental aspiration of any society. The youth are the cornerstone to societal rejuvenation. Societies are not only recreated through the youthful population, but, youth are often referred to as leaders of tomorrow. Youth and Education Education is a process of learning and development the process is embarked upon with the objective of facilitating intellectual and moral development in individuals so as to make the youth become productive members of the society. This process of education involves the transmission of values and accumulated knowledge. It assists individuals to fashion out, pursue and actually achieve their life goals. Whether formal or informal, its basic objective is to unleash a person’s potentials and develop knowledge skills and socially desirable and useful behavioural patterns. While formal education is acquired in schools, informal education takes place through everyday experiences and actual relationships with people around you. In our effort to define who a youth is, the process of development stands out as an essential element. This suggests that education understood as a process of learning and designed to facilitate development on youths and the prospect of their development. As a result, an appropriate system of education must facilitate the “holistic enhancement of the youths” and this is essential to overcome the growing doubts Africa’s prospects of developing in a increasing competitive world. Education of the youths should go beyond mere economic empowerment in order to earn a living, it must also enhance the capacity of all to exert a regenerating and creative moral vibration on the social system, this is highly essential to regenerate the social system and cleanse it of much of the … afflicting it today. For Onyechere Anyiam-Osigwe, holistic education must result in the spiritual, moral, economic and socio-political enhancement of both the youth and the society as a whole, he contends that the collapsing moral fibre of society, which according, to him is worse in countries reputed to be educationally advantaged is due to the neglect of the primordial essence of education” 15which is instill moral order in the individual. The ultimate end of education is to produce good people and good members of the society. In his words, “the primordial essence of education is to reawaken the moral order inherent in the human essence: that is mould the individual in a manner that ensures that he or she becomes a good member of his tribe or community. 442 Formation of the Human Person in the 21st Century Education is the most crucial secular activity for national development the education of the youth is the highest secular investment that can ever be made because it empowers the youth to be great achievers and leaders. According to Eleanor Roosevett, “education is essential to good citizenship and that education is important to life because it enables people to contribute to their country and their community. Education equally helps to reform the youths’ interpersonal relationship. Hence, the youth should be encouraged to socialize and keep healthy relationships to ensure a balanced social life. Also it should be inculcated in the youth values that will prepare them for leadership. Some of these values include: courtesy, humility, hospitability, compassion, generosity, patience, diligence, sense of responsibility and friendliness. A balanced life is crucial for personal success and peace of mind. Helping youths to balance their secular activities will make them more relevant in the society. Stakeholders in Youth Formation In general sense, the term “stakeholder” means any person or group that has a vested interest in a matter. The stakeholder can affect or be affected by the results of that which he /she is said to be a stakeholder, that is that in which he or she has a stake. The stakeholder temporarily owns the project or the business he/ she is involved in while is owner is still being determined. There are various stakeholders responsible for the upbringing and training of the youth: the school, the parent, the society, the government and religious organization .Though all these agencies of youth development are expected to mould different aspect of the youth’s life so that he/ she will grow up to become the person he/she is meant to be, their responsibilities are intertwined. The youth world is interesting and challenging. It is a world filled with potentials and opportunities waiting to be explored and developed for wonderful results. Everywhere in the world, the great potentials of the young population which is about half of the world’s population are recognized. This is why so much should be committed to ensuring that these potentials are fully tapped and developed because therein lies the strength, growth and development of every nation. Sadly, many young people fail to recognize the great potentials that they have and the wonderful future that lies ahead of them if these opportunities are properly harnessed and utilized. Many of them are overwhelmed in the euphoria and ecstasy of their age which blindfolds them to the realities of life. Others go on without awakening from the stupor their fantasies had drawn then into; thus wasting whole lives filed with untapped potentials. Some wake up too late to realize that they had wasted a good part of their lives that would definitely have made them Section III: Religious/Socio-Cultural Perspectives And Human Formation 443 better than what they are and have to struggle so hard to come to terms with the realities of life. What this shows is that while the “youth world” has wonderful opportunities, it is also filled with dangers that tend to hamper and undermine some youths. To be able to go through this stage and maximally utilize their potentials, the youth need guidance, this is what has informed this aspect of the article, the youth cannot