Galadima Full Thesis 14102019 (1) PDF Format PDF

THE PSYCHOSOCIAL IMPACTS OF
UNEMPLOYMENT AND COPING

STRATEGIES AMONG YOUTHS IN
NIGERIA, A CASE STUDY
OF NASARAWA STATE A
QUALITATIVE STUDY
GALADIMA GLADSTONE WAYAS
UNIVERSITI KEBANGSAAN MALAYSIA

THE PSYCHOSOCIAL IMPACTS OF UNEMPLOYMENT AND COPING
STRATEGIES AMONG YOUTHS IN NIGERIA, A CASE STUDY
OF NASARAWA STATE A QUALITATIVE STUDY
THESIS SUBMITTED IN FULFILMENT FOR THE DEGREE OF

DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES

BANGI
2019
PEMBANGUNAN PENILAIAN KEBARANGKALIAN KESELAMATAN BAGI
REAKTOR TRIGA PUSPATI
TESIS YANG DIKEMUKAKAN UNTUK MEMPEROLEH

IJAZAH DOKTOR FALSAFAH
FAKULTI SAINS SOSIAL DAN KEMANUSIAAN

BANGI
2018
iii
DECLARATION
I hereby declare that the work in this thesis is my own except for quotations and
summaries which have been duly acknowledged.
20 October 2019 GALADIMA GLADSTONE WAYAS

P86156
iv
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to express my profound gratitude and thanks to the following special
personalities for their eminent role they played in the completion of this thesis. They
are: My supervisors, Prof Dr., Sivapalan Selvadurai, and Prof Dr. Abd Hair Awang,
for their guidance, patience, positive criticism, and encouragement. I shall ever live to
be thankful and grateful to them. My family, Christiana Akpowu Galadima (wife),
Na’allah Nehemiah Galadima (son), Anabi’allah Gaius Galadima (son), Atari
Blessing Galadima (daughter), for their support as they happily accepted and
permitted me to leave them in Nigeria for Malaysia for this program. Solomon
Bezumum, and Innocent John Allu, for their support and assistance to my family
while away from Nigeria for this program. Ganesan Malayagu, Shuhaida Binti Abdul
Malek, and Malik Beenish for their guidance, assistance, and encouragement
especially when I was stranded and lonely. Nigerian students at ukm, between 2016
and 2019, for their support and encouragement in their personal unique ways. UKM
Library staff, especially Mohd Syamrooz Kamal Redza, Wan A’sah Wan Abdul Aziz,
Norliah Sukarno, Nor Asiah Mohamad, and Nik Salimah Nik Abdullah, for their
efforts and dedication in putting me through in the usage of endnote software for my
references, and their assistance in the search of materials for this program. Ovey
Joshua Maro, for his role as research assistance during the data collection in Nigeria.
To unknown numerous persons, in Nigeria, Malaysia, and other parts of this world,
who supported in prayers and in their own unique ways for the success of my
program.
v
ABSTRAK
Pengangguran dalam kalangan belia merupakan sebuah cabaran sejagat yang

mendorong beberapa usaha penyelidikan dan sumber kewangan yang besar disalurkan
bagi mencapai matlamat yang tinggi iaitu menyelesaikan dan mengatasi ancaman ini
di negara-negara seluruh dunia. Pengangguran dalam kalangan belia di Nigeria
merupakan salah satu isu yang membelenggu keamanan, keselamatan, dan
pembangunan negara. Permasalahan ini merupakan natijah daripada hubung kaitnya
dengan masalah sosial, kecenderungan melakukan jenayah serta kesejahteraan
golongan muda yang menganggur. Penyelidikan impak psikososial pengangguran
melalui pengalaman belia menganggur merupakan satu bidang yang kurang dikaji.
Kajian ini mempunyai beberapa objektif: pertama, untuk meneroka impak psikososial
pengangguran dalam kalangan belia di negeri Nasarawa, kedua, untuk meneliti
impak psikososial akibat belenggu kewangan dalam kalangan belia yang menganggur,
dan ketiga, untuk mengenal pasti jenis strategi daya tindak dalam kalangan golongan
belia yang menganggur. Kajian ini mengguna pakai kaedah penyelidikan kualitatif,
menggunakan pendekatan fenomenologi, manakala wawancara separa berstruktur di
gunakan sebagai teknik pengumpulan data. Teknik pensampelan bertujuan (purposive)
telah digunakan dalam pemilihan dua pulujh lima (25) orang belia yang menganggur
sebagai responden dalam kajian ini, dan data dianalisis melalui penggunaan analisis
tematik. Hasil kajian dari aspek kesan psikososial pengangguran merangkumi
kesukaran, kehilangan keyakinan diri, perasaan putus asa, kekecewaan, pengasingan,
dan kesan negatif terhadap kesejahteraan fizikal. Manakala, dari aspek kesukaran
kewangan, ia menunjukkan bahawa golongan belia tidak dapat menyertai
perhimpunan sosial, menghadapi konflik psikologi yang serius akibat ketidakupayaan
untuk menyediakan keperluan buat keluarga dan yang lain, berasa tidak layak untuk
menyara kehidupan masa hadapan, serta berhadapan tanggapan negatif komuniti
setempat. Terdapat berbagai-bagai strategi daya tindak yang digunakan untuk
mengatasi masalah pengangguran, di antaranya belia yang menganggur melakukan
pekerjaan kecil dan perniagaan, menghadiri latihan pemerolehan kemahiran,
bergantung pada hubungan, kawan, bantuan kerajaan, dan berdoa. Impak keputusan
penyelidikan ini adalah ia membuktikan bahawa pengangguran bersifat merosakkan
terhadap kehidupan manusia dan masyarakat, dan menawarkan pendekatan yang
boleh diambil sebagai jalan penyelesaian kepada pengangguran di Nigeria dan dunia
pada umumnya. Langkah-langkah seperti penstrukturan semula sistem pendidikan
Nigeria untuk menawarkan lebih banyak kursus mandiri seperti kursus teknikal dan
vokasional serta semangat perniagaan dipupuk dalam pemikiran golongan pemuda
Nigeria, juga boleh diambil bagi menangani isu pengangguran di Nigeria.
vi
ABSTRACT
Unemployment among youths as a global challenge prompted several research efforts

and huge financial resources been committed for this lofty goal of solving and curbing
this menace by many nations. Unemployment among youths in Nigeria is one of the
disturbing problems that threatens the peace, security, and development of the nation.
This is as a result of its connection with social problems, criminal tendencies and the
well-being of the unemployed youths. The psychosocial impacts of unemployment
through the investigation on the experiences of the unemployed youths is an
understudied area. The objectives of the study are three-fold: firstly, to explore the
psychosocial impacts of unemployment among youths in Nasarawa state, secondly, to
explore psychosocial impacts resulting from financial difficulties of unemployed
youths, and thirdly, to identify the types of coping strategies among unemployed
youths. This study adopted a qualitative research method, using a phenomenological
approach, while semi-structured interview, were used as data collection techniques. A
purposive sampling technique was adopted in the selection of the twenty-five (25)
unemployed youths as the informants for the study, and data was analyzed through the
usage of thematic analysis. The findings for the psychosocial impacts of
unemployment includes hardship, loss of self-esteem, feelings of hopelessness,
frustration, isolation, and negative effects of physical wellbeing. Whilst, the
psychosocial impacts resulting from financial difficulties revealed youths are socially
deprived of attending social gatherings, face serious psychological challenges for
inability to provide necessities for family and others, to be credit worthy for future
development, and the negative perception of local community. While various
measures of coping strategies to alleviate themselves from the unemployment,
indicated unemployed youths embarked on petty jobs and business, skills acquisition
training, relied on relations, friends, government for assistance, and divine providence
for intervention. The implication of the results gives insight to the damaging
consequences of unemployment on human lives and the society, and the possible ways
out as solution to unemployment in Nigeria and the world at large. Restructuring
Nigerian educational system to have more of self-employed courses such as technical
and vocational and business orientation be instilled in the mind of Nigerian youths
might be a better way in curbing unemployment in Nigeria.
vii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
DECLARATION iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT iv
ABSTRAK v
ABSTRACT vi
TABLE OF CONTENTS vii
LIST OF TABLES xi
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Error! Bookmark not defined.
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS Error! Bookmark not defined.
LIST OF CASES Error! Bookmark not defined.
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background of Study 1
1.2 Statement of the Problem 5
1.3 Research Questions 9
1.4 Purpose of the Study 9
1.5 Objectives of the Study 9
1.6 The Significance of the Study 10
1.7 The Scope of Study 10
1.8 Definition of Concepts 11
1.8.1 Unemployment 11
1.8.2 Youth 11
1.8.3 Psychosocial Impacts of Unemployment 12
1.8.4 Coping Strategy 13
1.8.5 Conceptual Framework 14
1.9 Summary 15
CHAPTER II LITERATURE REVIEW AND THEORETICAL

FRAMEWORK
2.1 Introduction 16
2.2 Concept of Unemployment 16
2.3 Duration of Youth Unemployment 17
2.4 Characteristics of Youth 19
viii
2.5 Theory of Psychosocial Impacts of Unemployment 20

2.5.1 Frustration-Aggression Theory 20
2.6 Youth Unemployment Scenario 23
2.6.1 Youth Unemployment Trend 23
2.6.2 Youth Unemployment by Gender 24
2.7 Youth Unemployment Intervention Programs 25
2.8 Overview of Impacts of Unemployment. 27
2.8.1 Individual Impacts 28
2.8.2 Family Impacts 28
2.8.3 Society/Government Impacts 29
2.9 Dimensions of Psychosocial Impacts of Youth
Unemployment. 30
2.9.1 Physical/Mental Health Problems 31
2.9.2 Financial Difficulties 33
2.9.3 Difficulties in Relationship 34
2.9.4 Social Vices 36
2.9.5 Coping Strategies 37
2.9.6 Research Gap 39
2.10 Summary of Literature Review 40
CHAPTER III RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1 Introduction 41
3.2 Philosophical Assumption 41
3.3 Research Methodology 43
3.4 Data Collection Method 45
3.4.1 the Interview Procedure 45
3.4.2 Discoveries in the Study Area 47
3.4.3 Sampling Technique 47
3.5 The Population of the Study 48
3.6 Sample Size 50
3.7 Data Analysis 50
3.8 Research Ethics 52
3.9 The credibility of This Research Work 52
3.10 Study Area 53
3.10.1 Brief History of Nasarawa State 53
3.10.2 Position and Population Growth of Nasarawa State 53
3.10.3 The Ethnic Groups, Their Traditions and Religions 55
3.10.4 The Reasons for the Selection of Nasarawa State
for the Study 55
ix
3.10.5 Background Information of Informants 59

3.11 summary 72
CHAPTER IV DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION

4.1 Introduction 73
4.2 Psychosocial Impacts of Unemployment Among Youths
in Nasarawa State, Nigeria 75
4.2.1 A Horrible Sad Experience, War and Hell 75
4.2.2 Lack of Basics and Essentials of Life 98
4.2.3 Frustration and Depression 110
4.2.4 Psychosocial impacts of Unemployment among
Youths in Nasarawa State, Nigeria 119
4.3 Identification of the Impacts of Financial Difficulties on
the Psychosocial Dimension of the Unemployed Youths in
Nasarawa State, Nigeria 119
4.3.1 Impacts of Financial Difficulties on Social Effects
of Unemployment on Youths 120
4.3.2 Psychological Feelings of the Unemployed Youths
in the Society 124
4.3.3 Societal Feelings Towards the Unemployed under
Financial Difficulties 146
4.3.4 General Effects of Financial Difficulties on
Unemployed Youths 159
4.4 Identification of Coping Strategies of Unemployed
4.4.1 Begging Strategies 170
4.4.2 Skill Acquisition and Self-Employed Strategies 173
4.4.3 Assistance from Spouse as a Coping Strategy 179
4.4.4 Business as a Coping Strategy 181
4.4.5 Petty Jobs Strategies 183
4.4.6 Reliance on Divine and on Government
Intervention 187
4.5 Identification of Coping Strategies of Unemployed
CHAPTER V SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

5.1 Introduction 196
5.2 Summary of Major Findings 196
5.2.1 Objective 1 197
5.3 Contribution of the Study to Knowledge and Policy 201
x
5.3.1 Theoretical Contribution 201

5.3.2 Policy Implication 202
5.4 Suggestion 203
5.4.1 Government/Policy Makers 203
5.4.2 Non-Governmental Organizations 204
5.4.3 Parents 204
5.4.4 The Unemployed Youths 205
5.5 Further Research 205
5.6 Conclusion 206
REFERENCES 208
Appendix A Interview Guideline 223
Appendix B consent letter 225
Appendix C Coding 226

xi
LIST OF TABLES
Table No. Page
.Table 1.1 Meaning of youth: Global, Regional and local/ Nigeria 12
Table 2.1 Current unemployment trends 23
Table 2.2 Unemployment by Gender 24
Table 2.3 Youth Unemployment by Level of Education 24
Table 2.4 Youth and Number of Criminal Cases 25
Table 2.5 2010 poverty level in Nigeria by zone 34
Table 2.6 Summary of literature review 39
Table 3.1 Unemployment rates across education groups in Nigeria

2010-2018 50
Table 3.2 Youth unemployment rate by states in Nigeria: 2002-2011 56
Table 4.1 Socio-demographic profile of informants 74

xii
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Figure No. Page
Figure 2.1 Diagram of Frustration –Aggression Theory 23
Figure 2.2 Overview Impacts of Youth Unemployment Diagram 30
Figure 3.1 Nigeria map with its 36 states including Abuja the Federal
Capital City 58
Diagram No. Page
Diagram 4.1 A horrible Sad Experience, War and Hell 75
Diagram 4.2 Lack of Basics and Essentials of Life 98
Diagram 4.3 Frustration and Despression 110
Diagram 4.4 Psychosocial impacts of unemployment among youths in

Diagram 4.5 Impacts of Financial Difficulties on Social Effects of

Unemployment on Youths 120
Diagram 4.6 Psychological Feelings of the Unemployed Youths in the

Society 125
Diagram 4.7 Societal Feelings Towards the Unemployed under Financial

Difficulties 146
Diagram 4.8 Identification of the Impacts of Financial Difficulties on the

Psychosocial Dimension of the Unemployed Youths in
Diagram 4.9 Begging Strategies 170
Diagram 4.10 Skill Acquisition and Self-Employed Strategies 173
Diagram 4.11 Reliance on divine & on Government Intervention 187
Diagram 4.12 Identification of Coping strategies of unemployed youths in

1
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
Chapter one of this study is comprises of the background of the study, the statement of
the research problem, the research questions and research objectives. It also includes
the purpose of the research, the significance of the study, the scope of the study, and
the definition of concepts. The chapter therefore concluded with a summary.
1.1 BACKGROUND OF STUDY
Unemployment has been one of the persistent problems facing almost the nations of
the world. Unemployment among youths as a global challenge has 75 million
unemployed youths (Akinyemi et al. 2019) The global public policy has
implemented several measures to reduce unemployment and to achieve full
employment for the nations of the world. The number of unemployed youths all over
the world increases yearly and it is a great burden and concern to all responsible
policymakers. According to the International, Labor Organization report (2007)
indicates the youth unemployment rate has risen above 74 million globally in 2008.
With the geometrical increase rate of youth unemployment, ILO projected of having
not less than 90 million unemployed youths all over the world between 2009 and
2010. Though youth unemployment is a global problem, it is more severe in the
developing nations than in the Western world. In 2014, (Berlingieri et al. 2014)
reported of European states having over 5.5 million unemployed youths, and that
Greece had 55.3% of the youth unemployment rate as the highest within the Europe
region and Germany had 8.1% as the lowest. The same report indicated Spain had
53.2% of youth unemployment, France had 23.8% of youth unemployment rate, and
Portugal and United Kingdom had 37.7% and 21.0% respectively as their youth
unemployment rates. The same report indicated Spain had 53.2% of youth
2
unemployment, France had 23.8% of youth unemployment rate, and Portugal and
United Kingdom had 37.7% and 21.0% respectively as their youth unemployment
rates.
In 2001 United Nations General Assembly portrayed almost the developing

states as weak and failed nations due to their inability of improving their economies,
youth unemployment, security, and political stability. As result of their deficiencies,
terrorists and insurgencies activities thrive in their nations as many of the deprived
citizens like the unemployment youths would choose to join unethical ways and
criminal groups to earn their living. UN concluded that with their high rate of youth
unemployment, illiteracy, and poverty in most of the developing states served as
fermentation tanks for terrorists and other insurgencies (Azeng & Yogo, 2013; Piazza,
2006, 2008).
Youth unemployment in Africa has been a serious challenge as it increases

yearly coupled with its related problems of criminal involvements in an attempt by the
unemployed youths to meet their needs. Idris (2016) reported healthy and qualified
young persons living without employment are easily lured into unethical ways of
getting their needs met. Their situation is not just a threat to the leadership but the
entire society of Africa. The same scholar reported that though there was global youth
population explosion but the population in Africa was not commensurate with
employment opportunities. The implication is that birth control was not done or was
not taken seriously in Africa as regards to an expected number of children a family
ought to have based on the strength of their economic (Bello & Yacim, 2012; Idris,
2016)
In the ILO report,(Assaad&Roudi-Fahimi 2007) it revealed the population

growth in developing countries particularly the Asian states, Middle East, North
Africa and Sub-Sahara Africa had great pressure on job creation. In a similar report, it
indicated that Sub-Saharan Africa had a disturbing youth unemployment rate that
were all graduates from their different nations. Egypt had 34.25 as tertiary education
youth unemployment rate, Ethiopia had 13.5% of tertiary education youth
unemployment rate, Ghana had 46.1% of tertiary education of youth unemployment
3
rate, South Africa had 34.9%, Botswana had 33.0%, Congo had 47.8%, Tanzania had
23.2%, Uganda had 19.0%, Nigeria had 21.1%, and Mali had 85.3% as the highest
within the region (Betcherman&Khan 2015). According to (Chigunta 2002) Africa
alone as a continent had over 120 million youths, and the population increases daily
without the proportion availability of employment opportunities. In the global youth
unemployment record, nations of the northern African region have the highest
unemployment rate amongst the nations of the world. In 2015, North Africa was
having an unemployment rate of 30 percent and 45 percent for the female youths.
Their situation was so pathetic considering a large number of young persons that were
not in education, employment or training (NEET) (Servais&Van Goethem 2016).
Available data outline the unemployment rate of other African states as thus; South
African unemployment rate was at 25.20 percent at the beginning of 2013. Kenya
unemployment rate was at 40 percent at the end of 2011. Ghana unemployment rate
was at 11 percent in 2012 and Nigeria was having an unemployment rate of 23.9
percent in 2012(Brada et al. 2014).
According to (Asaju et al. 2014), Nigerian youths unemployment rate was at

