Harnessing Social Media Activism: A Focus on Youth Commitment to Development in Delta State, Nigeria

Overview & Synopsis

As Delta State grapples with a myriad of developmental problems such as poverty, unemployment, inequality, inadequate infrastructure and political instability, among others, the utilization of social media as an effective tool for youth activism and engagement has become inevitable. Hence, this study investigated how harnessing social media activism can foster youth commitment to development in the State. Three research objectives were outlined in the study and were anchored on the Technological Frame of Reference theory. A sample size of 392 respondents was selected from Asaba Metropolis through the purposive sampling technique. The data collection process utilized a structured questionnaire to gather data from respondents. The analytical approach employed frequency distribution tables, simple percentages, arithmetic mean and standard deviation. The analysis indicated that the youth actively use Face book, X, Instagram and YouTube, among others for social media activism, social media activism has impacted youth engagement and resolve to advance development in the State to a great extent, and there are several challenges encountered by youth leveraging social media to foster development in Delta State. The study recommends that social media activists should endeavor to collaborate with community leaders and relevant authorities to promote community engagement and development of policies to improve the wellbeing of the people, among others.