be who they ought to be without the loving and gentle guidance of everyone charged with the responsibilities of moulding their lives. Parents, guidance, religious organizations, government, youth workers, teachers and all adults are stakeholders in this business and hands must be on deck to raise great youths. i. The Home/Parent/Guardians. Parents are major stakeholders in youth formation because of their natural affinity with their children. They are traditionally the ultimate caregivers who invest most, if not all, of their time on their children. It is easier to build a child than to repair an adult; that is why child’s training should begin very early. Children learn how to act in the world by what they see others do and they learn about controlling aggression through adults hence, good parenting is the key to prevent juvenile delinquency. However, because of unavailability of and neglect by parents in most homes, many youths have been driven to the street by negative and external influences. The dramatic increase in the number of working class mothers with very young children has definitely left a “gaping hole” in the home. Today many children are left to their own devices often relying on TV and computers as babysitters or nannies. Breakups in families, child abuse and bad examples of parents are also negatively affecting the lifestyles and behaviours of youth. The home is the first school any child attends and the parents or guardians are their first teachers. A child physical, mental, emotional and spiritual development begins here. Consequently, parents should endeavor to promote and support all-round growth and development of their children at every stage of life. A child that is well trained will live a happy, healthy and fulfilled life, while a child that is not well groomed will grow up living a lopsided life, becoming a liability to his parents and the nation. The Holy Bible commands parents to “train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6) it therefore behoves the parents to adequately train and prepare their youths for a blessed future both on earth and in eternity. 444 Formation of the Human Person in the 21st Century ii. The Government/School The school trains the child mentally to make him/her literate or educated, and be able to make impact in this world as they grow up. The youth is the future of the world, tomorrow’s people and the new inspiration, and the school prepares the youth mentally for the future. However, the school is not only to make the youth intellectually capable to meet the challenges of and fit into this fast moving world, but also expected to impart moral lessons into them. This can be fully achieved through education. No doubt education is the backbone of national development; it equips people with knowledge and skills that bring about economic wealth, social prosperity and political stability in a nation. The government should endeavour to build more schools, provide free and quality education, especially for the less privileged. Youth empowerment programmes should be organized from time to time. Besides classrooms activities, schools should provide avenues for youth to interact with their peers and teachers so that they can develop communication and healthy relationship skills. The government through its policies helps all other agencies to do their jobs and achieve their set goals by coordinating their operations. These two agencies of formation play vital roles in the shaping of the lives of the youths. iii. Religious Organisation This play an important role in maintaining and helping the youths achieve their divine purpose. The goal of the religious organization is to help the youth established a relationship with God, teach them how to abide in the Lord and serve God in love and reverential fear. To do this, youth workers must be passionate and patient. They should come down to the level of the youth and befriend them. They should seek to understand their situation before criticizing and judging them, visit them in their homes, show interest in their well being, provide the shoulder they can cry on, and see about helping them out with whatever challenge is confronting them. The adults in these religious organizations should always resist the temptation to get into any kind of tussle with youths. They shouldn’t approach them with an attitude that says, “We are adults and we know it all, you must listen because we are adults”. They wouldn’t be able to impact these youths with this kind of attitude. They should show them love, intercede for them, but don’t hesitate to correct them when necessary. Above all, they should provide mentorship and live an exemplary life. Developing Essential Life Skills for Youth Formation Life skills are those abilities that will help the youth adapt and thrive in a world that is filled with daunting demands, they are the skills needed by Section III: Religious/Socio-Cultural Perspectives And Human Formation 445 the youth to make the most out of their life often seen as a way to manage and maintain a quality life. Life skills will help the youths attain life’s goal and give them an edge over peers and competitors. Any youth who understands the importance and the use of these skills and synchronizes them with educational dexterity will be outstanding. Experience has shown that there is often a great mismatch between what is taught in class and the realities of life. It is observed also that most graduates lacks employability skills such as team work, skills, communication skills and the ability to cope under pressure. The onus is deliberately on the youth to learn these skills and be taught these skills. Someone once said the most important skills one should have are the ability and willingness to learn “By learning new skills we increase our understanding of the world around us and equip ourselves with the tools we