54pecent in 2014, with the female unemployment rate at 51.9 percent and the male
group at 48.1 percent. According to Innocent (Innocent 2014), Nigerian’s
unemployment situation could best be described by citing an incident where Dangote
group of companies solicited for applications for about a hundred vacant driver
positions in 2013. A stunning and disturbing response from many young citizens to
the tune of 13, 000 applicants were received for some very limited vacancies. The
record showed that the jobseekers included highly educated applicants including; 6
Ph.D. holders, 704 with Master’s degree and over 8,460 with a bachelor’s degrees.
They were aware that the company needed young persons with an ordinary diploma as
the highest qualification but they wanted the job even with that condition. (Okafor,
2011).
According to Kilishi (Kilishi et al. 2014), no fewer than 1.8 million Nigerian
graduates enter employment market yearly. The painful experience with this poorly
managed situation is the accumulation of the number of unemployed young Nigerians
from the previous years. Kilishi further explained that the current unemployment rate
4
at 54 percent and the figure of unemployed estimated at 20.3 million persons, Nigeria
has been doing very poorly in terms of tackling the menace. The implication is that
these millions of unemployed youths have a dwindling probability of securing
employment in the next five years and are exposed to a bleak future. This situation has
continually posed a grave challenge to the nation and most fearful in the sense that the
outcome or consequences might be very disastrous both for the leadership and the
entire state of Nigeria.
In a report by the federal ministry of youth and development (Dike 2009) it

indicated that Nigeria produces about 4.5 million new applicants into the labor market
every year. Out of this number, 1.8 million of the new entrants are from the primary
and secondary schools, while the remaining of the estimated figure represents entrants
with a tertiary degree qualifications. None of them could secure placement in civil
service or any employment for productive activities as there was no vacancy for them.
According to (Awogbenle&Iwuamadi 2010) a record from the federal bureau

of statistics and manpower development board revealed the nation had a youth
population of 80 million that represented 60 percent of the entire national population.
That 64 million of this number were unemployed and 1.6 million of this were
underemployed. With their careful analysis of the report, it was discovered that there
was no consistency in the unemployment rate in Nigeria as it increases progressively
and geometric manner.
Nasarawa state as part of Nigeria has experienced its deep share of the
unemployment challenges facing the nation. In the article (Salami 2011), the data
reveals Nasarawa state has an unemployment rate of 36.5 percent. In 2016 report
(Adesugba&Mavrotas 2016) published an update report about the state being among
the ten states with the worst unemployment rate within the nation. The extent of the
unemployment crisis in Nasarawa state was further buttressed by (Yoms 2013)
lamented as they felt they could no longer keep quiet as some of their young men and
women were dying of hunger for lack of employment opportunities in the state. This
was part of the lamentations of the unemployed youths in Nasarawa state to the
5
executive governor in December 2015 as an expression of their distressed and

unpleasant situation.
With the high rate of unemployment in Nasarawa state, most of these

unemployed youths have taken into crimes and other social ills that make the state
unconducive for living. According to Nasarawa state Police Command crimes record
for 2015, the state recorded 53 cases of armed robbery/theft. The Daily Trust
newspaper (Tochukwu saturday, December 10th, 2016.) recorded the lamentation and
distress situation of Keffi people (Nasarawa state) due to the frequent armed robbery
cases. According to the newspaper, armed robbery like a viral disease and other
violent crimes in Keffi Local Government Area of Nasarawa state have increased, and
because this occurrence is so regular the residents due to fear of being killed are
constrained to live in mass and look for accommodation where their lives might be
saved and secured. This ugly situation according to the newspaper could be attributed
to Nasarawa state’s proximity to Abuja as the Federal Capital.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Youth unemployment according to International Labor Organization,(White 2012) is

among the biggest threat to social stability in many countries of the world, which
Nigeria is inclusive. The high rate of youth unemployment in Nigeria according to
(Stober 2015) is disturbing as he reported in his studies that criminal activities and
other social ills in the society are attributed to it.
Previous studies on youth unemployment, particularly the developed nations

focused much on psychological impacts of youth unemployment, while others focused
on social impacts, and very little or none could merge the two in exploring the
experiences of the unemployed youths. Therefore, the researcher embarked on
psychosocial as new and different thing entirely in exploring the unemployed youths’
experiences as an attempt to fill the gap.
The researcher combined psychology and sociology concepts in exploring the

experiences of unemployment among youths because he is a student of Development
6
Science, and Development Science is an interdisciplinary discipline that embraces

social sciences especially psychology and sociology. If the researcher were a student
of psychology, he would have embarked upon on psychology concept only, or if he
were a student of sociology, he would have taken to social concept only in exploring
the experiences of unemployment among youths. Therefore, the researcher as a
Development Science student used psychosocial approach that is a combination of
psychology and sociology in exploring the experiences of the unemployed youths in
Nasarawa state, Nigeria and this is in line with the spirit of Development Science that
is interdisciplinary.
In a study conducted by (Mckee-Ryan et al. 2005) on individual levels has

been suggestive that unemployment has negative impacts on the individual’s
psychosocial and their well-being. What the researchers reported as negative impacts
include; hostility, depression, frustration, anger, guilt, worry, anxiety, psychiatric
disorder, suicide and changes in emotional stage of life or career satisfaction, and
physical.
In his reaction to Nigerian’s youth unemployment, (Stober 2015) described it

as an unfortunate and sympathetic situation as he felt the unemployed youths were
socio-economic liabilities to their parents, families, friends, and to the society as well
instead of contributing to the development of the nation. Through his study, it was
revealed Nigerian unemployed youths have been afflicted with financial difficulties as
well the loss of output and related problems as they experience frustration, anger,
mental disorder, unhappiness, depression, and poorer lifestyle. The high rate of youth
unemployment according to (Stober 2015) is worrisome as he felt Boko Haram
terrorist group, Kidnapping, Niger Delta Avengers, ethnic conflicts, armed robbery,
and political thuggery are attributed to unemployment as the unemployed youths are
easily lured and recruited into these deadly diseases for just very little amount of
money.
Youth unemployment poses a great challenge to Nigeria with the tendency of

increasing criminal activities and psychosocial impacts, having a worse impact than
developmental obstacle but also disruption of peace that is crucial to the stability of
7
any society in the world. (Adebayo 2013) confirms to this fact as he states that
unemployed youths in Nigeria experience low esteem, deprivation, frustration and
acute want. He added that a situation which may lead the youths to deviant behaviors
and crimes in the society. Christina (Juvva&Newhill 2011) maintains the same
position that rise in the unemployment rate and the fall in real income creates an
untenable condition for thousands of unemployed persons who are frequently turned
towards illicit means to support themselves and families. (Ajufo 2013) also maintains
that youth unemployment in Africa has been a major problem giving rise to criminal
tendencies that threaten the socio-economic development, peace, and stability of the
continent.
The unemployed individuals are usually not able to earn money to meet the
financial needs or responsibilities and the basic necessities of life. Across Nigeria
today, the growing total of people who are made homeless today arise from
unemployment group (Ucha 2010). Youth unemployment according to
(Swanepoel&De Beer 2012) is responsible for poverty in the society and the inability
of the unemployed persons to pay for housing, food, medical care, education, and
other necessities of life. That as long as the unemployed youths live without
employment, earning financial benefit as one of the employment benefits would only
be a mirage and that would make their living miserable and unbearable. They
concluded by proposing for creation of employment opportunities and skills training
for the unemployed youths. (Ucha 2010) attributed the high rate of poverty in Nigeria
to number of factors, but the chief among them was youth unemployment that has
prevented Nigerian youths from having tangible sources of living. (Yoms 2013)
reported in his study about Nasarawa state that the high rate of youth unemployment
was the major factor responsible for poverty in the state. He identified high rate of
crimes, prostitution, and moral bankruptcy among youths in Nasarawa state as impacts
of youth unemployment. The impacts of youth unemployment on the individuals and
household include widespread of poverty manifest in the following dimension: it
increases proneness to malnutrition illness, depression, mental stress, and subsequent
loss of self-esteem and other self- destructive behaviors used as coping mechanism
e.g. excessive alcoholism, drug abuse. It limits educational opportunities for the
children and other members of the family, it limits the family to have access to good
8
accommodation and it can create tension and conflict in the family and society as
well. (Venatus&Agnes 2010).
In their work, (Gallie et al. 1994) reported that people’s psychosocial health
deteriorates when they move from employment to unemployment due to the negative
psychological impacts of unemployment. The negative impacts reported by these
researchers include; depression, anxiety, hopelessness, apathy, low self-esteem,
moodiness, inability to cope with problems and par suicide. In his work, (Kapuvari
2011) used a theory called restriction theory to explain the necessity of work to
mankind and that any crisis that may originate in the economic recession may not only
affect the society but the individuals as well. To him, unemployment is a permanent
stress situation that needs the unemployed to adopt as already he/she is in a frustrating
situation with the feelings of worthlessness and uncertainty.
According to (Schliek 2011), most generally stress is viewed as an ongoing

interactive process that takes place as people adjust physically and psychosocial to
their environment”. This is in relation to when one after being through with school has
no job and that adapting to the unemployed situation is a big change because the
unemployment situation has harmful impacts on the individuals.
Numerous research on psychosocial impacts of youth unemployment has been

consistent of a strong link between unemployment and psychosocial deterioration as
regard to decreased self-esteem, quality of life, increased stress, anxiety, depression,
and suicide. (Wanberg et al. 2012).
With the recent report of NBS (Ugwu 2017) reveals the youth unemployment
rate is at 61.6 %, while youth underemployment rate is 58.1 %. The same report
reveals Nigerian GDP for 2016 was by 0.36 % and 2016 youth unemployment rate
was at 42 %. In the same report, NBS reported of the UN’s observation on statistics
taken about Nigeria, that it is one of the poorest and unequal nations in the world
today. That it has over 80million of the population living below the poverty line. The
implication is that Nigerian unemployment grows geometrically as a scholar observed
in his work. According to (Ajufo 2013), almost five million of Nigerian youth are
9
yearly added to the already great number of unemployed youth in the labor market
without being sure of having placement either with public or private sectors.
1.3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
Based on the statement of the problem, the following research questions were
addressed:
• What are the psychosocial impacts of unemployed youth?
• How do the financial difficulties of the unemployed youths affect their

psychosocial dimension?
• What are the strategies used by unemployed youths in coping with their
psychosocial impacts of unemployment?
1.4 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The main purpose of this research work is to examine the psychosocial impacts of
youth unemployment in Nasarawa state, Nigeria.
1.5 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The study will seek to achieve the following objectives: -
• To explore the psychosocial impacts of unemployment among youths in

Nasarawa State, Nigeria.
• To explore psychosocial impacts of financial difficulties resulting from

unemployed youths in Nasarawa State, Nigeria.
• To identify strategies unemployed youths used to cope with unemployment

experience.
10
1.6 THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The study is significant for providing relevant information on the subject matter as
adding to the existing knowledge and literature, and the need to improve on Nigerian’s
higher education systems towards equipping the graduates for self-employment or
self-reliance as the best and possible solution to the unemployment problem in the
world and Nigeria as a nation. It would also be a sensitization document to graduates
and anybody accessing it on the paramount importance of going for vocational and
entrepreneurship development programs to enable them acquire relevant skills that
would make it easy for survival in a depressed economy. This document would serve
as a reference material to library users, particularly researchers that would want to
research in the related field. Findings of this research work would be helpful both to
the government and public policy makers about the planning they would be expected
to, to make Nigerian educational institutions relevance to the global and changing
environment. The research work is aimed at educating the public especially the youth,
the parents on the problems of unemployment and the way forward for a better
solution.
1.7 THE SCOPE OF STUDY
This study is targeted to examine the psychosocial impacts of unemployment among

youths in Nigeria. Out of the 36 States in Nigeria, Nasarawa state has been selected as
the scope of this study. The researcher limited his work to Nasarawa state due to its
national characters as the state has reasonable number of persons from all the states of
the nation residing in Nasarawa state, especially in Karu, Keffi, and Nasarawa Local
Government Areas. The growing unemployment rate among youths in Nasarawa state
and the ever-increasing criminal activities, particularly armed robbery is another
reason that prompted this. (Damulak 2015; Umaru et al.). Added to the above reason
is his desire for an earnest work to be done and coupled with his limited time and
resources.
11
1.8 DEFINITION OF CONCEPTS
1.8.1 Unemployment
Unemployment is a situation where a qualified person searched for a job, and is

available for one but couldn’t get one or was not successful. According to (Maclean
2002) unemployment refers to persons actively looking for jobs at the going wage.
That it does not include discouraged work-seekers who may not want to work at the
going wage but have given up searching as they feel the possibility of getting the
needed jobs is slim.(Abdullahi 2012) sees unemployment as a condition where healthy
persons between the ages of 18 and 60 of years live without employment though they
made efforts appropriately within a specified period and are ready for jobs but
couldn’t secure one.
In this study, unemployment is referred to a situation whereby a qualified person does

not have a permanent job doing for the period of 12 months.
1.8.2 Youth
Youths according to International Labor Organization (Elder 2010) are regarded as

agents of economic of a nation. The qualified and commencement age begins from the
15 years and above. The implication of this is that young persons or youths are
considered as from the 15 years of age and they are expected to be involved in the
economic activities of the nation (Esim et al. 1999). Uganda considers youths between
the ages of 12 and 30. Ghana, Kenya, and Tanzania considered youths as from the
ages of 15 years to 35 years, while South Africa regards youths between the ages of
14 and 35 (Mkandawire 2000). Young persons in Nigeria between the ages of 18 and
35 years are considered as youths according to its constitution (Akande 2014).
United Nations (UN) considers 15 and 24 ages as a youths. Though, youth is
perceived differently by different cultures and societies yet it is strongly accepted
youth is a period of transition from the depended childhood to adulthood (Curtain
2001)
12
Operationally, youth in this study is referred to all young persons that are
between the ages of 18 to 35 years old that are Nigerians and living within Nasarawa
state for the period of 3 to 5 years.
.Table 1.1 Meaning of youth: Global, Regional and local/ Nigeria
Levels Organization Age Category Reference

Global United Youth 15-24 United Nations
Nations/UNESCO/ILO
UN Habitat (Youth Fund) Youth: 15-32
UNICEF/WHO/UNFPA Adolescent: 10-19
Young People: 10- 24
UNICEF/Convention on Youth: 15-24
Rights of the Child Child: 0-18
Regional/ African African Youth Charter Youth: 15-35 African Union
Local/Nigerian Federal Republic of Youth: 18-35 National Youth Policy
Nigeria Youth: 18-30 NYSC Handbook
National Youth Service
Corps (NYSC)
Sources: (Ansell 2016; Arubayi 2015; Arubayi&Akobo 2018; Gough et al. 2013;
Ijeoma 2009; Raimi&Alao 2011)
1.8.3 Psychosocial Impacts of Unemployment
Psychosocial as a concept is refer to combination of psychological and social

behaviors. While psychosocial impacts could be referred to effects attributed to
environmental and biological factors on persons’ psychological and social aspects of
life. Some of these aspects of life are thoughts, feelings, or emotions, behaviors,
health, and well-being (Ahearn Jr 2000; De Zulueta 2007).
Psychosocial impacts of unemployment could be best described as

psychological and social disorders in any person and the society as a result of
unemployment. Examples of these are: depression, anxiety, and suicidal tendency,
crimes, decreased in mental health, low self-esteem, frustration, and difficulties in
relationships (Extremera&Rey 2016).
13
1.8.4 Coping Strategy
Coping strategy is the way or approach one adopted, used or employed to handle and
manage stressful situations in his/her attempt to earn a living. This could also be
regarded as the adaptive coping strategy that is regarded as the ideal, normal, and
proper way of relating and managing stressful experiences or situations in life. A good
example of this could be a situation whereby an unemployed youth may choose to go
for menial jobs just to keep life while hopefully waiting and searching for the desired
job instead of going into drugs or social related issues as coping strategy to
unemployment. In this, his/her psychological and well-being is both strengthen and
established that he/she could function and be reasonably resourceful when eventually
the individual is employed for the desired job (Amundson&Borgen 1987; Hammer
2000).
14
1.8.5 Conceptual Framework
The dominant issue of the study as shown by the diagram is youth unemployment with
particular emphasis on psychosocial impacts. The diagram as represented by the left
and right hand side rectangular boxes next to the box containing youth unemployment
are showing the unemployment effects on psychosocial and the financial difficulties
on psychosocial. In the unemployment effects on psychosocial there are three main
effects discovered from the investigation which are social, psychological and
economic. On the other hand, the financial difficulties also have three main
components namely social, psychological and societal feelings about the unemployed.
The unemployment impacts on the psychosocial and the financial difficulties

on psychosocial are moderated by coping strategies which is cushioning the effects of
15
the unemployment hardship on the part of the unemployed youths. The main coping
strategies discovered from the study are, Help from family and friends, skill
acquisition strategies, business strategies, divine intervention strategies and lastly
reliance on government strategies.
1.9 SUMMARY
In this chapter, background of the study was discussed, as relevant literature relating
to unemployment and its psychosocial impacts among youths were highlighted. A
brief review on unemployment was carefully stressed, beginning from the Western
world, then the emphasis was shifted to the Asian states, the Middle East, Africa, and
it concluded with Nigeria. Furthermore, statement of the research problem was
discussed, then followed with the discussion on research questions, objective, and the
purpose of the study. The chapter concluded with discussion on the scope of the study
and definition of the research concepts and conceptual framework of the study.
Chapter two focuses on the relevant literature review of the study.
16
CHAPTER II
LITERATURE REVIEW AND THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK
2.1 INTRODUCTION
This chapter begins with the concept of unemployment and its duration in Nigeria.
Definition of youth, its characteristics follows, Presentation of youth unemployment
scenario as obtained from different sources was orderly and carefully presented for
self-explanation and comprehension. Youth unemployment intervention follows with
the concept of psychosocial well-being and effects of unemployment, and the chapter
is concluded with the summary of literature review
2.2 CONCEPT OF UNEMPLOYMENT
The International labor organization (Brandolini et al. 2006) defines unemployment as

numbers of the economically active population who are without work but available for
and seeking work, including people who lost jobs and those who have voluntarily left
work In his own view, (Fajana 2000)considers unemployment to a situation where
people who are willing and capable of working are unable to find suitable paid
employment. He added that it is one of the macroeconomic problems which every
responsible government is expected to monitor and regulate or else it would lead to
poverty and social ills that are associated with welfare challenges.
According to (Manning 2001) a person is considered unemployed when he is

without a job or is not in any paid employment or self-employed. That such a fellow at
the period of reference is available for work that he might be seeking for. According
to the US Bureau of labor statistics (Statistics 2014), people are classified as
unemployed if they do not have a job, actively looking for work within the period and
17
are currently available for work. It added that such a fellow might be contacting
people, friends, relations, and different organizations on his aspiration for
employment. This contact could include submitting and filling out applications as well
attending series of interviews for employment as the case may be.
2.3 DURATION OF YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT
Nigeria youth unemployment is so chronic and pathetic as it increases yearly due to

the inability of the graduates to have placement in the civil service or private sectors.
According to Anthony et al (Agetue&Nnamdi 2011), yearly Nigerian institutions
produce thousands of youths, but almost all of them are jobless as there are no
vacancies for them. According to Ajufor (Ajufo 2013), almost five million of Nigerian
youths are yearly added to the already great number of unemployed youths in the
labor market without being sure of having placement either with public or private
sectors. With this ugly trend of youth unemployment in Nigeria, it makes its certainty
and the duration of this youth unemployment in Nigeria so pathetic and sad as some of
them are unemployed for ten years and above. According to Asaju (Asaju et al. 2014)
youth population over one-third of the world population particularly Africans are
presently looking for employment but are not successful, and some have given off the
search, while many are still under-employed and living below the $2 a day poverty
line.
According to (Okojie 2003), there are not adequate available and reliable
youth unemployment statistics for most of the African states that may determine the
duration of unemployment within the continent. However, it is indicated in the global
record of youth unemployment that Africa as a continent has the highest youth
unemployment figure (Chigunta 2002; Curtain 2001). She (Okojie 2003) added that
due to inadequate current and available youth unemployment statistics in most of the
African nations in which Nigeria is inclusive, it was absolutely difficult to properly
examine youth unemployment and determine its duration. She (Okojie 2003) cited an
effort made by International Labor Organization to examine African Labor Market for
2001, and how unsuccessful they were due to unavailable or inadequate data for
almost the entire continent of Africa.
18
Duration of unemployment according to (Kettunen 1997) is the length of

period measured to ascertain when an individual goes into unemployed and when
he/she eventually gets back to employment status. In other word, duration of
unemployment is regarded as the months, or the years one stayed without employment
and the time he or she happened to be employed again. This therefore means, duration
of unemployment for some individuals could either be short term or long term,
depending on the period.
Long term duration of unemployment according to (Kettunen 1997; Stankunas

et al. 2006), is that one that takes up to one year, that is twelve months. This therefore
means, short term duration of unemployment is the opposite of the long term duration
of unemployment. It could be between two months and six months, or less than this or
a little bit higher than this.
With the definition of long term duration of unemployment by (Kettunen

1997; Stankunas et al. 2006), it has given convincing guide on how to classify
Nigerian duration of youth unemployment. However, the report of these scholars
kilishi(Kilishi et al. 2014) on the pathetic and sorrowful nature of youth
unemployment in Nigeria may give more insight on the classification. Kilishi further
explained that the current unemployment rate at 54 percent and the figure of
unemployed estimated at 20.3 million persons, Nigeria has been doing very poorly in
terms of tackling the menace. The implication is that these millions of unemployed
youths have a dwindling probability of securing employment in the next five years
and are exposed to a miserable future.
Nigeria duration of youth unemployed based on the definition of (Kettunen

1997; Stankunas et al. 2006) and with the pathetic report of (Kilishi et al. 2014), it
could be best classified as long term. Though, staying without employment within a
year is being considered as long term duration of unemployment and Nigeria’s
situation could be categorized into it as its classification as the best option. But, with
the available record and statistics of youth unemployment in Nigeria, there are enough
evidence to proof to the entire world that Nigeria duration of unemployment has gone
beyond the stated definition of and beyond human imagination (Kettunen 1997;
19
Stankunas et al. 2006). Apart from the available statistics through scholars like (Asaju
et al. 2014) and others on youth unemployment that reported of the high rate and
pathetic nature of youth unemployment, the researcher’s field work experience with
the unemployed youths in Nigeria are more revealing on the gravity on this matter as
there are some youths that have been unemployed for about ten years, or more. See
the profile of the informants for details in chapter four of this thesis in the introductory
part.
2.4 CHARACTERISTICS OF YOUTH
Youth is being seen and defined differently by different societies of the world. The
United Nations considers ages between 15 and 24 as a youth, while Uganda considers
ages between 12 and 30 as a youth. Youth is best understood as a period of transition
from dependence childhood to adulthood (Hamilton et al. 2004). Tunji(Akande 2014)
sees Youth in Nigeria is regarded between the ages of 18 and 35 years.
The National Youth Policy Document of the federal republic of Nigeria

