ENHANCING CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION AS A TOOL AGAINST INSECURITY CHALLENGES IN NIGERIA

Authors

Joseph Bekeh Undie Social Studies and Civic Education, Faculty of Arts and Social Science Education, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria
Fidelis Isomkwo Aboh Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria
Cornelius Etianghe Omang Department of Economics and Political Science Education, Faculty of Arts and Social Science Education, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria

Citizenship Education, Insecurity in Nigeria, Democratic Values, Youth Resocialization, Civic Responsibility

This paper advocates for enhancing citizenship education, which has the potential

to reform, resocialize, and resensitize youths to the need to abandon their destructive, retaliatory,

and violent activities that threaten Nigeria's statehood. It aims to foster democratic values and civic

responsibilities through citizenship education. The question of insecurity challenges in Nigeria is

becoming worrisome as vicious groups are now mushrooming day by day in our society, posing

an unimaginable vicious threat that rocks the peaceful existence of members of the society. Given

the state we have found ourselves in, we urgently need to enhance citizenship education as a tool

against these insecurity challenges. This is because many Nigerians are bitter, always in a

disposition to attack the state and its people due to their frustration, anger, and disbelief against

the government and statehood. Given the efficacy of citizenship education, as surveyed in literature

review, it is a tool in fostering ideal civic attitude and competence, it is therefore pertinent for the

subject to be enhanced upon to produce citizens with the right psyche, consciousness, disposition,

and mentality that will not only uphold the ideals of democracy, promote human rights and the

principle of equality, but also appreciate the gift of diversity and participate actively towards

building a society that is safe, peaceful and prosperous. Therefore, this paper dealt with the goals

of citizenship education, empirical evidence on the effect of citizenship education, the challenges

of teaching citizenship education, the way forward to enhance citizenship education, and

conclusion-bearing recommendations.