need to live a more productive and fulfilling life finding ways to cope with the challenge that life inevitably throws at us” Below are some of the relevant skills every youth should endeavour to have and the youth should be taught: Creative Thinking This is the ability to “think outside the box” it involves devising a new approach to tasks, situations or problems. Creative thinking helps one initiate novel idea and makes one see situations and problems from a picture perspective. On can stimulate creative thoughts by being curious and following ones curiosity, taking a rest, reading widely, writing, brainstorming, eating healthy, walking, being open to new things, going outside your comfort zone and a lot more. Time Management Time is a precious asset and wasting it is tantamount to wasting one’s life. As a youth, this skill is needed in order for the youth to be able to plan and control the amount of time spent on various activities. Time management skill will increase effectiveness and productivity because it will help the youth to discipline themselves and focus on the goal at hand. Money Management Many people are in a financial mess today because they have no clue about how money works. It is better not to wait to learn the hard way: learn to save, no matter how little you earn. It is imperative for the youth to be taught how to save no matter how little you earn. It is necessary for them to have a monthly or weekly budget and strive to spend less then they earn. Learning how to make money work for them through investment will help go far in life endeavour. 446 Formation of the Human Person in the 21st Century Survival Skill This skill comes handy when one find himself or herself in a precarious situation they include how to administer first aid, light or put out fire, read a compass, make smoke signals, read topography, change a car tyre, build a make shift shelter, find and purify water and other survival skills like swimming, climbing and self defense. People Skill The way one relates with people could determine the extent of one’s success or failure in life. People skill will help you to relate with people appropriately. Therefore, it is needful for youth to learn how to treat people with respect and kindness. It is needful to always think win/win when dealing with others and they should treat people the way they would want others to treat them. Coping with Failure A famous Athlete once said “I have missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I have lost almost 300 games, 26 times I have been trusted to take the game wining shot and missed. I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed”, sometimes failure can teach us valuable lessons of life. Though it’s natural to feel bad when you fail, the youth must learn that they don’t have to dwell on it or allow it to define their person. They need to encourage themselves and learn a lesson from experience by asking oneself why the failure and what could have been done better. It is necessary to try to see the brighter side of things and resist the temptation of indulging in vices. The youth should deliberately make effort to try again. The youth must not allow failure to stop them from moving forward in life Leadership Skills The youth must be taught that as they go on in life, they will find themselves in situations where they need to take on leadership roles. It is needful therefore for them to equip themselves they need to learn how to set goals, make decisions and manage human and material resources well. They can develop leadership skill by learning to take on responsibilities in their home and school. They should always organize themselves and learn how to effectively communicate with different kinds of people. In addition to all these skills that have been explained above, there are other valuable skills the youth should learn, they include assertiveness, cooperation, working independently, prioritizing, positive thinking, problem solving, confidence building, negotiation, presentation, listening skill communication, recognizing diversity, handling disappointment and Section III: Religious/Socio-Cultural Perspectives And Human Formation 447 networking. If the youths strive to acquire these skills, they will be better equipped for the demands of life and contribute immeasurably to the development of the nation. Symbiotic Links between Youth Formation and National Development In the world today where spiritual lethargy, moral decadence and mind blowing corruption reign, there is need to raise youths that will be pillars and hope of the nation. This is made possible through education and the inculcation of the right values. This process is embarked upon with the objective of facilitating intellectual and moral development in individuals so as to make them become productive members of the society. The process involves the transmission of values and accumulated knowledge that will assist the individuals to fashion out, pursue and actually achieve their live goals. Whether formal or informal, its basic objective is to unleash a person’s potentials and develop knowledge, skills and socially desirable and useful behavioral pattern. While formal education is acquired in schools, informal education takes place through everyday experiences and actual relationships with people around you. This also involves capacity development which has a direct link with human development. In fact, there are a range of issues where the two are closely intertwined. These include: human capital development through health and nutrition, education and training; the accumulation of physical capital that increases the levels of investment to generate employment opportunities; strengthening governance through institutional and policy reforms; and the application of improved technologies, logistics and systems to enhance organizational performance. The