(Ajibola 2008) stipulates the characteristics of youth, that he/she must be a Nigerian
citizen between the ages of 18 and 35 years old, must have completed secondary
school education, tertiary education, or learning a trade, he is looking for employment
or already employed, he is leaving parental home because of marriage or being
independent (Chukwu 2013)
Youths according to (Emeh 2012) are young individuals that are ending their
childhood or adolescent age and that they are entering into the working period of life.
This definition seems to be considering the concept of youth provided by Nigeria
National Youth Development Policy, that youths are young persons between the ages
of 18 and 35 years. The implication of this is that young persons within these ages
must have been through with their tertiary education, or the related training
institutions, or craft schools. In the same vain, (Emeh 2012) sees this set of persons in
every society as very crucial for its development and stability as they constitute the
major population needed for development purpose. He added that with their prominent
and special role in the society, they must be carried along and make much investment
20
in them. The essence of this is to have them trained as future manpower, leaders in all
sectors of life for reasonable and for the desire development of the society.
In addition to required education and training that may equip the youths to
excel in their future leadership in the development of their society, (Damon 1999)
suggested that the said youths needed moral training too. According to him, this
would enable them to be ethical, objective, and upright in the discharge of their
responsibilities for speedy development of the entire society.
In a study conducted by (Damon 2004) on the society or community

relationship with the youths, it was reported of youths having rights and responsivities
in their society, and that they (youths) needed to know this for their benefits and
expectations of the society on them. He further explains that the both in the society are
partners in the business of developing their community or society. Damon’s view on
the relationship of the youths and their society supports that of (Emeh 2012)’s
ideology on youths, that youths ought to be carried along by their society through
training them as a sort of preparing them for future effective leadership in all sectors
of life, meaning these youths must be employed to affect their society
(Damon&Gregory 2002).
2.5 THEORY OF PSYCHOSOCIAL IMPACTS OF UNEMPLOYMENT
2.5.1 Frustration-Aggression Theory
This research adopts the Frustration-Aggression theory as propounded by Dollard and

his associate and cited by Breuer et al 2017. In their attempt to understand and explain
why people engage in violence and criminal tendencies in societal setups, (Dollard et
al. 1939) formulated a psychoanalytic theory of frustration-aggression in 1939 to
explain such and the relationship between the two words (Breuer et al 2017). In their
report, the existence of frustration always leads to aggression, and that frustration as a
psychological concept that could be referred to an external prompting condition
towards a goal or an interference with the occurrence of an instigated goal-response at
its appropriate period in the behavior sequence (Omadjohwoefe 2013). The
21
implication of the above is that aggression is always a result of frustration due to the
unattainable goal which could as well mean the manifestation of aggressive behavior
that always presumes the existence of frustration.
Frustration-Aggression theory, therefore, attempts to explain why violence and

crimes occur in society and assumes that the aforementioned are as a result of
anticipated ambition, reward, or benefit that may be reduced or delayed or denied
absolutely (Amsel 1992). The theory examines the psychological causes involving
frustration and aggression as the essential source of human capacity for violence,
crimes, and related problems among unemployed youths at societal levels.
In an attempt to explain the psychosocial impacts of unemployment in relation

to this theory of frustration-aggression, (Kapuvari 2011) argues that the reaction to job
loss or to unemployment might be best exhibited and explain through frustration-
aggression theory. According to him, employment does not only give financial
benefits to the employed persons but other benefits that enhance his/her development
in the psychosocial aspects that makes it possible to live a healthy and fulfilling life.
Few examples of such according to him are: The employed person enjoys social
interaction with his/her colleagues either in the work environments or outside their
offices. This could be done by sharing views and planning their future together as
some may be friends indeed, or they may support one another in their own unique
ways as the case may be. This privileged relationship reduces the tendency of being
lonely or isolated from people as the case with the unemployed persons. The
unemployed persons are denied of each of these and it could lead them to depression
and its related problems. Another thing the employed person enjoys is the respect
he/she enjoys through the employment position as it gives him/her social status and
recognition in the society he belongs (Olusegun Ajayi 2015).
The satisfaction that he/she enjoys from what he does as employment is a

major issue that keeps employed persons happy and satisfied in life. Indeed, having
employment or engaging in a profitable job doing to earn a living serves as a security
to one’s dear life. This could make him/her stable emotionally and psychologically,
and this is where the unemployed persons suffer most as they are afflicted by
22
depression that eventually leads them to frustration and other related problems. This is
what the economists consider as job satisfaction, that what one does gives him/her
satisfaction or fulfillment apart from the financial or economic benefits. Once one
becomes unemployed the financial benefits, the collective purpose being carry out
through the workplace, and social interaction with others would be stripped off
immediately. He is therefore affected in the psychosocial aspect of life and frustrated
due to the hopeless and uncertainty of life that he has found himself in (Clark 1998;
Kapuvari 2011).
This frustration-aggression theory therefore is chosen for this study and could
be used to link up with the persistence high rate of unemployment and crimes among
youths in Nigeria. A nation that produces thousands of university graduates yearly
without commensurate employment opportunities would be creating a fertile
atmosphere or environment for a feeling of frustration among the unemployed
youths.It is strongly believed that there is a feeling of joy and great expectation when
a student is about finishing from university or other higher institutions of learning.
This expectation gradually fades away and is replaced with the feeling of frustration
after some years of hopelessness as necessitated by unfruitful efforts made to secure
employment opportunity. When frustration prolongs and the feeling of denial of what
is expected (employment opportunity) tarries, there could be the earnest probability
that the unemployed persons may resort to unethical engagements, activities or means
to actualize their desired goals in the society (Jegede et al 2008). The high rate of
crimes and other psychosocial problems among Nigerian youths are a glaring
exhibition of frustration-aggression from the great number of the unemployed youths.
The implication of the above is that frustration-aggression theory could be most useful
in Nigeria context couple with a Nigerian’s adage that says ‘a hungry man is an angry
man’.
23
Figure 2.1 Diagram of Frustration –Aggression Theory
Source: Adapted from Johannes et al’s work (2017)
2.6 YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT SCENARIO
2.6.1 Youth Unemployment Trend
Table 2.1 showing youth unemployment scenario of Africa, Nigeria, and Nasarawa
state, for 2000---2015. Youth unemployment in Africa, Nigeria, and Nasarawa state is
pathetic as it increases yearly (Asaju, & Anyio,2014.) In 2000, youth unemployment
rate in Africa as a continent was at 12.4%, Nigeria as a nation was at 13.1%, while
Nasarawa state youth unemployment was at 9.8 % But between 2005 and 2015, youth
unemployment rate rose to 14.2% for Africa as a continent(Innocent 2014) Then for
Nigeria and Nasarawa state youth unemployment rate rose to 29.2% and 41.5%
respectively as seen on the table below.
Table 2.1 Current unemployment trends

2000 2005 2010 2015
Africa 12.4% 13.8% 14.0% 14.2%
Nigeria 13.1% 11.9% 21.4% 29.2%
Nasarawa 9.8% 13.3% 24.5% 41.5%
Source: World Bank, 2016, Nasarawa state Planning Commission Board, 2016
24
2.6.2 Youth Unemployment by Gender
Table 2 showing youth unemployment rate by gender. In 2005, youth male

unemployment rate was at 10.37%, while the female unemployment rate was at
14.65%in 2009, the male unemployment rate was at 23.50%, and the female rate was
at 24.30%. In 2016, the male unemployment rate was at 8.80%, and the female was at
12.30%.(Onah&Okwuosa 2016) With the available data, it shows the female
unemployment rate is higher than that of the male. This could be attributed to cultural
background, marital status and religion beliefs that may restrict women from going in
for some jobs.
Table 2.2 Unemployment by Gender

Year 2005 2009 2011 2016
(%) (%) (%) (%)
Male 10.37 23.50 - 8.80
Female 14.65 24.30 - 12.30
Source: NBS 2011&2016
Table 2.3 below showing the unemployment rate by level of education. In the
table, the secondary school leavers’ column is being seen with the highest
unemployment rate. The reason for this could be due to their desire to read further and
within the period of studies, they may be unemployed. The group that follows is the
one that has no education or training for any trade. They are considered as NEET,
which is Not in Employment, Education, and Training. They are unemployed because
they didn’t develop themselves educationally or learn a trade, therefore their services
are not needed either by public or private sectors.
Table 2.3 Youth Unemployment by Level of Education

Year 2005 2009 2011 2016
(%) (%) (%) (%)
No school / No training 11.52 20.10 22.10 10.60
Primary 7.83 14.80 21.50 7.30
Secondary 11.70 23.80 33.80 11.30
Tertiary 9.52 21.30 20.20 12.40
Source: NBS 2011&2016

25
Table 2.4 showing youth and criminal cases as part of the effects of youth
unemployment in Nasarawa state, Nigeria. In 2000, armed robbery/theft/stealing cases
alone in Nasarawa state were 27, it rose to 42 in 2005, then to 49 and 53 for 2010 and
2015(Anon 2016) respectively as recorded in the table below. The table has the same
for the entire country. The geometric increase of this criminality is due to the yearly
increase in the number of unemployed youth as Nigerian universities produce a great
number of youth yearly and there are no vacancies for their place either in the public
or private sectors.
Table 2.4 Youth and Number of Criminal Cases

Armed robbery/theft 2000 2005 2010 2015
Nigeria 146 241 252 291
Nasarawa state 27 42 49 53
Source: Nasarawa state Police Command, 2016.
2.7 YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT INTERVENTION PROGRAMS
With the glaring evidence and the alarming nature of unemployment in the society, the
past administrations in Nigeria including the military and democratic leaderships were
persuaded to introduce different intervention programs to address this scourge. During
the military dispensation, Operation Feed the Nation (OFN), Directorate of food, road
and rural infrastructure (DIFRRI) and Structural Adjustment Program (SAP) (Musa et
al. 2016) were introduced as intervention programs to address unemployment
epidermis in Nigeria. The programs were targeted at providing jobs for the
unemployed youth as well as promoting entrepreneurship through skill
acquisition.(Emeh 2012)
National Directorate of Employment (NDE) was instituted by then Head of

State, General Ibrahim Badamosi Babagida, in 1986 as another response to youth
unemployment in Nigeria. According (Ilori 2014), its objective was training and
equipping the unemployed youths in their fields of interest with the purpose of making
them self-employed or self-reliance through the acquired skills. This tool or weapon
(NDE) to curb youth unemployment has four major programs designed for the
unemployed youths. The essence was to enable the unemployed youths go in for the
26
programs of their interest and based of their capability. It was intentionally designed
and programmed that way so as to have the unemployed youths trained for all sectors
of the economy and for rapid development (Onimisi&Tinuola).
The four major programs designed for the purpose of equipping youths for
self-employment and self-reliance thus:
1. Agriculture/Rural Development Promotion Programs
2. Special Public Works Programs
3. Small Scale Enterprise Programs, and
4. Vocational Skills Development Programs (Amupitan 2011)
It was reported that in 2011, 76412 youths (male) were trained under the
scheme of entrepreneurship development program, while 60310 youths (female) had
training on the same scheme. In the same report, it was indicated that the
Entrepreneurship Development Program training was to expose the unemployed
youths to diverse artisan training skills and other business operation patterns. In a
similar report, it indicated that 6888 unemployed graduates nationwide were trained in
2013 under the business scheme of Entrepreneurship Development Training scheme.
This according to the report was to expose the unemployed graduates to the rudiments
of business (Onimisi&Tinuola)
Another program that was instituted by Nigerian government under president

Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999 to fight against unemployment and poverty is National
Economic Empowerment and Development Strategies (NEEDS). According to (Musa
et al. 2016), fighting corruption in Nigerian society was a major objective and reason
for the establishment of NEEDS. This could be attributed to fact that corruption was
and is a major factor responsible for unemployment and poverty in Nigeria. Another
reason for the establishment of this program, is supporting and encouraging the
private sector for wealth creation and employment opportunities.
27
Its major emphasis was on creation of employment opportunities for the

unemployed youths, reduction of poverty among Nigerian citizens, encouragement
towards education for all in Nigerian society. To achieve and stabilize the mentioned
emphasis and intention, security and youth empowerment participation was an added
emphasis of the program. With the burning zeal and eagerness to achieve the
program’s objective, NEEDS had not only branches in the 36 states of the nation, but
had their offices in the 774 local governments of the countries (Marcellus 2009).
2.8 OVERVIEW OF IMPACTS OF UNEMPLOYMENT.
The benefit of employment according (Stamm 2006) is that apart from the economic
benefits, employment helps in the well-being of the individual as a result of the daily
engagement that keeps the mind busy and focused on the job. This keeps him/her from
being isolated, depressed and frustrated. Employment also gives the individual social
identity and recognition in the society. Employment, in all the societies of the world is
the best tool for integration and socialization of youths to the society as it gives them a
sense of belonging, value, and responsibility as leaders of tomorrow. This well-being
or psychological well-being could be regarded as a situation of one being in a stable
health, or he/she is alright with the environment and full of peace of mind. This well-
being has much to do with one’s feelings, daily engagements and his experiences and
emotions (Mckee-Ryan et al. 2005) This psychological well-being is maintain as the
individual is employed and enjoys the latent benefits of employment as Jahoda
reported that apart from the financial or manifest benefits of employment, the
employed people enjoy the privilege of contributing to a higher collective purpose in
the society, the employment widens their social networks beyond their families as
they relate and keep friendship with colleagues. She concluded that employment is an
important means for mental health and satisfaction in our contemporary
society.(Creed&Macintyre 2001).
It is this mental health that is afflicted with when an individual goes through
the frustrating experience of unemployment. In their reaction to the psychological
impacts of unemployment, (Feather 2012) is of the view that unemployment is
responsible for the deprivation of employment benefits as it brings to its victims’
28
negative effects. In the studies conducted on the negative impact of unemployment on

mental health by Feather et al (O'brien&Feather 1990) reported the unemployed youth
had poor health or health problems compared to those ones employed. The
unemployed all had a high level of depression, a high level of cognitive distortions,
and higher suicide tendency. In their article, psychosocial consequences of
unemployment, Deborah et al (Caliendo et al. 2015; Cobb‐Clark&Schurer 2013)
categorized the three domains\dimensions of overview impacts of unemployment as
follows: Individual impacts, family impacts, and societal impacts.
2.8.1 Individual Impacts
The individual unemployed youth are deprived of the benefits of employment as

stipulated by Fryer (Fryer 1986) and are left to face the harsh impact of
unemployment as it negatively affects their mental health, their psychosocial and
physical health as well. With the series of studies on the effects on the psychosocial
health, mental and physical health, it was reported unemployment has negative
impacts on the psychological health of the individuals (Creed et al 2000) The
unemployed youth are being imposed with uncertainty, worry, financial difficulties,
and relationship difficulties. With these numerous problems, their health deteriorates
daily and makes it almost impossible to be employed in the future when there might
be vacancies. The inability of the unemployed youths to have financial benefit
restricts their autonomy that is not easy to actualize and strategize lifestyle as a
requirement for development and maintaining one’s personal well-being (Strandh
2000). The negative psychosocial impacts of unemployment as reported by different
scholars and were presented to this present date are as follows: depression, anxiety,
low self-esteem, inability to cope with problems, alcoholism, suicide tendency,
hostility, anger, loneliness, despair, hypertension, reduction of life expectancy, drug
addiction, social isolation, poor health, and moodiness.(Conroy 2010)
2.8.2 Family Impacts
With the stressful and negative experience of unemployment, it leads to friction and
disharmony of the well-being of spouses, and that of children as well. In a research
29
conducted by Rook et al (Vinokur et al. 1996) reported men that had financial
difficulties due to unemployment were irritable, tense, and explosive both to their
wives and children. This, therefore, made the relationship to look like that one of the
cat and rat as the father is tense and could explode at the slightest provocation. Other
studies reported that due to the depressive nature of unemployment, mothers too that
were unemployed punished their children frequently at the slightest provocation as a
sort of display aggression and anger (Howe et al. 2004) The same scholars ( Howe et
al 2004) reported that unemployment affects the decisions that concern marriage and
divorce as well. That unemployed man that is single may not want to marry or those
ones that are married may choose to divorce due to the financial difficulty as he may
not be able to feed and raise up children or family. It was also discovered through the
studies that sexual intercourse among the unemployed couples was no longer a normal
issue due to the depressive and frustrating experience of unemployment that has taken
away joy and desire for it (Howe et al. 2004)
2.8.3 Society/Government Impacts
Impacts of unemployment go beyond the individuals and family as it extends to the

society or community where the unemployed life. In his studies on the impacts of
unemployment to the community, Wilson (Wilson 1996) reported unemployment has
negative impacts on its victims and their society with poverty and miseries as their
community is characterized with low quality of housing, low quality of life in term of
feeding, medical care and clothing. Few recreational activities as the unemployed
persons may not see its necessity due to their depressed, frustrated, and sorrowful
experience of unemployment. In their investigation of more effects of unemployment
to community, Van et al (Bolt et al. 1998) reported the difficulty the unemployed had
with their employed neighbors in social life and relationship as the employed ones
kept cold relationship with them and that created social stratification and it as well
created conflict and violence in the society as stipulated by Tumi .(Tumin 1985) The
life expectancy of the unemployed people was as well reported to be lower as they
have less medical care and inadequate feeding and other social amenities as supposed
for a normal human being. Researchers like Kapuscinski (Kapuscinski et al. 1998),
Christenson (Thornberry&Christenson 1984), and Iversen (Iversen et al. 1989)
30
reported increased rate in crime, suicide tendency and drug addiction in the society as
result of poverty and pressure due to unemployment.
Youth Unemployment
Society/ Government
Impacts. Individual Impacts
Family Impacts.
Figure 2.2 Overview Impacts of Youth Unemployment Diagram
The diagram describes or illustrates the overview impacts of youth

unemployment. Though unemployment affects all in a society as indicated by blue
arrows, but it begins with the individual unemployed persons as indicated by brown
arrows, then to the family and the society as a whole. It has a rotational tendency
because of its multiplier impacts as the health of the unemployed youth may
deteriorate to the extent that they may not be employable in future. The implication of
this is that economic activities would be distorted coupled with the social ills in the
society that may affect the governance of the society and this would result in
continuous unemployment in the society.
2.9 DIMENSIONS OF PSYCHOSOCIAL IMPACTS OF YOUTH

UNEMPLOYMENT.
In this section, psychosocial impacts of unemployment based on the literature are

outlined in on these dimensions: Physical/mental health, financial difficulties,
difficulties in relationship, and social vices.
31
2.9.1 Physical/Mental Health Problems
In their article, (Extremera&Rey 2016) regards youth unemployment as a period of

stress-related problems to the well-being and quality of life of the individuals such as
strong negative impacts on life satisfaction and happiness, depression, low levels of
self-esteem, and changes in physical complaints due to psychosocial afflictions as a
result of unemployment experience. In addition to that, it has been reported through a
study on psychosocial well-being that unemployed persons are not always happy and
they exhibit a great degree of mental distress and lower levels of life satisfaction than
the employed persons. The implication of this is that unemployment has a lot of
negative influence on the individuals’ well-being as the unemployed health is badly
affected as a result of inability to access the necessities of life and due to the frustrated
nature of unemployment (Wanberg 2012)
In his attempt to describe and explain the psychology of unemployment

(Winkelmann 2014) stated that it is the scarcities of things and situation of the
unemployed and worries that are associated with unemployment that influence them
negatively. Few examples of these scarcities as cited by the scholar are decreased in
social contacts, very little social recognition, less money for basic needs of life, less
structured day, less control of one’s life, and uncertainty about the future. The stated
scarcities could be regarded as the latent deprivation of employment benefits that
unemployed youth suffer from psychologically as stipulated in Jahoda theory of
deprivation, that once one is laid off from his/her employment the same is being
deprived of both the economic and the latent benefits of employment (Fryer 2013)
A German socio-economic panel conducted a study in 2012 to ascertain the

psychosocial affliction among youths as regard to their certainty about the future,
51.3% of the unemployed respondents had great worries as they were not certain
about their future financial and economic situation. With this situation, their well-
being was negatively affected (Winkelmann 2014)
In a study conducted by (Kieselbach&Traiser 2002) among young unemployed

people in Europe, it was reported the unemployed youths had a suicidal tendency,
32
addicted to alcohol, and cigarette consumption, mental health and psychosocial

difficulties that eventually led to a higher degree in depression and earnest poverty
and low quality of life. The study also reported work or employment plays an essential
role in the development process of youths among the European states, and its denial is
not only financial limitations and economic strains to them but leads them to juvenile
tendency and a hindrance to their development of becoming independent adults.
According to.(Mckee-Ryan et al. 2005) research conducted on individual

levels has been suggestive that unemployment has negative impacts on the
individual’s psychosocial and physical well-being. What the researchers listed as
negative effects include; hostility, depression, frustration, anger, guilt, worry, anxiety,
psychiatric disorder, suicide and changes in emotional stage of life or career
satisfaction, and physical. In their work,(Gallie et al. 1994) reported that people’s
psychosocial health deteriorates when they move from employment to unemployment
due to the negative psychosocial impacts of unemployment. The negative impacts
provided by these researchers include; depression, anxiety, hopelessness, apathy, low
self-esteem, moodiness, inability to cope with problems and par suicide. In his work,
(Kapuvari 2011) used a theory called restriction theory to explain the necessity of
work to mankind and that any crisis that may originate in the economic recession may
not only affect the society but the individuals as well. To him, unemployment is a
permanent stress situation that needs the unemployed to adopt as already he/she is in a
frustrating situation with the feelings of worthlessness and uncertainty.
According to (Schliek 2011), most generally stress is viewed as an ongoing

interactive process that takes place as people adjust physically and psychologically to
their environment. This is in relation to when one has lost his job and that adapting to
the unemployed situation is a big change because the unemployment situation has a
harmful impact on the individual well-being.
Michael (Borrero 1980) attempted to trace the psychosocial stages which

unemployed person experiences. That stage one comes with dismissal which causes a
feeling of injury, strong fear and distress, hatred, revenge, indignation and fury. Stage
two according to him comes to a stage of numbness and apathy that is gradual. Stage
33
three replaced by calming down and an increase in steadiness and brings the
unemployed to a relative balance. In this stage, he sees things differently than the way
he saw and felt at the initial stage of the unemployment experience. Studies conducted
on the relationship between youth unemployment and their mental health indicated
unemployment has negative impacts on the mental health of the youth and that
employment improves it (Feather 2012; O'brien&Feather 1990) Their more findings
revealed unemployed youth feel being marginalized and their lives were characterized
with sorrow, poor health, poorer subjective well-being, and lower self-esteem, a
higher level of depression, distress, anxiety, and anger.
2.9.2 Financial Difficulties
The unemployed individuals are usually not able to earn money to meet their financial
needs or responsibilities and the basic necessities of life. Across Nigeria, the growing
rank of people who are made homeless today arise from unemployment. (Fajana
2000) reported in the study he conducted youths’ unemployment leads to poverty, loss
of status, loss of prestige, loss of economic power due to inability to enjoy economic
benefits of employment as well-being afflicted psychologically as a result of the break
down in social contracts and isolation from the world of work.
The effect of unemployment on the individual and household include widespread of

poverty manifest in the different dimensions as it increases susceptibility to
malnutrition illness, mental stress, subsequent loss of self-esteem and other self-
destructive behaviors used as coping mechanism e.g. excessive alcoholism, drug, and
abuse. It limits educational opportunities for the children and other members of the
family. It limits the family to have access to good accommodation and health care
services and it creates tension and conflict in the family and society as well
(Aiyedogbon&Ohwofasa 2012)
In his reaction to Nigerian’s youth unemployment, (Stober 2015) described it

as an unfortunate and sympathetic situation as he felt the unemployed youths are
socio-economic liabilities to their parents, families, friends, and to the society as well
instead of contributing to the development of the nation. Through his study, it was
34
reported Nigerian unemployed youths have been afflicted with financial difficulties as
well the loss of output and psychosocial related problems as they experience
frustration, anger, mental disorder, unhappiness, depression, and poorer lifestyle. The
high rate of youth unemployment according to (Stober 2015) is worrisome as he felt
Boko Haram terrorist group, Kidnapping, Niger Delta Avengers, ethnic conflicts,
armed robbery, and political thuggery are all impacts of youth unemployment as the
unemployed youths are easily lured and recruited into these deadly diseases for just
very little money.
Table 2.5 2010 poverty level in Nigeria by zone

Zone Absolute poverty Relative poverty, Dollar per day.
North-Central 59.5 67.5 59.7
North-East 69.0 76.3 69.1
North-West 70.0 77,7 70.4
To be continued…
…continuation
South-East 58.7 67.0 59.2
South-South 55.9 63.8 56.1
South West 49.1 59.1 50.1
Source: Adopted from (Aiyedogbon&Ohwofasa 2012)
The above statistics shows the alarming and pervasive nature of poverty
among the Nigerians. With the above statistics, the Northern part of the nation has the
highest poverty level compare to the Southern part of the country. This could be
attributed to the high rate of youth unemployment in the nation due to number of
factors like the Boko Haram that almost crippled the economic activities in the
Northern part of the nation since its inception in 2009.
2.9.3 Difficulties in Relationship
According to (Conroy 2010) unemployment could affect an individual’s psychosocial

well-being as it leaves the individual with the feeling of worthlessness, lack of
identity, lack of motivation, feelings of embarrassment and feeling of emptiness. With
all these in the mind of an unemployed person, it leads him or her to depression and
frustration and as a result of such, he or she hardly relate well either to his family and
the entire society. Unemployment increases stress level as it has a damaging impact
35
and dangerous as the unemployed feels it or thinks about his unemployment frustrated
situation all the time and it increases his/her blood pressure. He added that reason for
this is that the unemployment situation imposes additional stressor such as
uncertainty, worry, financial and relationship difficulties. In his reaction to the
consequences of unemployment, (Artner 2014) is of the view that youths’
unemployment is indeed a problem that does not only affects the unemployed persons
but the families and the entire society. He added that with its characteristics of
idleness, depression and other psychosocial problems due to the frustrated nature of
unemployment, youths may likely go into vices like prostitution, drugs
addiction/abuse, alcohol consumption and other criminal engagements in the society.
He concluded that when these youths are being long in unemployment status it is a
threat to the development and stability of the society. (Fajana 2000) reported in the
study he conducted youths’ unemployment leads to poverty, loss of status, loss of
prestige, loss of economic power due to inability to enjoy economic benefits of
employment as well-being afflicted psychologically as a result of the break down in
social contracts and isolation from the world of work.
In a study conducted by some scholars, (Khan&Cheri 2016) it was reported

that blood pressure levels of unemployed persons were clearly higher than those that
had their jobs. This was because of humiliation and degradation which was the state of
the mind based on the experience of rejection and loss of human dignity and self-
worth. In a study by Khan, it was also reported that unemployment does not only
inflict its victims with heavy burdens but also those close to them as well or living
with them, especially the man and his family. His inability to provide for the family
may either frustrate the academics of the children or not having enough food for the
family and other necessities for the family. This may create friction in the family and
at the same time it may lead to disaster or crisis and divorce (Khan et al
2002)(Vinokur et al. 1996).
According to Kasl (Kasl&Cobb 1970), depression due to the unemployed

persons takes various forms with different persons. In some, depression manifests
itself in terms of discouragement, hopelessness, and distrust etc. while for others it
takes different forms. Other researchers are of the same view that unemployed persons
36
psychologically react differently based on the degree and gravity of their situations.
(Borrero 1980), based on his observations on the unemployed persons, they still
maintain personal pride, hope, and belief that things would change for better despite
their intense stressful feelings and frustration yet they relate to people with
difficulties.
In his work, Valerie (Moller 1991), stated that unemployed people manifest
habits in a variety of psychosocial and psycho-physical symptoms such as worry,
fatigue, lack of concentration, sleeplessness, restlessness, feeling of loneliness and
boredom among others. He also outlines the unemployed psychosocial negative
impacts as depression, anger, unable to concentrate, nervous, or tense, difficulty with
sleep, easily upset, and physically weak and that based on his investigation, the degree
of each of the effects mentioned was so high and terrible on the unemployed persons.
Watts (Wanberg et al. 1996) added that unemployment is associated with

stigma and negative status and this could be demonstrated or easily seen by the
unemployed persons as they intend to avoid being labeled as unemployed. According
to (Oniore et al. 2015), unemployment causes misery, social unrest, and hopelessness
among the unemployed. He attributed the ethnic and religious crisis in Nigeria to
unemployment. Some effects of unemployment include premature death,
poverty/hardship, malnutrition, diabetes and rural-urban migration and suicide
tendency. Youths feel being marginalized and their lives were characterized with
sorrow, poor health, poorer subjective well-being, and lower self-esteem, a higher
level of depression, distress, anxiety, and anger.
2.9.4 Social Vices
In his reaction to the impacts of unemployment among youths, (Idris 2016) expressed
his heartfelt approval that youth unemployment is a major factor that leads to
violence, criminal activities, willful involvement in political thuggery, and armed
robbery and other vices in most of the developing nations. According to him, that
healthy and qualified young persons living without employment are easily persuaded
into unethical ways of getting their needs met, and their being without employment is
37
a threat not only to the existing leadership but to the entire society and its
development. In the same review article, (Idris 2016) outline two issues to prove the
above hypothesis. First, that there was explosive growth in the youth population
globally, especially the third world nations. The population growth for the developing
states is not commensurate with the employment opportunities. The implication of this
was that birth control was not done or not seriously handled within the developing
states and as regards to an expected number of children they should have based on
their economies. Secondly, that unemployment has gone to a level that it is almost
impossible to be handled. That in 2014, the global youths’ unemployment rate was 13
percent, and the highest rates were within the Middle East and North Africa with 1
billion youth unemployed. Through this study, it was reported there was a number of
reports on Nigeria relating to youth unemployment and crimes. According to the
researcher, Nigerian youth unemployment in 2012 was 46.5 percent and the same
record revealed youths were greatly involvement in crimes. That in 2008, 92.5 percent
of convicted prisoners were all youths, between the ages of 16 and 35 years. The high
rate of crimes in Nigeria was attributed to the high rate of unemployment among
youth (Idris 2016)
2.9.5 Coping Strategies
In a study conducted in China (Altbeker et al. 2013) it was reported several

unemployed youths employed different coping strategies to manage their
unemployment experiences. As a result of this, they had a successful transition from
unemployment to employment status to the extent the stress they initially had reduced
drastically. Their positive posture and reaction to unemployment got them stabilized
psychologically and in their well-being as well as they were able to solved personal
problems themselves. This was possible because of the ideology of social integration
that was applied, whereby both the society, families, and friends of the unemployed
youths assisted, visited, and counseled appropriately and helped them (unemployed
youths) to go through unemployment experiences positively. The result was that the
unemployed youths had their well-being and psychological aspect of life stabilized.
According to Hammer (Hammer 2000), social integration is an organized network of
families, and friends whereby supports/assistance in all aspects of life were rendered
38
to the unemployed persons. This support/assistance could be spending time with the
unemployed persons to encourage them to be hopeful in life, providing them with the
necessities of life and counseling and advising them appropriately on how and what
they should do in relation to the unemployment experiences. This according to
(Hammer 2000) increased the unemployed persons’ ability to cope with life and that
this reduces mental health problem (psychological well-being) and may prevent them
from being depressed and frustrated.
The unemployed youths in South Africa attempted differently in coping with

their unemployment experiences. They equipped themselves with different training
skills apart from their initial educational qualifications, particularly the training skills
that were in demands by the employers of labor in their nation. With the new skills
acquired many unemployed youths were employed later (Altbeker et al. 2013).
Coping strategy of unemployment was also adopted by some reasonable

number of Nigerian unemployed youths. In a study conducted by (Oduwole 2016) he
reported that reasonable number of unemployed youths got themselves engaged in
essential activities and new skills training for self-employment while waiting and
searching for desired employment opportunities instead of doing nothing or to be
trapped into crimes and other related social ills. In their study, (Adegboyega et al.
2016) reported different coping strategies employed by some Nigerian unemployed
youths in relation to their unemployment experiences. That some went into buying
and selling with the hope to make little profits so as to earn a living. In doing this, they
go to village markets, buy goods needed in the town or cities and sale to city/town
dwellers a little bit higher so as to make reasonable profits. Others, according to
(Adegboyega et al. 2016) engaged themselves in any daily paid casual labor. In this,
the youths were seen gather in a central area of their communities waiting for
someone that may need their services for the day. Some of these casual engagements
are: fetching water, cutting of grasses, digging of wells, general cleaning, washing,
and ironing of clothes, cutting of firewood, etc.
39
2.9.6 Research Gap
There has been a substantial amount of research work on the psychosocial impacts of
youth unemployment in developed countries like USA, UK, and Australia. Some of
the authors are (Mckee-Ryan et al. 2005) From their research on the psychosocial
impacts of youth unemployment, their report has been that of stress-related which
included anxiety, depression, physical pains, frustration, low self-esteem, and suicide
tendency. The report also revealed there were strong links between unemployment and
psychosocial deterioration as regards to decreased self-esteem, quality of life,
decreased self-esteem, anxiety, depression, frustration, and suicide tendency. From
literature, it reveals there is no much work that has been done on the psychosocial
impacts of youth unemployment in Africa or it is under-studied, especially in Nigeria.
But a lot have been done by numerous scholars (Asaju et al. 2014) on the economic,
social, and political impacts of youth unemployment. In Nasarawa state, there is no
single research work done on the psychosocial impacts of youth unemployment and it
is the reason for this research. The findings from this study would go a long way to
appropriately guide the unemployed youths on how to cope with unemployment
experiences and to propose to the policymakers and school administrators on what to
plan as solution to youth unemployment.
Table 2.6 Summary of literature review

S/N Author Year Psychosocial impacts
01 Etremera&Rey 2016 Depression, and low self-esteem,
02 Winkelman 2014 The decrease in social contacts, uncertainty about
the future, and little or no money.
03 Kieselbach&Traiser 2002 Addiction to drugs, suicidal tendency, depression,
and poverty.
04 Idris 2016 Violence, and criminal activities.
05 Conroy 2010 The feeling of worthlessness, stress, anxiety, and
financial difficulties.
06 Gallie et al 1994 Depression, anxiety, hopelessness, low self-esteem,
and moodiness.
07 Kapuvari 2011 Stress, worthlessness, and uncertainty.
08 Kasl&Cobb 1970 Depression and hopelessness.
09 Mckee-Ryan et al 2005 Hostility, depression, frustration, anger, worry,
guilt, anxiety, and suicidal tendency.
10 Moller 1991 Depression, anger, nervous/tense.
11 Oniore et al 2015 Misery, social unrest, hopelessness, hardship, and
suicidal tendency.
12 Stober 2015 Frustration, anger, mental disorder, depression,
unhappiness and poor life.
13 Hammer 2000 social integration
To be continued…
40
…continuation
14 Altbeker et al. 2013 different training skills
15 Adegboyega et al 2016 buying and selling, daily paid casual labor.
2.10 SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW
In this chapter, literature review on psychosocial impacts and coping strategies among
youths was presented. This included the overview impacts of unemployment, the gap
in literature, the psychosocial dimensions of unemployment, the intervention
measures, youth and their characteristics, and the duration of unemployment. Chapter
three focuses on the methodology, and the design of the study.
41
CHAPTER III
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 INTRODUCTION
This study investigated youth unemployment and psychosocial impacts and coping
strategies among youths in Nasarawa state, Nigeria. The chapter was designed and
presented a methodological approach in the study which is qualitative that had
discovered individuals’ experiences of youth unemployment primarily on
psychosocial perception and their coping strategies. The chapter presented the
research design semi-structured interview adopted for the study, the population of the
study, the study area, sample and sampling technique, data collection and data
analysis.
3.2 PHILOSOPHICAL ASSUMPTION
In research work generally, the methodology is chosen based on the nature of the
research questions and objectives. The aims and personal perceptions and beliefs
about the research topic also influence the choice of the methodology. The other
beliefs form is what is called paradigms that influence the entire research process.
Different paradigms are associated with diverse philosophical assumptions and other
methodological approaches. For instance, interpretivism is of the belief knowledge is
created as a man interacts with his environment or world. In this, they choose diverse
ways to understand processes, experiences, and their preferred methodology is
qualitative that includes induction and exploration.(Kakoudakis 2014)
With the growing interest in qualitative research for the past years, it is
accepted that qualitative research methodology is best used for social sciences,
especially management studies. This research reflects the phenomenological approach
42
to this social inquiry based on the nature of its research aims, questions, and
objectives. This approach has the advantage of probing for deeper insights into social
experiences and issues rather than examining at the periphery levels. It also has the
advantage of structural flexibility as it makes it easy and possible to adapt to any
available means a n the course of the research work.
In this research, it attempted to sense on the experiences of the unemployed

youths in Nasarawa state, Nigeria through a collection of data by using the semi-
structured interview as a tool for such (Bezabih 2014; Johnson 2002) The first thing
the researcher did in this study was to examined and investigated the psychosocial
impacts of unemployment among youths in Nasarawa state, Nigeria. Though a lot of
studies had been done on a similar topic and reported on the levels of anxiety,
depression, frustration, financial difficulties, stress, anger, health problems, etc. as
unemployment impacts on the unemployed youths. Some of these studies had
demonstrated that unemployed persons due to their unemployment status are made
lower socio-economic class and that they are likely going to have higher rates of
illness and premature deaths. This could be so due to their inability to adequately feed,
their inability to access proper medical care, and the psycholosocial problems and
frustrating experiences. (Willemse 2015)
Through a series of studies on the similar topic, it is being reported

distribution of income into a society determines the health pattern of the population.
The implication is that a society with high rates of unemployed persons is likely going
to be full of unhealthy and poor people as the majority of them due to their
unemployment status are economically backward and are deprived of employment
benefits.(Roberts&Clement 2007) Because this research is an empirical inquiry into
the lives of unemployed youths in Nasarawa state, Nigeria, it relies on their
experiences and observation of the unemployed youths. It is indeed a data-based
research through which its conclusion could be verified and be used by civil authority
about society for the development of a given society.
43
3.3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Some previous studies on youth unemployment and psychosocial impacts adopted

mixed method research design, which is both quantitative and qualitative methods.
Some of these researchers are (B et al. 2015; Gribble&Miller 2009) While others used
only qualitative and some of them are (Conroy 2010; Willemse 2015) based on the
nature of their studies and personal reasons. But this study adapted a qualitative
research methodology with an interpretive and phenomenological approach that gives
insight to the life experiences of the youths involved.
Phenomenological approach to qualitative research focuses on the common

experiences by all within a group, for instance frustration, depression, low of self-
esteem as result of unemployment. Its major goal is to provide the understanding and
describe experiences of phenomenon (Giorgi 2012). It uses interviews for its data
collection, and two major question being used are:
i. What have been your experiences on this?
ii. What situations have affected you?
Phenomenological approach to qualitative research according to (Giorgi 2012)

has its foundation from the work of Edmund Husserl, a 20th Century philosopher. It is
a research instrument that is based on philosophy and psychology that explains and
describes human experiences, feelings, and reactions on situations or phenomenon.
Researchers using this tool are interested in the life experiences of human beings.
Phenomenological approach to qualitative research according to

(Hopkins&Drummond 2015) could be defined as the investigation and description of
a situation or phenomenon. This type of research is carried out through in-depth or
semi-structured interviews of a small group or participants and usually 10 or less than
that. Its interviews are done with open-ended questions to allow participants or
informants to express themselves as much as possible, and it may also help the
researcher to come up with follow-up questions based on the answers given by the
participants (Giorgi 2012; Ness 2015)
44
By adopting qualitative research methodology, it is possible and easier to

encourage respondents on the right path of responding, and it allows participants to
express themselves with confidence. This, at the end of the data collection, becomes
precise and can lead to predictable outcomes(Cohen et al. 2013).
Qualitative research method has elements of flexibility. This is because it has

different ways of approaching issues, and it does not confine to a limited pattern of
data collection. Qualitative research design operates within a flexible structure
because it is based on observation and experiences. This then makes it possible for a
researcher to follow up with additional questions, unlike the quantitative that requires
a specific framework without deviation. Small sample sizes are used in qualitative
research design, and the projects embarked upon can be completed on time. This then
allows for faster results to be obtained so that the project can go on faster with
confidence. The qualitative research design is the only design that provides insights
into respondents’ perspectives which may render invisible by quantitative
methodology. Qualitative research method facilitates scrutinization or examination of
different topics if the relation of trust is developed between the researcher and the
respondents or participants. It is also strongly believed that many psychosocial issues
require the in-depth focus of qualitative research if they are to be addressed in a
meaningful and non-reductionist manner.
The first disadvantage with quantitative is that it does not always shade light
on the full complexity of human experiences or perception as qualitative does.
Quantitative research method can reveal issues to an extent but cannot always explore
why and how like qualitative. Quantitative research methodology may give a false
impression of homogeneity in a sample on youth unemployment and psychosocial
impacts.
Most of the studies on youths unemployment and its related impacts rely on
qualitative methodology and identified youth unemployment as a major factor
responsible for social ills and poorer health among youth(Adinkrah 2003). According
to (Campbell 2013) a lot of researchers adopted a qualitative research method to
ascertain the general impacts of youth unemployment. That it has the enablement or
45
ability to dig deeply in understanding the gravity or degree of psychosocial impacts in

individuals. (Pernice 1996) has a similar view, that qualitative method design assists
in getting more understanding and insight about how unemployed youths react to the
frustrated nature of unemployment.
3.4 DATA COLLECTION METHOD
Qualitative research design lays special emphasis on inductive reasoning as well

seeking to build theory from observation of the real world of the phenomena in their
natural context. This could be so because qualitative tends to provide adequate
descriptions of the experience of phenomena by presenting data for easy
understanding (Willemse 2015).The semi-structured interviews according to (Johnson
2002) is a technology design in qualitative methodology for data collection from
respondents through interview and observation. In this, the researcher objectively
poses or ask questions to the interviewer or participant to gain the adequate insight,
understanding, and feelings of the respondent. In semi-structured interviews are
conducted face to face for the best result, though phone interviews might be
entertained. Items used during the semi-structured interview are tape audio recorder
for recording every bit of interaction between the researcher and the participants. The
essence of this is to enable the researcher to get back to acquaint himself with the
details of the interview future use, especially during analysis of the said information or
data. The second thing that is also used during the interview is a notebook for note
taking, and the reasons are: It helps the researcher focus his attention on the
respondents as he would be expected to take down the details of the interview. It helps
to determine the contradictions from the respondents’ statements and that would help
the researcher to ask for clarifications. It helps the researcher to come up with follow-
up questions or probing him/her based on the participants’ responses. It also makes it
easy for a researcher to categorize data collected for easy analysis.
3.4.1 the Interview Procedure
According to (Guion et al. 2001) a researcher should always begin his interview by
expressing his gratitude to each participant for accepting to be interviewed. Then he
46
should go ahead to explain reasons and goal of the interview. He should seek for the
consent of the participant for the audio recording and reasons for such. How long to
keep an informant should be discussed as well.
Based on the above, the researcher applied same in his semi-structured