ultimate mission of capacity development is for people to increase their incomes and improve their quality of life. Capacity building helps create conditions that enable people to derive maximum benefits. It is an on-going process that involves developing competencies (skills, knowledge, and attitudes) to enable people to make things happen. There are various dimensions of capacity development, which includes; Individual (human), Institutional (organizational) and societal (community) capacities. Since the focus of this paper is on youth formation and national development, these two will be discussed: Individual Capacities Individual capacities relates to the availability of the right quantity and quality of human capital to achieve and sustain national human development. There are two key components needed: Planning present 448 Formation of the Human Person in the 21st Century and future human capital stock by skills and expertise. Periodic human resources surveys are needed and a human capital plan should be prepared with the aim of mapping current and future capacity development needs, strategies and programmes; and ensuring that there are adequate teachers, school administrators and education planners in place to design, mount and execute specialized training as well as general and professional education to meet the nation’s needs in accordance with the human capital mobilization plan. The process of individual development involves a number of changes in innate resources such as knowledge, practical skills, mind sets, values, perceptions, stamina and relationships. The goal is for the individual to be empowered to live a happy, long and comfortable life. This may include providing general education and vocational training; creating a competent and motivated cadre of people that will guarantee a high level of productivity and growth; and providing good health services and nutritious food to improve health. Institutional Capacities Institutional capacities is concerned with institutional and organizational capabilities, both public and private, to attract financial and quality human capital and put it to productive use. Effective national performance is a condition stemming from efficient use of quality human and financial capital through institutions and organizations that enable the delivery of desired results. Weak institutions are often central to the failure of development efforts. For example, poor management of public resources undermines the state as a guarantor of public welfare and security and this is what we presently experiencing in Nigeria. Consequently, developing capacity at the organizational or institutional level involves reforming, as and where necessary, the structures, mandates, functions, remuneration, management systems, corporate culture and operational processes of organizations – especially the public sector. Institutions must also be adequately equipped to attract and make the best use of available resources. This involves improving physical facilities and equipment, institution linkages, networking and relations and institutional philosophies. It should be emphasized at the point that the two components are complementary. For instance, if the institutional setting in a country is not appropriate, the realization of the full benefits of even the best quality human capacity would be illusory. The importance of investing in education and health is well appreciated and understood in economies that wish to attain sustainable growth. The quality of a nation’s development depends on the quality of its workforce. Nigeria is rated by international standards as ‘less developed’ and thus has economic growth as a major goal. Indeed, the Section III: Religious/Socio-Cultural Perspectives And Human Formation 449 importance of a prime sector such as education has been stressed in Nigeria since the early sixties. Presently, there is need to stress the importance of human capital development for Nigeria, because the Nigerian economy has to be efficient and competitive in the new world order in which national frontiers no longer constitute barriers to human, material, and capital flows, the greatest barriers facing Nigeria in this millennium is the issue of capacity building to enhance productivity in the economy of which the youth can play a major role. Conclusion Our discourse does not pretend to be exhaustive as there are definitely a lot of issues left untouched, with many others yet to be discussed in details. Nonetheless, it is hoped that by this brief analysis on youth formation and how it could enhance national development, we have been able to stimulate some interests and thoughts in ways that would motivate philosophical investigation into how this thoughts can be further developed and applied in practical ways that can facilitate social and national development as a whole. One thing that stands out is the concern for holistic formation (spiritual, intellectual, moral, political and economic) of the youth. Recommendations: 1. Parents should develop and inculcate proper values in their children for the survival of the individual and the society. 2. The individual’s intellectual capacity of the youth should be developed in order for them to understand and appreciate their local and external environments. 3. There is need for the youth to acquire both physical and intellectual skills, which will enable them to be self-reliant and useful members of the society. 4. The government and corporate organization should promote and encourage merit-based scholarship and community service. 5. Special attention should be paid to mentoring in the training of the youth since they are looking always for role models.. 6. The government should create avenues for the promotion of national and international understanding and interaction References: 1. 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