interview with the informants. However, he started by purposively sought for the
needed unemployed youths with consent forms where he explained his mission and
his expectations on each of them. There and then, those that accepted to be
interviewed consented through the consent forms and appointments were made based
on their conveniences. The researcher interviewed the informants based on their
individual appointments with the aid of an assistance that was employed to mainly
handle the audio recording, while the researcher took note, asked questions and
probed them as it was necessary. Interview lasted between 30 and 40 minutes for each
of the participant. As stated above, all the interviews were audiotaped and later were
transcribed.
Prior to this time as started above, the researcher started working on the
selection of the informants of this research with a preliminary observation of both the
unemployed youths and others within the study area. This was done purposely to have
a perfect picture how they people live and relate to each other in public places, and
social gatherings within the community. The researcher engaged in informal
discussions with some prominent personalities of the community like the Area leaders,
youth leaders, some police officers and handful number of unemployed youths. At the
course of the discussions the researcher made known his mission and intention of
conducting a research within their areas on unemployment among youth. The news of
conducting research within their areas was gladly acknowledged by all especially the
unemployed youths as they felt it was going to a forum where they may possibly
express their distress and frustrated situation, and could as well pray to Nigerian
government to assist in their hopeless situation.
The Area leaders referred the researcher to youth leaders in their respective
locations where he, the researcher was introduced to as a PhD student on research on
an issue very relevant to all unemployed youths and the entire community. The youth
47
leaders concluded their introduction as they pleaded and requested all for their
cooperation and willingness to work with the researcher for a better result. The
meeting indeed brought understanding between the people and the researcher. He, the
researcher therefore started building a rapport relationship immediately with some of
the people as almost the entire communities were happy and free with him as they
understood and appreciated his being around for such a noble assignment that might
present their predicament to government and the entire world for the needed solution.
3.4.2 Discoveries in the Study Area
In the researcher’s familiarization visits and meetings in the study areas, the
researcher made few discoveries about the areas and the unemployed youths. The first
discovery was that the sign of poverty and miserable living among the people was
glaringly manifested in their lives through their feeding, clothes, and sorrowful faces.
Due to the poverty level of the communities, business activities do not thrive as
expected. The second discovery was the great number of young persons who have
either completed their tertiary education or training colleges living without
employment. With the researcher’s interaction with some of them, it indicated that
they are in great pains due lack of necessities coupled with the fact that they don’t
have future based on their unemployment status. The sorrowful faces worn by
majority of the people could be attributed to their high rate of unemployment as
(Wilson 1996) reported that unemployment has negative impacts on its victims and
their society with poverty and miseries as their community is characterized with low
quality of housing, low quality of life in term of feeding, medical care and clothing.
3.4.3 Sampling Technique
When the researcher was through with his familiarization meetings, he therefore
began to apply the principle of purposive sampling in the selection of informants for
this research. A purposive sampling technique was therefore used or applied for this
study to identify and in the selection of participants for the study. According
(Moser&Korstjens 2018) purposive sampling is a deliberate act of selection of
participants or informants based on the research questions and based on the
48
researcher’s conviction that the said informants would give him/her the required and
best information or data needed for his/her research. In his justification for purposive
sampling, (Durrheim 1999) stated it is usually being used when one is looking for
particular types of participants that would represent a group and for a desired data and
result. (Palinkas et al. 2015) added that apart from the fact that purposive sampling is
a technique being used in qualitative research for identification of informants or
participants for best data needed for a study, that special attention ought be given for
the availability of the participants, their eagerness to participate as informants and the
capability of informants to be able to communicate and express themselves verbally
and objectively their experiences to the researcher. Many researchers like (Willemse
2015) adopted this in their qualitative research work for their desired data and results.
It is the same technique the researcher used for the selection of participants for this
study in Nasarawa state, Nigeria.
In view of the above justification and clarification on purposive sampling, the

researcher selected only unemployed youths that could provide information or data
needed on the psychosocial impact of unemployment. The inclusion criteria for the
selection are as follow:
i. The informants must be Nigerian citizens
ii. They must have lived in Nasarawa state for three years and above
iii. They must have been unemployed at least for one year and above
iv. They must between 18 and 35 years of age
v. They must be readily and enthusiastic to participate in the study
vi. They must have HND/BA/B.Ed/B.Sc and above as educational qualification
vii. They must sign and return consent form as acceptance to be interviewed
3.5 THE POPULATION OF THE STUDY
The targeted population of this study is all the unemployed youths in Nasarawa state,
Nigeria. These are young persons between the ages of 18 and 35 years of age who are
49
graduates with the minimum qualification of Higher National Diploma (HND) or have
finished their education and trainings through tertiary education and do not have jobs.
This includes those ones that were once employed but later lost their jobs (Osakwe
2013). According (Lee&Mather 2008), this set of people called unemployed are
young persons that don’t have work doing to earn a living, and that they are making
their best efforts in looking for employment opportunities as well being ready and
available for any employment opportunity. The defined group of young persons as
stated above are the targeted population of this study.
The essence of the selection of only graduates for this study, according to
(Adawo&Atan 2013) graduate unemployment among youths in Nigeria has been a
disturbing issue coupled with their involvement in social ills and criminal activities. In
a related report, (Chris 2015) reported in his study of the pathetic and degrading
nature of graduate unemployment in Nigeria. He attributed engagements of youths in
prostitution, armed robbery, kidnapping and other criminal activities to the high rate
of youth unemployment in Nigeria. Based on his study of graduate unemployment, it
was reported to be very high and that it keeps growing. He, (Chris 2015) therefore
regarded it as pathetic as he through his study discovered millions of graduates
scramble over advertisements for very limited number of slots for employment. In a
recent study conducted by (Auta 2019) on graduate unemployment, the scholar
confirms with the above scholars of the growing and disturbing nature of Nigerian
graduate unemployment. According to (Auta 2019), graduate unemployment in
Nigeria is disturbing and burdensome especially that the unemployed graduates are
persuaded by their frustrated situation to engage in crimes and unethical manners as
ways of earning their living.
It is this persistence nature of graduate unemployment and their engagements

in social vices that prompted the researcher into the selection of only graduates who
are unemployed for this study. The table below with few years of statistics of
unemployment in Nigeria explains and gives clearer understanding on the gravity and
the growing nature of graduate unemployment in Nigeria.
50
Table 3.1 Unemployment rates across education groups in Nigeria 2010-2018

Year 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Never 4.3 6.7 11.3 9.8 7.9 9.2 13.5 16.9 21.1
Attended
Below 5.6 6.9 8.3 5.6 14.7 17.3 20.1 24.8
Primary
Primary 5.2 5.4 7.6 6.8 5.4 6.3 9.4 12.9 19.8
Secondary 5.6 6.6 10.8 11.0 8.6 9.7 12.1 16.9 21.4
Post- 5.3 4.4 13.2 12.4 9.4 10.6 21.1 25.4 30.8
Secondary
Source: (Aminu 2019)
The above table is showing Nigeria youth unemployment rate by level of

education between 2010 and 2018. With the presented data, it shows youth
unemployment for all levels of education and the never attended school in Nigeria
progresses. But the most disturbing one is graduate/post- secondary educational level
that has 30.8 % in 2018 as the highest of all the levels of youth unemployment. The
main factor responsible for the progressive high rate of youth unemployment in
Nigeria is the moral bankruptcy in leadership and corruption among the public office
holders.
3.6 SAMPLE SIZE
In a sample size for purposive interviews in qualitative research design, there is no

prescribed description or strong laid down guide on how saturation might be
determined. However, (Nixon&Wild 2008) are of the view that data saturation could
be achieved within 10 individual interviews or fewer than that as long as there are
homogeneous participants. (Creswell 2013) has the same view but with a lesser
number, that five to six samples could serve during a case study approach as long as
the samples are homogeneous. Terre and his associate (Blanche et al. 2006) are of the
view that interview could only stop at the saturation level.
3.7 DATA ANALYSIS
Thematic analysis was selected and used for the analysis of this study. It is an analysis
whereby the researcher after his data collection through interviews with the
participants, he grouped the data collected into themes and examines them carefully to
51
be sure they are grouped appropriately to be accounted for and for comparison.
According to (Lacey&Luff 2001) qualitative data analysis goes through the following
stages:
• Transcription of tape-recorded material
• Organization and indexing of data for easy retrieval and identification.
• Familiarization with the data through review, reading, listening, etc.
• Coding may be regarded as indexing.
• Identification of themes.
They, (Lacey&Luff 2001) concluded that when the above steps are carefully
followed, the main themes serve as guide to the researcher for final analytical work
The above steps are the steps the researcher immersed himself with in the
analysis of the data of this research. This aspect helped the researcher where he
categorized and compared data to help in the development of theoretical concepts. The
approach in data analysis helped to necessitate the exploration on how the participants
exhibited language to share their experiences. This came to a climax through a
systematic process of reading interview scripts to identify themes and exploring the
themes identified to get adequate understanding of the participants’ experiences
(Grimmer&Stewart 2013)
Coding could be the next step. In this, the researcher would be expected mark
different sections of the data as they are related to each to other in themes. This aspect
makes it easier to categorize data and to compare participants’ responses across the
board. The next step could be the elaboration and comparization of sections of text
that appears to belong together. In this stage, it is expected that extras would be
grouped to form single theme differently or new themes as the case may be. The next
stage would be an interpretation of which the section may be brought to conclusion.
52
3.8 RESEARCH ETHICS
This study deals with adults as the participants as recognized by the Nigerian
constitution. In respect of this, their consent was sought appropriately to have their
willingness and personal commitment to this study. In order to win the participants’
confidence and gain them to interesting share their experiences objectively and
absolutely even the morally wrong aspects of their lives, the researcher intends built a
rapport relationship with each of the participants. The researcher did promise them
that all they would disclose to him at the course of the interview would be kept secret
and their real names would not be quoted or disclosed to the public. Apart from this,
the researcher would also promised them never to reveal their identity when the thesis
would be published and that audio recorder during the interview would be stored in an
inaccessible to anybody except the researcher.
A consent form was prepared in view of the above for the participants. The
form pleaded for their voluntary enrollment and participation of the research work.
The interested persons were required to write their names and sign the form to be used
as participants for this research work. (See Appendix B)
3.9 THE CREDIBILITY OF THIS RESEARCH WORK
The validity of this research work could be verified and tested through the extended
engagement of the field work, and methodological triangulation. This would be done
based on qualitative study and special attention would be drawn to transparency,
subjectivity, and reflexity. The analytic process would be precisely articulated so as to
become as clear as possible on how research data would be transformed into results.
The above would show the researcher’s reliability, and the application of purposive
sampling that could add to the possibility of the results’ transferability(Teddlie&Yu
2007)
53
3.10 STUDY AREA
3.10.1 Brief History of Nasarawa State
Nasarawa as a state now, was part of Plateau state that was called Lower Plateau state
before its creation in October 1996, and this was during military administration under
General Sani Abacha. It was political feelings and marginalization that brought about
the agitation for the state. The then Lower Plateau felt being suppressed and
downgraded by the Upper Plateau then and so agitated for liberation and to have their
state with the expectation to bring about development to their own region at their best
way (Yaro&Ebuga 2013).
At its creation, it had the ten local Government Areas of the Lower Plateau
state then. Later in 2003, additional three Local Government Areas were created and
that brought the total to thirteen LGAs, namely Akwanga, Awe, Doma, Karu, Keffi,
Lafia, Nasarawa/Eggon, Nasarawa, Keana, Kokona, Obi, Toto, and wamba
(Rukubaland 2011; Ugwu&Enna 2015)
3.10.2 Position and Population Growth of Nasarawa State
Nasarawa state is strategically located in the central part of Nigeria with its proximity
to Abuja the Federal Capital Territory. Its strategic position and with its proximity to
Abuja contributed to the fast population growth due to the influx of people from other
parts of the nation to the state. These people that came and settled in Nasarawa state
from other states are of four classifications, namely:
• civil servants working in Abuja,
• business people,
• unemployed young persons, and
• displaced people from the crisis areas especially from the far North.
54
The civil servants and business people choose to stay in Nasarawa state due to
its proximity to Abuja and the desire to have cheaper accommodations than the
exorbitant ones inside Abuja. The unemployed ones stay with their relations who are
either civil servants, business people, or friends to try their luck in seeking for
employment opportunities in Abuja or do menial jobs just to keep soul and body.
Those ones from the crisis areas choose to settle in Nasarawa state due to the
relatively nature of security and the friendly atmosphere of the state compared to
where they came from (Nossiter 2012; Yaro&Ebuga 2013)
The removal of the seat of power of Nigeria, the ECOWAS HQs, OPEC HQs,
and Federal Ministries from Lagos to Abuja between 1990s and early 2000s
contributed eminently to the influx of people to Nasarawa state, especially to Karu,
Keffi, and Nasarawa LGAs as these are the closest areas to Abuja. Another factor
responsible for the rapid growth of population in Nasarawa state was the demolition of
houses in Abuja between 2003 and 2005 by the federal government through the
minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT). That such houses were built contrary to
the master plan of Abuja as the Federal Capital, and that it was necessary for such
demolition so as to maintain the master plan as it was originally planned. Thousands
of persons in Abuja city became homeless as their structures were destroyed or were
affected. Few houses that were left untouched by demolition exercise, could not
accommodate the homeless people and it was very scanty number of people that could
afford to pay for the available ones as the demand for the very few accommodations
were so high and it raised the prizes so high too. The best option to numerous of such
persons was that they relocated to Karu, and Keffi, or Nasarawa LGAs in Nasrawa
state for cheaper and affordable accommodations (Damulak 2015).
Scholars like Umaru and his associates in 2017 reported in their study that
Karu Local Government Area, Nasarawa state was one of the speedy developing
metropolis urban center in the world due to the influx of people annually (Umaru et
al.)
55
The lower Plateau state as it was called then had a population of 1.2 million in
1991, but due to the influx of people in 2005 the population went above 2 million and
subsequently shut up to 3.1 million in 2008 (Rikko&Wapwera 2016)
3.10.3 The Ethnic Groups, Their Traditions and Religions
The state has many ethnic groups with their diverse traditions and religions. The most
pronounced among them are the Eggon, Mada, Alago, Gbagyi, Gwandara, Migili, Tiv,
Hausa/Fulani, Agatu, Egbira, Rindire, and many more. They share similarities in their
cultures and traditions, especially in marriage, birth and naming ceremonies. Their
three major religions are Christianity, Islam, and African Tradition Religion’ though
they differ a little bit in their cultures, traditions and religions, but they maintain
peaceful relationship among themselves to the extent that they marry themselves.
They are indeed lovers of people especially their visitors or strangers. It is one of these
attributes about the people of Nasarawa state that attracts the influx of people from
other states to their state (Salau et al. 2012; Ugwu&Enna 2015)
3.10.4 The Reasons for the Selection of Nasarawa State for the Study
Nasarawa state is proposed for this study for these following reasons:
One, it has national characters as stated above (3.12.2) as having reasonable

number of persons from other states living in Nasarawa state and working in Abuja
due to its proximity to Abuja the Federal Capital. Apart from the state housing
reasonable number of the civil servants working in Abuja, it does the same for other
business people having shops or businesses in Abuja. The unemployed youths as part
of the groups and as stated above are applicants from all over the nation who stay with
relations that are civil servants or business people as they do go to Abuja seeking for
employment opportunities (Damulak 2015; Umaru et al.)
The high rate of armed robbery, unemployment among youths and other
criminal activities within the state is the second reason for this choice. According to
Nasarawa state Police Command crimes record for 2015, the state recorded 53 cases
56
of armed robbery/theft. In a research conducted on armed robbery for 2016 in Nigeria,

Kunnuji and his associates reported of Nasarawa state having the highest armed
robbery cases in 2016. That the rate was alarming as it was with about 7 cases of
armed robbery per 100,000 persons. This according to the scholars, the high rate of
crimes especially armed robbery was attributed to Nasarawa state’s proximity to
Abuja (Kunnuji 2016).
The Daily Trust newspaper (Tochukwu saturday, December 10th, 2016.)

recorded the lamentation and distress situation of Keffi people due to the frequent
armed robbery cases and other criminal activities. According to the newspaper, armed
robbery like a viral disease and other crimes in Keffi Local Government Area and its
environments of Nasarawa state have increased, and because this occurrence is so
regular the residents due to fear of being killed are constrained to live in mass and
look for accommodation where their lives might be saved and secured. This ugly
situation according to the newspaper could be attributed to Nasarawa state’s proximity
to Abuja as the Federal Capital.
Nasarawa state like any other states in Nigeria is chosen for this study because
there is persistence and consistent growth of youth unemployment rate evidence from
statistical revelation particularly from 2011. The national unemployment rates for
Nigeria between 2002 and 2011 showed that the number of unemployed youths
constituted 31.1% in 2002.Such wide rate of unemployment was transmitted through
the various states’ unemployment rates (Aiyedogbon&Ohwofasa 2012). In the light of
the above therefore, Nasarawa State as one of the thirty-Six states in Nigeria shared
from the unemployment figure enumerated by the previous scholars as seen bellow.
Table 3.2 Youth unemployment rate by states in Nigeria: 2002-2011

State 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
Abia 14.8 11.4 9.7 7.9 13.5 10.9 14.5 14.5 15.5 11.2
Adamawa 12.9 11.9 16.7 21.4 17.9 11.9 29.4 29.4 31.4 18.4
A/Ibom 12.3 14.4 14.4 14.4 15.3 13.5 34.1 34.1 36.1 18.4
Anambra 6.6 9.1 9.5 9.8 10.8 11.8 16.8 16.8 17.8 12.2
Bauchi 10.4 20.5 25.1 29.7 23.9 7.3 37.2 37.2 39.2 41.4
Bayelsa 3.5 7.1 14.0 20.9 16.0 6.9 38.4 38.4 40.4 23.9
To be continued…
57
…continuation
Benue 8.2 4.8 11.7 18.6 10.8 67.4 8.5 8.5 9.5 14.2
Borno 6.4 0.8 3.6 6.3 5.8 7.8 27.7 27.7 29.7 29.1
C/River 7.9 12.0 11.5 11.1 16.9 11.8 14.3 14.3 15.3 18.2
Delta 14.9 17.1 10.8 4.5 13.8 18.9 18.4 18.4 20.8 27.2
Ebonye 2.8 16.7 11.8 7.0 10.9 11.5 12.0 12.0 13.0 23.1
Edo 4.8 3.1 6.5 9.9 8.6 5.1 12.2 12.2 13.0 23.1
Ekiti 17.5 8.2 7.9 7.5 8.7 15.6 20.6 20.6 22.6 12.1
Enugu 15.2 16.5 21.6 27.4 20.0 11.5 14.9 14.9 15.9 25.2
Gombe 13.4 7.6 15.2 22.8 15.6 10.5 32.1 32.1 34.1 38.7
Imo 19.9 22.1 19.3 16.5 21.5 7.6 20.8 20.8 22.8 35.9
Jigawa 6.1 20.5 19.8 19.1 21.6 17.4 26.5 26.5 28.5 35.9
Kaduna 8.4 19.6 15.9 12.1 14.1 5.9 11.6 11.6 12.6 30.3
Kano 12.8 25.9 22.5 19.1 19.4 12.7 27.6 27.6 29.6 21.3
Katsina 10.4 20.3 22.1 23.8 19.3 5.8 37.3 37.3 39.3 28.1
Kebbi 23.3 19.8 19.9 19.9 15.2 11.8 12.0 12.0 13.0 25.3
Kogi 19.9 14.9 11.8 8.7 12.5 16.5 19.0 19.0 21.0 14.4
Kwara 8.8 5.4 4.2 2.9 7.5 16.4 11.0 11.0 12.0 7.1
Lagos 8.0 25.6 16.1 6.5 15.5 10.2 19.5 19.5 20.5 8.3
Nasarawa 1.6 5.1 6.9 8.7 8.1 7.6 10.1 10.1 11.1 36.5
Niger 6.3 6.7 3.5 0.2 3.6 17.0 11.9 11.9 12.9 39.4
Ogun 19.2 1.3 1.9 2.5 2.3 3.9 8.5 8.5 9.5 22.9
Ondo 16.8 7.3 6.8 6.2 6.7 5.8 14.9 14.9 16.9 12.5
Osun 1.0 0.4 1.2 1.9 2.7 6.3 12.6 12.6 13.6 3.0
Oyo 7.0 0.8 3.1 5.3 4.3 6.5 14.9 14.9 15.9 8.9
Plateau 11.8 0.8 1.6 2.8 2.9 87 7.1 7.1 8.1 23.3
Rivers 6.6 15.4 11.2 7.0 25.0 4.7 27.9 27.9 27.9 25.5
Sokoto 4.1 4.9 4.5 4.1 6.4 12.1 22.4 22.4 22.4 17.9
Taraba 16.8 23.8 13.6 3.4 14.0 5.9 26.8 26.8 26.8 12.7
Yobe 15.0 12.1 10.7 8.0 13.6 19.9 27.3 27.3 29.3 35.6
Zamfara 46.4 71.5 61.3 51.1 50.8 12.8 13.3 13.3 14.3 42.6
FCT 14.4 5.3 5.9 6.5 16.4 16.4 21.5 21.5 23.5 21.1
Nigeria 12.6 14.8 13.4 11.9 13.7 14.6 19.7 19.7 21.5 23.9
Source:(Aiyedogbon&Ohwofasa 2012)
Table 3.1 as indicated above has the statistics of youth unemployment rates by
states. It shows the progressive nature of youth unemployment in Nigeria between
2002 and 2011. From the presented statistics, youth unemployment in Nigeria was
higher in Bauchi, Delta, Kano, Katsina, and Zamfara states between 2002 and 2010. In
2011 as indicated above, youth unemployment was more severe in Bauchi, Borno,
Edo, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Katsina, Nasarawa, Niger, Yobe, and Zamfara
states than other states of the nation. With a careful analysis of the statistics, it
indicated youth unemployment in Nigeria was growing up rapidly and predominantly
in the northern states which Nasarawa state is inclusive. This could be attributed to
58
insecurity and the deteriorated nature of infrastructures in Nigeria that led to the
migration of many business organizations to other nations between 2009 and 2016
(Chiazor&Udume 2017; Ruth et al. 2014)
Nasarawa state map, showing the 13 Local Government Areas.
Figure 3.1 Nigeria map with its 36 states including Abuja the Federal Capital City
59
3.10.5 Background Information of Informants
a. Umar Farok
Umar Farok, a thirty-five old young man has been living in Keffi, Nasarawa state for
the past twenty years. He has M Sc. as his highest educational certificate and taught at
the Diploma unit of of Nasrawa state Uninersity Keffi for about eight years before he
was fired in 2014. It was a decision taken by Nigeria University Commission (NUC)
that Nigerian Universities should stop running Diploma programs that affected him.
Since then he has been unemployed, and the only thing he does to earn little money to
keep life and to support family Is the computer business that he does. Umar is married
with three children, he doesn’t have support from his wife as she is not working and
the parents are only struggling to help three smaller children and to help themselves.
His only source of living is the computer business that he has and that at times it
doesn’t yield anything reasonably enough as he attributed it to the unstableness of
electricity power negatively affects the business and it keeps him from working and
drives away customers.
60
Umar looks sorrowful, depressed, and unhealthy. He admitted of being tempted or

lured into smuggling with some youths in Nigeria to make money. Though, he didn’t
tell of his involvement into other social vices, but his body language indicated his
involvements into other crimes purposely to make money and coupled with what he
said that unemployment dragged him to deviance behaviors. He regarded his
unemployment status as been very regrettable. He lives in a rented accommodation
with his family. However, as a Muslim he hopes in Allah to make things better in
future.
b. Edward Bello
Mr Edward appears to be very frustrated and aggressive with his unemployment

status, his body language and appearance indicated this. His ambition of getting
employment after university education became a mirage as employment opportunities
are not available. According to him, this is the basis of his disappointment in life, that
he had hoped to be employed after graduation from university. He has B Sc as highest
educational qualification, and he 34 years.
He has been in Keffi for more than twenty-two years, and is still single or
unmarried. He looks unhealthy and doesn’t have good clothes on him. He has been
unemployed for the past five years after his graduation from the university. He
testified life was completely difficulty and very unbearable, and due to the stressful
nature of unemployment, he attempted several times to commit suicide and it was his
Christian belief that restrained or prevented him.
He goes out daily to look for menial jobs to help himself feed, but that in most
cases getting the menial jobs to do was a problem too as the jobs were also scarce due
to Nigeria bad economic and coupled with the numerous unemployed youths
searching for such menial jobs. His inability of doing something to earn a living and to
assist his poor parents and younger ones disturbs him more, and more so that it is the
same poor parents still feeding and housing him.
61
His only support he receives is the meals his poor parents still give him, and at
times some friends and neighbors do the same. He would have married but couldn’t it
as he considered it a special issue that needs only people doing something to earn a
living and to support the lady. As a Christian, he is optimistic that God would turn
things to be better in future.
c. Anzaku Ombugu
Mr Anzaku is married with two children, and has been unemployed for the past six
years after his graduation from the university. He is thirty-five years old and has been
living in Keffi for the past thirty-five years. His wife is also unemployed, his parents
have passed away and he is the most senior in the family as he has two younger
brothers who are still schooling. His highest educational certificate or qualification is
B Sc.
He doesn’t have stable support though receives assistance from his in-laws and
some relations at times. He engages in farming manually to help in feeding his family,
he also goes out to look for any type of menial jobs to do just to keep life. He, his
immediate family and two brothers live in the same apartment as inheritance from the
deceased parents.
He did testified of attempted committing suicide severally but what sopped

him was the psychological trauma and pains his family may pass through, and coupled
with the teachings of the bible that condemns such. Both him and the family don’t
really look in their appearance and it confirms to what he said while sharing with me
the frustrated experiences of unemployment, that unemployed person is no longer a
normal human being. He looks very worry and disturbed.
Jummai Ali is 34 years old, has been unemployed for about ten years and she
is still single or not married. She has Higher National Diploma as her highest
educational qualification, and has been living in Keffi for the past four years. She was
looking very gloomy and it indeed was glaringly seen in her face, and she did
confessed she was not happy with her long duration of unemployment.
62
Her parents are death for the past twenty years and she has been assisted by a
relation since then. She now lives in a rented apartment alone, and goes out to do
menial jobs to keep life. Though she didn’t admit to be involved in social ills,
especially prostitution but her dressings her body language indicated such. She is
eager to have a man as a husband apart from longing to have a stable job. As a
Christian, she is hoping that God would change her situation for good.
Egbuku Awu is twenty-two years old young man, he has B Sc as his highest
educational qualification and has been unemployed for the past eight years after his
graduation from the university. He is married with a baby and the wife too is
unemployed and he has been in Keffi for the past seven years. He lives in a rented
apartment with his family, and engages in barbing business, farming manually and
other menial jobs to keep life.
His appearance looks poor in health, clothing, and he shared with it is due to
lack of necessities of life and the psychological trauma he passes through daily as
result of unemployment. He indeed is discouraged and it is glaringly seen on him and
in his attitude as he doesn’t seem to be positive in life any more.
He admitted of several attempts to commit suicide due his distresses in life but
his Christian belief restrained him. He doesn’t have relations that may support him
and his parents are poor as they find life extremely difficulty too.
Abdul Yusof is a young man, he is twenty-six years old, and he is still single
or yet to be married. He has been unemployed for the past five years after his
graduation from the university. He has been living in Keffi for the past seven years.
He has B Sc as his highest educational qualification and he is a Muslim.
Abdul engages in buying and selling recharge cards, and doing other menial
jobs to earn a living. Though, he buys and sales the recharge cards but his daily needs
are not always met as he said the business doesn’t yield profit and so gets more
frustrated.
63
Abdul still lives with his parents, and requests assistance from them whenever
he doesn’t have money to pay for something. He said in most cases his parents do not
grant him such requests and that actions like that disturbs him more. He truly looks
unhappy and calm. He doesn’t have friends as he said all his friends deserted from
him. He doesn’t have support apart the assistance at times receives from his poor
parents
Maria Alaku is 30 years old, single or not yet married, has been unemployed
for the past eleven years after her graduation from the university. She has B.Ed as her
highest educational qualification, and has been living in Keffi for the past fifteen
years. She lives with her parents and receives support from them and some neighbors.
She looks very dejected and shattered in life and admitted of several attempts
to commit suicide, and according to her it is her hope in God that things would turn to
be better in future. She admitted of being persuaded to go into crimes especially
prostitution so as make money.
She attempted few things in helping herself but they all turned up to frustrate
her the more due to the poor nature of Nigeria economy.
Bulama Aminu is thirty years old, he has been living in Keffi for the past
twenty years, and has B.Sc as his highest educational qualification. He has been
unemployed for the past five years after graduation from the university. He still lives
with his parents in the same apartment and receives assistance from them.
He looks frustrated and miserable and he did admitted of being frustrated and
depressed due to much thoughts and sleepless nights as a result of lack of necessities
and other issues. He admitted of his involvement in drugs but no other crimes like
armed robbery, however his body language testified to the fact that he could be
involved in other criminal activities as well.
He goes to work at a printing center as casual worker and does other menial
jobs to keep life.
64
Asheadzi Moaeggon is twenty-eight years old lady who is married and has a
two children. She is a Christian and has been two years unemployed after her
completion from the university. She has been living in Keffi for the past eight years
with her husband who is a business man.
Asheadzi admitted being very frustrated due her unemployment status and
coupled with the bad nature of business generally in Nigeria now due to insecurity that
led to bad economy in the country. Asheadzi does a casual work in a private
institution where she receives very little income at the end of a month.
Ruth Ogba is thirty years old, she is married with two children, and is
unemployed for the past four years after her graduation from the university. She has
been in Keffi for the past twent-eight years and she lives with her husband and their
two children in Keffi.
Ruth is dissatisfied with life as she shared that unemployment has crippled her
as she can’t fulfil her dreams. Her husband does his best to provide for the family but
his salary is too small that it doesn’t go round. Ruth engages in a private school as a
casual worker with little salary at end of a month.
Eliza Jasper is thirty-four years old, she has been unemployed for the past nine
years after her graduation from the university. She is married with two children and
her husband too is unemployed for several years. She is a Christian and lives with the
husband in Keffi.
Eliza regards unemployment status as hell or horrible, that is best

unemployment is to her. She and her family hardly feed and described her situation
very frustrated and sorrowful. She admitted of suicide attempts severally due
depression and frustration in life. She equally shared how she spends sleepless nights
due to much thoughts on how to get out of unemployment.
She hardly attends social gatherings due to societal perception on unemployed

persons. Her neighbors do not give her loan; she hardly buys new clothes. She
65
engages in buying and selling and other business to help the family. Her assistance
comes from relations and friends.
Esther Joel is twenty-eight years old, she is a Christian and has been
unemployed for the past years after her graduation from the university. She is married
to a young man that is unemployed as well and the both of them have been living in
Keffi for the past twenty years.
Her frustration in life is that she doesn’t wears and eats what she wants
because she doesn’t have the capacity to choose due to the crippleness of
unemployment. She indeed looks unhealthy, gloomy and unhappy. She is presently
learning a skill to start up a business. Her assistance come from relations, parents and
friends.
Ozigi Badu is thirty-five years old, he has been unemployed for the past three
years after graduation from the university. He is married with two children and they
have been living in Keffi for the past thirty years. He has worked in a company for
about seven years before leaving for university.
He admitted of suicide attempts several times as he feels things were not

working. His appearance looks bad in the aspects of health, and clothes. He admitted
of being both frustrated and depressed.
He doesn’t attend social gatherings because of societal perception about the

unemployed persons. He engages in menial jobs and business to earn some money just
keep life. He receives supports from relations, friends and old parents. He lives in a
small rented apartment.
Ewuga Ezhim is thirty-two years old, he has been unemployed for the past
nine years after his graduation from the university. He is a Christian, he is married
with two children and the wife is unemployed too, and they have been living in Keffi
for the past twenty years. He has B.Sc as his highest educational qualification.
66
He looks frustrated and admitted to it and shared it is as a result of lack of

necessities in life coupled with the nagging from his wife due to his inability to
adequately provide for the family. His wife and community don’t value him as he is
being seen not contributing to development of their land, and because of this he has
always been in conflicts with wife.
He started a business as a sort of managing the unemployment situation but

lacks the needed money to equip the shop, he goes out for menial jobs and works in a
school as a casual worker for very little income at the end of the month. As a
Christian, he is hoping in God to change situation for good in future. He and his
family are living in a small rented apartment, and hardly receive supports from
relations or from friends. He doesn’t attend social gatherings due to negative
perception of the community.
Ali Ombugadu is twenty-six years old, he is single and has been living in Keffi
for the past twenty-five years. He has B.Sc as his highest educational qualification and
still lives with his parents in a family house. He has been unemployed for the past two
years after his graduation from the university.
He admitted being frustrated, he shared how he feels bad about unemployment

situation as he stays at home most of the time doing nothing. He keeps away from
social gatherings due to the societal negative perception about unemployed fellows.
He engages in number of things doing to keep life like molding of blocks

manually, assisting in painting houses, going to do any other menial jobs in
construction sites.
Emma Alede is thirty-five years old, has been living in Keffi for the past years
and has been unemployed for the past five years. He is married with three children and
the wife is unemployed too, they all live in Keffi in a small rented apartment.
Emma admitted of several attempts to commit suicide due to his incapacitate

situation through the unemployment. He admitted of being into drugs due to
67
frustration, but his body language indicated he must have gone into other social ills as
well.
His appearance looks being shattered and sorrowful and he doesn’t look
healthy neither does him have good wears on him. He also admitted of having
conflicts with his wife for his inability of adequately providing for the family.
Emma engages in farming manually, and other menial jobs to keep life. He at
times receives assistance from friends and able relations. He hardly attends social
gatherings due to the societal negative perception.
Oluwawa Segun is twenty-nine years old, he is not married and has been
unemployed for the past five years. He has been living in Keffi for the past twenty-
three years and presently lives with his uncle who is married with four children in the
same apartment. He B.A as his highest educational qualification, and presently
engaged himself with an institution as a casual staff for very little payment at the end
of a month.
He looks discouraged and down trodden, and it is expressed in his words as he

shared with me his unemployment experience, that unemployment is devastating,
awful, and discouraging.
He admitted of having suicide thoughts as a way out of his distress situation,

but that it is Christian teachings that stopped him from attempting suicide. He doesn’t
attend social gatherings because of embarrassment or humiliation. Apart from the
casual work he does with an institution, he goes out to look for menial jobs to enhance
his income. His
Kanu Amadi is thirty-five years old and unemployed for the past five years, he
is married with three children, and the wife too is unemployed. They have been living
in Keffi for the past ten years in a rented apartment. Kanu has M.Sc as his highest
educational qualification.
68
Kanu was working in a company as a recruitment officer before it became

necessary that the workforce ought to be reduced because of Nigeria bad economy and
recession that set in, it was then his appointment was terminated in 2014 along with
others.
Kanu admitted of having conflicts with his family due to inadequate

necessities for the family as it was when he was working. He did confessed of his
inability to pay children fees and other bills most of the times. He looks tattered,
sorrowful and unhealthy.
Kanu engages in menial jobs to keep himself and family and does a part-time
work in an institution with little salary at the end of a month. He hardly receives
assistance from relations and friends due to Nigerian poor economy that affects almost
all in Nigeria. He is hoping as a Christian to have things changed for better in future.
Krene Gigya is thirty-four years old, has been unemployed for the past nine
years and has been living with his old parent in Keffi for more than thirty years. His
highest educational qualification is first degree, and he is still single or not married.
His definition of unemployment is terribleness, that unemployment has made

his life terrible. He indeed looks very miserable and disappointed, and admitted of
several attempts to commit suicide because of frustration and distresses in life. He
admitted of involvement of social ills, though he wasn’t to open.
He goes out for menial jobs to keep life, and receives little assistance from
relations and few friends.
Ikechukwu Obi is twenty-seven years old, he has been unemployed for the past
five years, and has been living in keffi in a small rented apartment for the past four
years. He is single or not yet married, and his highest educational qualification is first
degree.
69
Ikechukwu looks frustrated and disappointed, he testified to this as he shared

with me series of efforts he made to secure employment and all were fruitless. His
worry is that he is the first children, and that he is expected to be helping the poor
parents in the training of his younger ones.
As a computer student, he opened a computer business where he does few

things for customers and earn little income at the end of the day. But the instability of
electricity in Nigeria keeps him from jobs most of the times and he doesn’t have
money to buy a personal generator.
Ikechukwu at time receives very little assistance or support from friends apart
from the little income he makes from his business shop. As a Christian, he hopes that
God would change things for better in future.
Oluwa Sowore is thirty-four years old, he has been unemployed for the past six
years and he is married with two children. He was working with a company before his
appointment got terminated in ending of 2013 as a result of the company inability to
secure more contracts from Nigerian government. He has first degree in management
as his highest educational qualification, and has been living in Keffi for the past
fifteen years in a rented house with his family.
Mr. Oluwa looks depressed and worry and testified to this as he shared with
the researcher how he spends most of the times thinking how to secured another job or
how to raise some money to run business. His worry is that feeding his family has
been a problem and coupled with the problem with his old parents and younger ones
that he needs to be assisting. He attempted suicide several times as he feels he doesn’t
see reason of living since he could not help himself and his family and coupled with
the conflicts before him and the wife due to his inability to provide the necessities to
the family.
He at times receives assistance from his church members and some of his
former colleagues, and goes out daily to look for anything to do that can fetch him
70
money to feed his family. He dresses poorly and doesn’t look healthy in his
appearance.
Akun Ogbuu is twenty-eight years old, he is a single young man living in Keffi
for the past twenty years. He has B.Sc as his highest educational certificate, and has
been unemployed for the past five after his graduation from the university. He lives in
a family house with his poor parents with other siblings.
He looks very poorly in his appearance, and this includes his health and his
dressing. Frustration, disappointment and depression is a glaring issue on him. And he
did testified to this as he shared with the researcher that life completely was difficulty
with him and that he doesn’t know what to do again as he said he tried all he could do
humanly to secure job but all efforts failed. He admitted of attempted suicide several
times as he said he doesn’t see why he should live since he is not useful to himself
neither to humanity.
ze hardly gets assistance from his parents apart from food his parents provide
for him and his friends are also unemployed fellows and they are also leaning on
others for sustainer. He goes out to look for manual work to do just keep life, and
hoping that things may change for better.
Mariam Abimiku is a young lady that is thirty-one years old, she is married
with two children, though the man is employed and Mariam has been unemployed for
the past four years. He has Higher National Diploma as her highest educational
qualification. Mariam and her family has been living in a rented house at Keffi for the
past twenty years.
She appears to be gloomy and unsatisfied with life though she looks better in
her appearance. At the cause of sharing her unemployment experience with the
researcher, she could disclose why she looks gloomy and unfulfilled as she said she is
not comfortable as there are needs both for her and the family apart from their
extended families but she is not able to assist in any way. And that she feels she is
71
valueless in life, and that it disturbs her daily particularly that she is not able to
provide her own children with good clothes.
She sales few drinks to students in their area, but because electricity has not
been stable, it affects her business badly. The painful thing is that she doesn’t have
money to buy her personal generator to keep the business thriving. she s trusting God
to have things change for better in future. Her assistance comes only from her husband
and some relations.
Ashe Ewu is thirty-five years of age and has been unemployed for the past ten
years, she has been living in a small rented house in Keffi for the past fifteen years
and she is still in single. She has Higher National Diploma as her highest educational
qualification.
She looks depressed, frustrated and disappointed in life, though she appears to
look a little bit healthy and her dressing is presentable but she looks very sorrowful.
Her discussion with the researcher on her unemployment experience tells volumes of
her distress in life as she is greatly worry over the years without employment coupled
that she is not married. Her problem is compounded with the death of her parents as
she does not have any body to turn to for assistance. Though she didn’t admit of being
involved in evil like prostitution to earn her living but her body language tells it is
prostitution that keeps her and coupled with her type of life of style.
She is working as a casual worker in a hotel as a receptionist with very little

income at the end of the month. She doesn’t earn assistance from friends as all her
friends are unemployed persons. She goes out to look for anything doing that can
fetch money.
Ewuga Alaku is twenty-seven years old, he has been living with his parents in
their personal house for the past twenty years. He has B Sc as his highest educational
qualification, and has been unemployed for the past four years.
72
He looks very poorly in his dressing and in health, his appearance shows deep
frustration in life. He shared with the researcher how he attempted suicide several
times due to his frustration as a result to his unemployment status. He said his
inability to access the necessities of this life, and with the need of assisting his
younger ones disturbs him daily and it affects hi sleeps, and wishes he has a way out
of the painful situation of his.
His body language indicated he is involving in crime as a way outcome of his

unemployment status. He goes out daily to look for anything that may give him
money. He gets little assistance from his parents and from of his relations
3.11 SUMMARY
In this chapter, the methodological approach and research design of the study were
discussed in the chapter including reasons for their adoption. Other issues presented
and discussed are population of the study, sample technique, the study area, the
sample size of the study, semi-structure interview, data analysis, the research ethics
research credibility, and the background of informants.
CHAPTER IV
DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION
4.1 INTRODUCTION
Generally, this chapter is made up of two main sections. These included analysis and
findings of the thematic qualitative data collected from the field and the second
section is the discussions arising from the findings of the themes that was held with
the informants in Nasarawa State Nigeria. The analysis and the findings are presented
simultaneously. Below are the 15 informants of the study with their details.
Table 4.1 Socio-demographic profile of informants
No Name Age Sex Marital status Education State Religion Duration of Previous job
unemployment
1 Ismail Yakubu 35 years M Married Msc Oyo Islam 5 years Teaching
2 Jacob Samuel Namo 35 years M Single Bsc Nasarawa Christian 5 years Nill
3 Audu Friday Alahu 35 years M Married Bsc Nasarawa Christian 6 years Nill
4 Gloria Anthony 34 years F Single HND Akwa Ibom Christian 4 years Nill
5 Oguche Hassan Emma 32 years M Married Bsc Kogi Christian 7 years Nill
6 Isah Yahaya 26 years M Single Bsc Kogi Islam 5 years Nill
7 James A Bala 30 years M Single Bsc Nasarawa Christian 5 years Nill
8 Christiana Ayuba 35 years F Single Bsc Nasarawa Christian 11 years Nill
9 Okike Precious Chinon 28 years F Married Bsc Enugu Christian 1 year Nill
10 Blessing Alex 30 years F married Bsc Imo Christian 4 years Nill
11 Jacob Jabo Janet 34 years F Married Bsc Nasarawa Christian 3 years Nill
12 Rachael Ninji 28 years F Married Bsc Plateau Christian 2 years Nill
13 Samuel Obadiah Masara 35 years M Married Bsc Nasarawa Christian 3 years Company
work
14 Alpha Moni 32 years M Married Bsc Nasarawa Christian 9 years Nill
15 Isah Jerry Gyunne 26 years M Single Bsc Nasarawa Christian 2 years Nill
16 Gani A Ekpaku 35years M Married B.Sc Nasarawa Christian 5years Nill
17 Sunday Yoruba 29years M Single B.A Kwara Christian 5years Nill
18 Samuel Ozoekwe 35years M Married M.Sc Abia Christian 5years Company
19 Samuel Daniel 34years M Single B.Sc Nasarawa Christian 9years Nill
20 Kama Anthony I 27years M Single B.Sc Imo Christian 5years Nill
21 Erri Gbaku 35 years M Married B.Sc Lagos Christian 6years Company
22 Akure Yakubu Bulus 28 years M Single B.Sc Nasarawa state Christian 5years Nill
23 Adeoye Justina 31years F Married HND Ekiti Christian 4years Nill
24 Rosemary Allu 35years F Single HND Akwa-Ibom Christia 10years Nill
25 Reni Peter 27years M Single B.Sc Nasarawa state Christian 4years Nill
74
75
4.2 PSYCHOSOCIAL IMPACTS OF UNEMPLOYMENT AMONG YOUTHS IN

NASARAWA STATE, NIGERIA
The first objective of this study is to explore the psychosocial impacts of

unemployment among youths in Nasarawa State, Nigeria. As a result, during the semi-
structured interview, the informants provided information relating to the objective.
Consequent upon the information obtained from the informants in the field, the
following themes and sub-themes emerged under objective one.
4.2.1 A Horrible Sad Experience, War and Hell
Diagram 4.1 A horrible Sad Experience, War and Hell
The first theme under objective one is “a horrible, sad experience, war and hell. In this
theme, various informants described their live experiences of unemployment which
they found themselves in. Their live experiences shared before the researcher by the
informants were portrayed in different perspectives. These lives experiences of the
informants are hereby packaged in different sub-themes such as described below.
76
a. Horrible unemployment experience
The horribleness of unemployment experience is connected to the psychological

problems it afflicts the unemployed with due to scarcity of necessities of life. As the
source of livelihood is lost, the unemployed person is forced to a life style of
hopelessness as he is not sure of making a living neither how to provide for his family.
Situation like this leads to depression, frustration and the individual may opt for
suicide as the best option as his/her condition is terrible and frustrated. Horrible
situation could be likened to worst and unpleasant experiences in life. It is usually a
distress and hopeless situation that one may choose to commit suicide than to endure
the stressful experience. Unemployment as a stressor has similar characteristics
because it afflicts its victims with unbearable pains such as psychological, social, and
economic consequences. In my field work, almost the informants shared such bitter
experiences that could be best described as horrible.
Informant 001enumerated his ordeals of unemployment saying
So the experience I have gotten by my short period of being unemployed

before I get myself to be employed was so sad. As if the world has ended.
Having been receiving monthly stipends and I ceased to be receiving it, it’s
definitely affecting my life negatively. Ah it reduced my, it seriously reduced
my needs. And that it affected my livelihood, it wants to drag me to some kind
of deviance behaviors, like friends, some friends were trying to introduce me
to probably drug trafficking and some trying to introduce me to, ahmm ahmm
smuggling which is not part of me. I have to think back and to remember
where I come from.
Informant 013 too expresses his similar unpleasant and distressed

unemployment experience:
It has not been easy. I worked with an NGO, Christian faith based NGO
before, and at two thousand and ten (2010), I got admission to study
psychology in Nasarawa State University and so since I finished ahh my
77
course with Nasarawa State University, I have been unemployed till this
moment. And so coming from a working background to being a student and
being an applicant is not an easy thing. Ah before you know going to school, I
was working and earning some money then presently one is unemployed, you
are not earning any dime to meet ends, and so it’s not an easy thing which is as
if you are living from hand to mouth and then depending on one or two other
persons to give you help or assistance to give you help and so it’s not easy. So
that has been the experience.
Deducing from the view of Informants 001 & 013, the sad and hardest part of
their experiences as unemployed youths is that they were formally earning salary and
suddenly when they lost their jobs and found themselves as unemployed persons, the
earning stopped. Accordingly, the stoppage of the earnings negatively affected them
socially. In the course of this unemployment ordeals, nearly friends would have lured
informant 001 into drug trafficking and smuggling. However, he averted that as a
result of his rethinking of his decent family background where he hails from therefore,
he rejected the offer of being influenced by those social vices.
Informant 002 on the other hand also in narrating his unemployment ordeals
said that:
To be sincere, alright Hmmm. To be unemployed in this kind or part of the world we

came from was not an easy one. Alright. Honestly, every young man or a lady always
have the hope that going to school, after graduation you will like to live a very good
and a normal life. Alright. But in this our part, reverse is the case. After graduation,
your home, advertising that job here, job here, you know you keep on applying. Up to
the extent that at times even the money to go and apply on all these things at times it
wasn’t easy. It’s a problem. It’s even a problem. Ok. But we give God the glory. At
least we are still living and hoping that one day all this may come to pass.
In continuation of the narration of his ordeals, the informant further lamented

and regretted that:
78
Hmmmm honestly, like at times, your home, staying with your parents, your
kind ones, most of them are after they might have sent you to school hoping
one day after graduation you know, you will come and (to help) assist them.
Alright. But after the graduation you will find out that getting the work is not
easy at times
Informant 020 also narrated his horrible unemployment experience as stated

bellow:
Honestly unemployment is a very bad experience because I could remember

one certain time that my dad was desperately in need of help from me and of
which and he was actually sick of which I was supposed to take him to
hospital and with this unemployment experience that I have am not happy, at
this very moment honestly I felt like I should commit suicide because already I
am supposed, he has sent for me, he brought me up as a child and of which this
is the time I am supposed to help him but because of the financial difficulties,
because of the unemployment, I was unable to. I was unable to assist of which
with this experience, honestly at that very moment it made me as if I should
commit suicide. Secondly, my daughter when I gave birth to the first daughter
of mine, and she was sick of which I suppose to take her to the hospital. All I
could my efforts was rendered useless because there was no money and of
which I end up losing my daughter and with this experience I felt, I honestly I
should not live.
The reasons why unemployment is a horrible experience based on the

perception of the unemployed is on ground that every graduate irrespective of sex
while pursuing various educational programs have the hope of getting job on
completion. However, on graduation he discovered that reverse was the case because
he has put up several applications in different places and he is unable to secure job.
His main worries are that this ugly trend according to him is peculiar to this part of the
world. Consequently, the unemployed persons are left at the mercy of unemployment
and helplessness especially for failing to help those who are in need around him. Their
situation is pathetic as they have needs and assistance that needed to be rendered to
79
their beloved ones but their unemployment status rendered them useless and helpless
and the resultant effect is frustration as the informant 020 expressed it and wished he
have not remembered the death of his father and daughter due to his inability to
provide money for their medication.
In similar description, Informant 009 also lamented his going to study because
there is no job after graduation. The informant protested that:
Honestly it has not been easy. Alright. To be a graduate and you are doing
nothing, especially me that I am married, having children, you don’t have
anything to contribute as a mother, as a graduate to the family. Alright. It’s
very frustrating, it’s not good. Is a bad experience to, is a very bad situation to
experience. It’s not funny.
In a similar way informant 023 shared his frustrated and painful

unemployment:
When you unemployed, you are under paid, or you don’t get anything doing to
get small pay. You cannot meet up your personal finances, most especially
meeting up with your family responsibility because you cannot have enough to
budget for. You can’t meet up your personal finances, is not what you want to
eat you will eat, is not what you want to wear you will wear, you will trek
most of the times because you don’t have money even for transport. Even
when there is a television or newspaper advert for job, you may not even have
money to even photocopy your CV to advance not less money to travel and
meet up the requirement. These are some of the experiences of unemployment,
very painful and frustrating.
Informants 009 and 023 are all married young persons with children, have
their similar bitter side of the story to tell about unemployment situation they found
themselves. Their main point in their experience they shared is that unemployment is
very frustrating because they are unable to adequately contribute to family upkeep or
it may not be possible as in most cases the situation with unemployment. Summarily
80
they both of them said, the situation is frustrating, painful, not good and indeed, it is a
bad situation and very funny.
Similarly, Informant 011 (34 years) on the other hand also presented the
details of his own frustration meted out to him by unemployment.
The experience has been so bad. If I could or if I can use a better word for it,
it’s horrible, it’s hell. Well, well, but it has not been easy. The best way to
describe it is that it has been horrible or terrible Sir. In that sense it has been
horrible, in the sense that after spending your whole life in school, let me say
in the university, at least four (4) years your parents have tried their hard earn
money to see that you are a successful person and after spending four (4) good
years, coming out you don’t have anything to show for it especially in the term
of job. That’s alright. Instead of you to repay them back for trying to impact
good things on you, you don’t have anything to show rather you are still going
back to them asking them for money, ummm. It has not been easy Sir.
From the opinion of Informant 11, unemployment is horrible, it is a hellish

experience and not easy for him and those who are caught up with the unemployment.
The informant further stressed that unemployment is terrible. He spent the whole of
his life in the university which was at least four years, his parents are supposed to see
him to be a successful man in life but reverse was the case and he still depends on
them. In summary, he said life has not been easy with him.
Lastly, the opinion of informant 012 (also a female) on unemployment

situation is also very striking. Below is her live experience on the unemployment
situation which the informant is a victim.
For me being unemployed for two (2) years it hasn’t been easy for me.
Because as a child when I was growing up I was hoping that I will not
disappoint my parents, I will work hard, but the way I am seeing some peoples
staying at home, not doing anything, I said I must try. I must go to school and I
must have a better job and be able to assist my parents. But unfortunately after
81
spending four (4) years in the university studying B.Sc. Accounting, I was
thinking ok, as soon as I’ve graduated, the job will be there for me, but now
this is two (2) years unemployed. It hasn’t been easy for me because I was
unable to work, to support my family in so many aspects as a child or as a
daughter. Because they have to suffer to work, to send me to school so I am
trying to see that if, for me to pay them back, I need to have a job that will be
able to support them, support myself and also support my family, that’s my
husband.
The informant reflected back to her childhood days. In those days, she
purposed in her heart to go to school in order to study, finish and get a better job with
the sole aim of helping her parent. To her surprise and dismay, after graduating as a
B.Sc holder in Accounting she has stayed for two years without a job. She concluded
that the unemployment situation has a psychological problem of being helpless and
hopeless because of social pressures for my inability to fulfil their (aid family and
others) hopes and aspirations.
Extracting from the views of all the informants under the “horrible, sad
experience, war and hell” it is evident that their reasons for describing the
unemployment situation as such is due to the terrible predicament they found
themselves. As the views and the opinions of all the informants under this subtheme is
summed up, it is discovered that the informant major reason for painting the situation
in these forms is simply because some of them were working before they lost their
job, some are jobless since they graduated from school, and colleges. Another reason
is the social pressures and continual reliant on their families. Consequent upon these,
some of them could not on their own afford to have the three times basic meals, they
are getting less or no assistance from anyone. Others include inability to secure job
despite the numerous applications they have put up in different organizations, inability
to even have money to go out to look for the job anymore, continual dependent on
parents and relations is very frustrating and horrible because they are constituting a
problem to them since they cannot afford anything in terms of money to assist them in
up keep of the family and even helping the younger ones in their family and finally,
82
there are some jobless parents who cannot afford to provide even for their own
children.
In aligning these problems of unemployment discovered from the field work

with the previous literature relating to this study, it was discovered that such situation
is not peculiar to only Nigeria and Nasarawa State in particular but, it was noted that
unemployment brings about similar crisis in the life of the unemployed across the
world (Extremera&Rey 2016) orated that Spain was affected by economic crisis
which consequently led to recession and the recession produced joblessness and
unemployment especially in 2016 which Spain was hit and was rated as the country
with second highest number of unemployment in European Union after Greece.
Furthermore, it has been pointed out through studies that unemployment is
characterized by high risk to the unemployed in terms of deleterious health problems
(Mckee-Ryan et al. 2005; Paul&Moser 2009; Wanberg 2012).
In view of this therefore, issues that emanated from the primary investigation
in the field tend to agree with the existing studies even though, it is not completely
agree with the findings in the literature. For instance, the unemployed persons both
from the existing literature and from the primary data all had the experience of
scarcity of necessities of life. This was expressly indicated in the form of financial
difficulties as reported in the literature and emanated from the primary data.
Frustration is another experience the unemployed persons both from the literature and
from the primary data had. However, the major dissimilarities from the findings are
the high rate of suicide and harmful health cases as reported in the literature are not
indicated from the primary data as peculiar experience to the unemployed youths in
Nasarawa state, Nigeria.
b. Unemployment and Friends’ influence on social vices
Some of the informants while sharing their opinions with the researcher during the
course of the interview revealed that they were almost dragged or lured into engaging
in social vices such as smuggling, armed robbery, theft and others, however, some of
them testified that they did not really involved themselves despite the horrible
83
situation they found themselves. However, their body language indicated they are into
social vices as a way of earning a living, and the most likely among these vices are
prostitution, theft, armed robbery, and kidnapping.
Informant 001 says:
…it wana drag me to some kind of deviance behaviour like friends, some
friends were trying to introduce me to probably drug trafficking and some
trying to introduce me to, ahmmahmm smuggling which is not part of me.
Alright. I have to think back and to remember where I come from.
Informant 020 shared a similar of being influenced into crime related as thus:
Yes actually because of frustration, I was involved in some crimes because I

was very frustrated at that very moment that I am supposed to help my parents
I could not. I think at that time my friend and I could have resolved within us
to go into drinking, smoking so that at least it will calm me, I will not be
thinking of my unemployment experience, after my friends have later told me
that I should not commit suicide from that so I end up saying I could not do
that then the next thing to do is for me to find myself smoking Indian hemp
and so on.
Deducing from the view of Informants 001& 020, the sad and hardest part of
their experience as unemployed youths is that they were formally earning salary from
their previous employment and suddenly when they lost the job and found himself as
unemployed persons, the earning stopped. Accordingly, the stoppage of the earnings
negatively affected them. In the course of his unemployment ordeals, nearly, friends
would have lured them into drug trafficking and smuggling and other social vices they
could not specify. However, their body language indicated they are engaged in social
vices particularly as the both informants admitted of ever being into vices before now
as a result of pressures either from friends or for lack of necessities of life.
Similarly, informant 005 shared same view on this sub-theme as he says:

84
…Yes the psychological issue is that, ahm as it is now I don’t even you have
any believe in the government anymore. And it’s really draining me because
things like this can actually even push me or somebody to even committing a
crime. You know and because unemployment is even a very big eh eh eh issue.
Alright. In this country because it has actually compelled a lot of people to
committing crimes, you see a lot of our ladies now involving themselves in
harlotry.
Previous study supported this claim that in any country where unemployment
rate is so high there is the tendency of having various types of crimes among the
unemployed youths. One of the scholars who contributed to this line of argument is
(Adebayo 2013). He demonstrated that available data from previous studies has
authenticated the claim that in Nigeria there are rampant and visible unemployment
which has contributed to the presence of criminal activities such as kidnapping,
militancy, armed robbery, political thuggery and other social vices. Furthermore,
Adebayo argue that since the unemployed are poor, it leads to crime on the ground
that they are facing deprivation and acute sense of want. Consequentially, in his
(Adebayo 2013) submission, he further pointed out that the unemployed in Nigeria
face frustration, acute want, low self- esteem and deprivation.
In the light of the above, the findings from the field are in line with the
previous studies on the possibilities of the friends or unemployment situation
influencing some of the unemployed youths into some of the deviant behavior in the
global society and Nigeria in particular. Though, some of the informants have argued
that they are not involved in the crime as unemployed, it is the belief of this researcher
that some of them may have hide the truth from the researcher based on the body
language from the informants during the interview. However, it is to be noted that
since some of the informants accepted to have nearly been lured into crime it means
that they are likely to have been involved in one social vices or the other even though,
there is no adequate and substantial evidence to prove that. Therefore, we could have
said that partially some are involved in the crime due to unemployment while some
others may not.
85
In a related development, to further strengthen the support of previous

literatures for the finding of this subtheme, it has been acknowledged that it is
commonly noted that unemployment has positive correlation with crime because in
one direction, unemployment usually affects and breeds crime and this has been
widely supported by previous studies (Calvó-Armengol&Zenou 2003). In view of this
further prove, it is to be acknowledged that unemployment and crime are inseparable
because unemployment opposite affect crime meaning that if there is high
unemployment there is the high probability that crime will increase. Alternatively, it
could be pointed out that if an individual is unemployed he/she is likely to commit
crime. This of course is what was discovered from the field. The previous studies and
the present study are in line with each other, though, the proof from the field has a link
to particular set of youths in Nasarawa State Nigeria.
c. Loss of respect for the unemployed
Respect could be defined as admiration, loyal, honor and confident for someone due
to his/her contribution and positive influence in people’s lives or in a community. In
the case of an unemployed person, especially as a married man, his inability to
provide for his family as he was used to do before could be regarded as not being able
to impact his family positively. The wife and children due to lack of necessitates in the
family may find it difficult to honor the man as supposed. In situation like this, his
views, ideas, and instructions may not be taken serious anymore and this may afflict
him psychologically as his wife and members of his family do not longer honor and
obey or abide by his instructions.
In this sub-theme, as victim of unemployment, the informant shared his live

experience as unemployed youths in Nasarawa State of Nigeria in the following.
Informant 001 affirmed that:
unemployment as at then, unemployment reduces my respect from the family,

from the wife and neighbors. Because you are incapable of doing the needful
for the family.
86
Informant 024 narrated his similar life experience of unemployment based on

this subtheme:
It affected me a lot because there is no respect for me in the family, a lot of

things somebody needs to do with money but no money and it is a problem.
You know without money there is no respect, nobody will respect you. They
will look down at you because you don’t have money. There are so many
things that you think you would be expected to do but because you don’t have
the money and you don’t do that.
One of the disturbing challenges of the unemployed is the disrespect for them
according to Informant 001 & 024. The unemployed is not anybody as far as the
people are concerned. In fact, in the view of the informants, the unemployed face
disrespect from even family members including their wives and neighbors as well as
the entire community. The culture with Nigerian society is that if you do not have a
source of livelihood, or employment that generate income to you for a living, you may
be considered being unsuccessful and lazy as well. With this perception, once you are
unemployed you are being looked upon as no body or people look down on you as
informant 024 stated it his narration. So, to be unemployed in Nigeria, one must be
ready to suffer insults, psychological effects and social isolation as the society may
treat you in a manner that you may on your own may keep away from them or
associating with people especially social gatherings.
Informant 003 narrated his experience of unemployment as it affects his

relationship with his family and other due to his inability to provide for his family:
Well, with no regard, I must tell you the truth. No regard, with no regard
because just the way I say, when you have nothing to offer, people tend not to
regard you, wow, because even my neighbors, my neighbors, my friends, there
are some of my friends who are working, they are working, they feel you are
not working, even if they are in town sometimes, they may call some of our
friends to go to a place where they sit down, relax and enjoy themselves.
Alright, but they will not call you because you will not impact positively to
87
them because they look at you as a burden to them. Alright, going there you
may ask them of one or two naira so with that they look at you, you feel
inferior even going there you feel inferior because you cannot meet up to their
standards, wow. So sometimes you always feel is better you stay back at home,
stay on your own, think of how to better your life, than even going there to
make them feel a kind of ridicule you to zero.
Informant 003 stated how his people and community relate to him in a despise
manner or look down on him as a result of his unemployment status. With his
narration, his neighbors and friends wouldn’t want to have him in their association for
the fact that his incapacitated situation due to unemployment doesn’t allow him to
offer anything as others do. And so he is being ignored intentionally as they feel he is
nobody as far as they are concern, and that is why the informant stated that they don’t
regard him or have regard for him because he doesn’t have anything to offer.
Though, there is scanty literature on the lack of respect for the unemployed in
Nigeria as discovered from the informants. However, back up literature to support the
findings in this regard is taken from a study carried out in South Africa. It was
indicated by (Cloete 2015) that unemployment provides the link to poverty and in
view of that it has been proved that the poor people suffer disrespect and negativism
as well as psychological state because they suffer from lack of meaning and a purpose
in life and as result of that poor people lose their values and their belief in themselves
and the world no more hold (Daly&Delaney 2013).
The above research proved the justification that the unemployed in the society
especially the youths felt annihilated and as such they always feel that people don’t
want to respect them because they are not employed. This view though, may not be
true as they portray, one thing that is not doubtful is that they feel inferior among their
peers that are gainfully employed and as a result they prefer to stay away from the
employed. The findings from previous studies indeed proved that what was obtained
from the field is in line with previous studies though partially or not completely the
same since the backup study is from South Africa.
88
d. Irresponsible, a public nuisance and lazy People
One of the impacts of unemployment on the unemployed that emerged from the
interview as sub-theme is “irresponsible, nuisance and lazy People” Irresponsible is a
term that describes a man/woman that doesn’t or is not capable of handling his or
assigned duties or doing something meaningfully to help himself, the family, the
community or the entire society. Such fellows are considered to be irresponsible
human beings. The healthy and energetic youths who are unemployed in Nasarawa
state based on the field work and as discovered through the informants, the
unemployed youths are considered to be irresponsible by their community as they are
not seen doing something to help themselves, their families, and the entire society.
They are also being seen and considered as public nuisance. Which means, the being
of the unemployed youths in Nasarawa state is more of a problem to their families and
the society. The unemployed youths based on the field work, they are also regarded by
their society as lazy people. The implication of this could be that these unemployed
youths are not ambitious neither do they wish to make progress in life. It could also
mean, their nonchalant attitude towards success in life must have be the reason for
their unemployment as they may not wish to do something meaningfully to earn a
living and to contribute their quota to the development of their society. Therefore,
based on the field work in Nasarawa state, the informants are being blamed for the
unemployment status as they are being regarded as irresponsible, public nuisance, lazy
people or people that can’t do anything to better their lives. The painful thing is that
these unemployed youths are being look upon as parasites, and people that can’t
contribute meaningfully to the development of their society and themselves.
Informant 001.
I feel, I feel demoralize, because such gathering, you see people spending,
doing what will earn them respect and you will be sitting down idle. So I feel
demoralize.
From the view of the informant, he feels very demoralize as a result of his
inability to do something which he should have done if he is employed. He
complained that as a result when others are spending money and earning respect, as an
89
unemployed person you will only sit down and be watching since he is stranded
financially due to his unemployment status.
Similarly, Informant 011 shared his own lived experience of the effect of
unemployment on him in the following way.
They are looking at you, you have attained to a particular level in life, in your
education pursuit. Alright. And now you are just sitting down. You don’t have
anything to offer. They will just feel as if you are a lazy person and some of
them, they will not even like to come to you. Especially those ones that have
this kind of labouring work, ehennn little skills. They will not want to come to
you. They will feel you are not even important. Wow. To the society because
you don’t have anything to offer to them.
Informant 022 too narrated his similar live experience of the effects of
unemployment:
Ah, the expectation of the society is quiet high because as a young man
especially at my age, requirement there are certain ah, there are certain ah
criteria for measuring one’s social status and attainment, and being gainfully
employed is one. So one, the youths that that has graduated for a quite some
time and lack something doing is definitely deeming, the society look at such a
person with a degradation and at times, they even despise you.
During the process of the interview, Informants 011 & 022 like informant 001
revealed that unemployment is very demoralizing in the sense that people look at you
as an educated person but apart from the fact that he has the certificate nothing else
because you are seen as a very lazy person and more importantly people will shun you
and they will not even want to come to you since they knew that you cannot deliver
anything good. In fact, according to the informants, the unemployed are treated with
disdain and the implication is that unemployed youths based on this study are not
valued by the society and even some family members, ant that is why they are seen as
nuisance, lazy and irresponsible human beings.
90
The revelation made by a previous study to support the findings from the field
for this study has demonstrated that there are many factors affecting the experience of
the unemployed which shows that the unemployed are affected by their surrounding
community, the broader society and the individuals has impact on the experiences of
the unemployment experience of the individual unemployed (Du Toit et al. 2018).
From the previous studies that is reviewed, it is evidential that even in other countries
of the world, people tend to see the unemployed as irresponsible therefore, their
experience of unemployment is indeed influenced by their community and society.
Similarly, a study by (Blanchflower&Oswald 2013) has proved that the

unemployed are not lazy themselves but the only problem is that they could not find a
job to do even though, they are interested in doing the job and that their state of
unemployment is not chosen by them but they were drafted in by society, therefore, to
say that they are lazy is nothing but a shameful lie. Based on the proof by
(Blanchflower&Oswald 2013) unemployment is a mere unavoidable circumstance for
those who found themselves in it.
At variance with the previous study, the claim by the unemployed that people
regarded them as nuisance and lazy people may not be true based on the position of
previous studies. Though, it could be stated that people may see the unemployed as
people who could not contribute financially to anything, the perception by the
unemployed that they are lazy people is not supported by previous studies rather, the
predicament of the unemployed is blamed on the society.
e. Sleeplessness Nights and restless days almost transform to insanity
Various informants who are the youths in Nasarawa State Nigeria that were
interviewed while narrating their unemployment experience stated that the most
dangerous impact of the unemployment on the youths is excessive thinking about their
situation which almost made them run mad. Below are the views of the youths. Apart
from the fact that the unemployed are seen as a nuisance and lazy people, one impact
of unemployment on the unemployed youths is sleeplessness and restless days.
91
Informant 008 while presenting his own view said:
Something that makes you frustrated. Sometimes you will try as much as you
could, close your eyes and forget but it keeps on and on because (hmmm), so it
keeps you with no option because you stay awake at times and beginning to
think. How is the next day going to be, how the next phase of life is going to
be, a lot of things. It takes your own sleep at night, you don’t sleep
Similar to what informant 008 said, Informant 012 also opined that:
You wake up in the middle of the night, alright, sometimes I don’t sleep well.
You will not sleep middle of the night you will wake up and be thinking, how
is, when will all these problems going to end. Umm uhumm, when are we
going to be ok? Alright. So I don’t sleep well. Sometimes I hardly even sleep
four (4) hours. Hmmm and my eyes will be a kind of subconscious activities,
will just be going on with me. In your mind? And I might not know.
Sometimes you’ll see me I am going down, down. Just become like tiny one.
Uhmuhumm. Not that I am not eating, because I am not even eating well, and
the thinking is the one that is even affecting me most.
Informant 003 in his own view shared similar experience of sleeplessness:
Because a normal man, it is expected there are certain things you should do.
Just the way I am telling you I have responsibility. If I wake up in the morning
today, my child may be crying, he is hungry and you know children, they don’t
want to know whether you have or you don’t have. Alright, so long as you
have signed it for him to come to the world, you must provide for him and
when you cannot provide for him what do you do, you do feel frustrated, oh,
and because you feel frustrated all through the night you will be calculating,
instead of sleeping, your brain will be doing something different, you will be
thinking on how to get life better by the day. Alright, so these are some of the
challenges.
92
The similarities that emerged from the views of informant 003, 008 and 012 is
that of sleeplessness that they encounter as a result of their thinking particularly over
the uncertainties surrounding the next minute and days to come even if per adventure
they are able to eat well.
Though, no specific previous study that make highlight on the sleeplessness of

and restless days in relation to the worrisome situation of the unemployed, it could be
pointed out that what the informants are talking about is the stress and suffering they
are passing through due to unemployment problems. Therefore, other studies on
unemployment that reported about the general effects of unemployment could be used
as supporting claim from the literature. In view of this, it is posited by (Samiullal et
al. 1995) that most of the developing countries are facing high rate of unemployment
while it is a general problem in developed countries. The consequences of the
unemployment according to the previous studies include social evils, increase in
suicide tendencies among its victims, high poverty rates, also loss of job which
invariably affects the individual income and life style generally. Based on the
uncertainties surrounding the unemployed as revealed by the previous studies, it is
worthy to note that such situation will give the unemployed sleepless night and
restless days irrespective of how strong hearted the unemployed would be.
f. General hardship of life
One of the overall unanimous agreement on the part of most of the unemployed
youths that life is generally hard for them. Hardship is a term that describes
difficulties and suffering someone or a group of persons are passing through in life. In
most cases this could be due to deprivation of necessities of life as a result of one’s
inability to access them for different reasons. In this case, unemployed youths in
Nasarawa state are not able to access the necessities of life because they are
unemployed, and don’t have anything doing to earn a living. Few examples of these
basics necessities are food, shelter, clean water, and clothing. Based on the field work
of this study, almost the informants are passing through severe hardship as a result of
their inability to access the necessities of life due to their unemployment status.
93
The most striking comment is from Informant 012 as presented below:
It has not been easy. My husband is so, he is the man, and we have nothing
than to go out to look for what we will eat even though it’s just for one square
meal. But for me, haa, it has not been easy. I just feel somehow bad I don’t I
can’t contribute. He is the man, he has to go out even though he has to be
carrying blocks on site work lets have something on the table to eat. But for
me I can’t do such kind of work there are some work that is not meant for
women to do.
Similarly, informant 025 shared her disturbing unemployment experience as

thus:
Yes, most especially getting some little fund to like live some kind life. Eh,
expected life in terms of taking care of myself. Eh because I have family, I
have my younger ones, they will be looking up to me, at least their brother, or
the elder one have studied, have graduated from so university. At least they
will be expecting, expectation will be there. Some people from the society
again that are living close to you and don’t really know what is happening
around you. There is much more expectation from them. So, at times when you
will think of how to go about yourself, think about how to go about help
yourself and the people around you and your own immediate ones. So it has it
has not been easy.
The area that these informants as married ladies were so worried is that
according to informant 012, she is a woman, and in most cases, goes together with her
husband they usually both go out to look for what will make them eat at least once a
day. the husband in most cases has to carry blocks where there is construction work
and at the end of the day they pay him and they managed that money for that day and
they will wait for the next day to provide for itself. The summary of the two cases is
that unemployment breeds hardship and difficulty of every kind to families, especially
in the aspects of providing the necessities for family, assisting relations, sibling and
neighbors as stated by informant 025’
94
Informant 13 shared similar experience of difficulties in life as presented

below:
Haaa, that’s a good question. It has affect all parts of life. Hmmmm. In fact it
has even affect my sleep. Presently I have my sons school fees to settle so I
have been like thinking all nights and they have been given letter yesterday
that by next week, if you don’t settle the school fees, no classes for your
children so that’s the problem, so financially it has affected almost all parts of
living.
Studies has proved that actually life is very difficult for the unemployed in
many respects but the major one is the financial hardship as stated thus:
participants experienced unemployment during the 4-year demonstration

period. Participants who experienced unemployment during the demonstration
period were more likely to perceive financial hardship (Han 2009)
Similarly, another scholar argues that:
In a study, it was also reported that unemployment does not only inflict its
victims with heavy burdens but also those close to them as well, especially the man
and his family. His inability to provide for the family may either frustrate the
academics of the children or not having enough food for the family and other
necessities for the family. This may create friction in the family and at the same time
it may lead to divorce (Khan et al 2002)(Vinokur et al. 1996).
The various challenges facing the unemployed as enumerated by the previous

studies is in line with what was discovered from the field as most of the features in the
previous study is also discovered from the field. The informants complained that life
is generally hard for them in different areas and this is exactly what the previous study
also revealed. In view of this, it could be said that both the previous study and the
present study did concord with each other in relation to the life that is generally hard.
The difference that existed however is that the previous study went extra miles to give
95
detailed justification why life is generally hard for the unemployed but the informants
could not give detailed despite the further probe that was carried to solicit the needed
information.
g. Thought of attempt to commit Suicide
Reactions from several informants’ points to the fact that they nearly attempted
committing suicide because of the unemployment affliction they are facing or from
the unemployment hardship. Suicide is a word that describes the efforts of an
individual to terminate his/her life. This could be done through taking poison, felling
down from a tree or a high building that may result into death, or using a knife or
harmful object to injure himself/her to the point of death or using any means to
terminate one’s life. This is done in most cases as result of numerous challenges and
pressures within and without in this life. Suicide are done or killing of oneself is done
as an option or the best solution to keep away from problems in this life. Unemployed
youths in this study shared their challenges and difficulties in life as a result of the
stress and affliction of unemployment and their several attempts to commit suicide.
The views of the concerned informants are hereby presented below.
Informant 005 testify that he almost commits suicide but for some reasons.
This is exactly what he said:
If not because I am a Christian, yes. I would have committed suicide because

the situation is unbearable, it is very frustrating, it is very frustrating,
discouraging. Ok. There is nothing good happening in this part of the world.
In another narration by informant 020 on suicide attempt, these are his words:
Honestly unemployment is a very bad experience because I could remember

one certain time that my dad was desperately in need of help from me and of
which and he was actually sick of which I was supposed to take him to
hospital and with this unemployment experience that I have am not happy, at
this very moment honestly I felt like I should commit suicide because already I
am supposed, he has sent for me, he brought me up as a child and of which this
96
is the time I am supposed to help him but because of the financial difficulties,
because of the unemployment, I was unable to. I was unable to assist of which
with this experience, honestly at that very moment it made me as if I should
commit suicide. Secondly, my daughter when I gave birth to the first daughter
of mine, and she was sick of which I suppose to take her to the hospital. All I
could my efforts was rendered useless because there was no money and of
which I end up losing my daughter and with this experience I felt, I honestly I
should not live.
From what Informants 005 & 020 said, nearly they would have committed
suicide due to unemployment challenging if not because informant 005 relies heavily
on his religion which teaches that suicide is a sin. He therefore, concludes that he has
to keep his faith intact and continue to bear the pains that is being inflicted on him by
unemployment. In most cases unemployment inflicts heavy burdens on their victims
with numerous problems in which they at times get overweight with such problems.
As solutions delay, and the grace to wait for some time expires or they cannot longer
endure the harsh situations, the best option they in most cases consider is suicide.
Informant 020’s situation is a good example of such problems necessitate by
unemployment and that may prompt the individual to opt for suicide.
In like manner, Informant 009 said:
Not at all. Is just that sometimes I feel frustrated as a human being. I feel very
frustrated, being at home and doing nothing.
Though, the comment made by this informant shows all is well, the hidden
meaning is that he is highly frustrated though, the informant said he never attempted a
plan to commit suicide but he only feels frustrated for staying at home for long
without a job.
Informant 003 also have this to say concerning the real live experience of
unemployment.
97
Well ahmmm, why I would not say, I would like to commend because I had
that experience, but ordinarily one will have that experience and thought of
committing suicide. what is the essence of living, of what good is life, if you cannot
live it to the fullness? With the little education, I went to school and I acquired
knowledge so with that knowledge is what is keeping me from committing suicide,
because if I should kill myself what happen to my children? Alright, what happens to
the wife? Alright, who will take care of them? In the society we are living today that
even government is not helping, alright, in several ways they have been default, umm
ummm, so that is some of the challenges we have been facing.
The informants rely on hope which they said all is not lost but in conclusion
said “why are you even living?” This statement signifies that though he has
hope and thanked God for His grace, the next option would be to commit
suicide and die to avoid see the frustration of unemployment that he is
suffering from.
In this subsection, the informants presented their view on the predicament

about their unemployment condition and the thought to commit suicide. While some
of them said they thought of committing suicide, Others reported that though, the
thought of suicide came to them but they shunned it due to their religious faith while
others said that they never thought of committing suicide at any time despite their
predicament.
As emanated from the primary data, it was discovered that the intention to
commit suicide by the unemployed is not peculiar to only unemployed youths in
Nigeria but it is similar among the unemployed persons in different parts of the world.
A study carried out in Spain has shown that:
bulk of meta-analytic research has previously documented that unemployment

represents a period with many stress-related consequences and a high risk to
well-being and quality of life. For example, unemployment has also been
associated with deleterious health problems, such as depression or
psychopathologies, suicide tendencies, low levels of self-esteem, a significant
98
increase in physical complaints, fatal injury and mortality (Koivumaa-

Honkanen et al. 2000; Mckee-Ryan et al. 2005; Paul&Moser 2009; Stankunas
et al. 2006; Tiggemann&Winefield 1984)
This revelation is in line with the discovery made from the field by the present
researcher on the attempt by the unemployed to commit suicide. It is evident that
some of the unemployed persons do suffer from stress and psychopathology that
usually results in committing suicide while others do not even though, they sometime
thought of that.
Apart from the above, several studies have proved that unemployment which
brings about hardship of life do bring about adverse health consequences. Durham (Jin
et al. 1995) revealed that suicide occurred mostly during economic changes that
affected the social aspects of the society in Europe. From the above, it is no doubt
that unemployment resulted in the victims committing suicide based on the existing
studies and the revelations made through the primary data.
4.2.2 Lack of Basics and Essentials of Life
Diagram 4.2 Lack of Basics and Essentials of Life

99
In this theme, some of the informants shared with the researcher their live experience
of unemployment relating to lack of basics needs and essentials of life. Basics and
essentials of life are food, clean water, shelter and other necessary things that every
living human being must have to enable him/her live a satisfactory life and affect his
environment positively. These basics things are not optional in life; they are needed by
every living soul in all nation-states of the world. They are provided to the individuals,
and the society through the purposive planning of government and through the
personal efforts of individuals in the form of working to have economic benefits and
the related. In this study, there is deprivation of the aforementioned because
government could not or made very little efforts to provide employment opportunities
to numerous qualified and interested unemployed youths to work and earn a living.
Informants of this study shared their experiences of deprivation of the aforementioned
of basics and necessities of life. Informant 001 said:
Ah it reduces my, it seriously reduces my needs. And that it affected my

livelihood
Informant 016 narrated his experience of deprivation as follow:
Yes, because you, you don’t get what you want per time, so your living
standard is not something to write home about because the shelter, ah good
water, a lot of more of things you want to have for yourself, to better your life,
you won’t be able to do that. Ok you know one we have medication. In
Nigeria, health insurance is meant for the employed. If you are not employed,
you don’t have health insurance. That’s alright, two we have clothing. You
know, we don’t put on good clothing, why because we are not gainfully
employed. Then we have improper feeding. We don’t have proper feeding
because people eat once or twice in a day.
Like informants 001 & 016, others also said that the impact of unemployment
on them is really an experience of lack and scarcity or deprivation of essential things
of life. Therefore, let’s examine their stories one after the other in different sub-
themes below.
100
To connect this finding under this subtheme to previous study, the research
conducted by (Worach-Kardas&Kostrzewski 2014) become very important even
though that study focused on people within the age bracket of 45 years and above to
determine the hardship of unemployment while this study is focusing on the youths.
The previous study proved that unemployment has consequences in terms of essentials
of life due to the unemployment status they faced as a result of being out of work and
this led to decline in the quality of life.
a. Inability to go to some places and also to eat food of choice
One of the informants who complained of inability to eat food of choice due to
unemployment is informant 010. In his comment he said:
I have experienced a lot due to my unemployment condition. There are some

places you can’t go, there are some food you can’t eat. So many things you
would want to do, but because you are unemployed you can’t do them because
you lack the finance. Alright. Because you lack the finance, Yes Sir.
In addition to other informants, informant 017 stated his experience bellow:
Ummm, it does, it does in the sense that at times even in the basic necessities of life
often times not been able to maintain as one ought to alright. And take the issues of
health for instance, at times you have to manage certain illnesses simply because you
can’t even afford some standard medical bills so you intend to go for the lesser, ah
where you’ll get the lesser charge, even when you are sure you can, you will not get
the best of treatment there. And more so in terms of your feeding, it even affects the
kind of food you eat. Ok, when you suppose to eat a good balance diet, you will just
manage whatever comes your way. Because of the financial constraints.
The above informants bitterly complained while protesting against effects of

unemployment on them. In their protest statement they said that due to
unemployment, there are some places they cannot go though, they did not state those
places, probably they could not go to those places because of shame or due to lack of
resources. Similarly, they also said that there is certain food they cannot afford to eat
101
because they have no money to buy such food or possibly because if they use the little
money they have on them to buy those foods they may wish to eat, they may likely not
have money to do other things and manage himself. Health issue is another thing
informant 017 pointed out to apart from their inability to adequately eat as required for
healthy living, that unemployed youths don’t afford money to adequately take care of
their lives. No wonder, almost the informants or unemployed youths in Nasarawa state
do not look healthy at all, they look sickly and very poor in their appearance. A lot of
them do not have good clothes on them, so informant 017 statement or sharing of his
unemployment experience of not affording money for medication and food concords
with the researcher observation while in the field work and it also tells unemployment
inflicts its victims with the burden of lacks of almost the good things of this life.
Furthermore, Informant 010 exposed the secret in his earlier statement that the
unemployed like him hardly eat some food of choice. He stated that:
Sometimes there are food that one is not supposed to consume, For example
let’s say you are suffering from let’s say ulcer or diabetic. There are some food
that you are not supposed to eat but because you don’t have choice you eat
them and the sickness is there. You don’t eat good food and the rest. So you
don’t eat good food the way I want to.
The deductions one could make from the further comment of informant 010 is
that if the unemployed is suffering from certain sickness such as diabetes, stomach
ulcer etc, the individual need to eat only certain food prescribed by diets which
requires money to buy. However, the expected money may not always available for
the unemployed to fall back on and as such they live on the mercy of eating anything
they see to keep life going. Once again, even good food was hardly eaten by the
unemployed because they could not afford to raise money to eat balanced diet foods
that are useful to the body. And so the unemployed suffer from lack of access to not
only basic need of food but also good food.
In addition, informant 010 further asserts that:

102
…One doesn’t eat the way it should, the way people are eating. You don’t eat
it the way you are suppose because you are financially down.
Apart from inability of the unemployed to eat certain prescribed foods due to
ill-health informant 010 also regrets that it is very unfortunate that he cannot even eat
food the way he supposed to eat in terms of quantity and frequency due to lack of
money. This is quite regrettable indeed to him.
Informant 011 as well said that:
Yea, ok like I want to buy some things, how to eat good food, I want to wear
good clothe, I may likely see something I like on the way but I don’t have
money to buy. It has not been easy. So I have been living as if I am a beggar
and no means of getting money or sourcing for money.
Informant 011 while presenting his own side of the inability to eat food of his
choice due to unemployment which he found himself stated that he would like to buy
and eat good food but unfortunately he could not afford to. He described his
predicament pathetically saying he is likened to a beggar because he lacks means of
getting money or have any means of sourcing for money.
One of the informants who exclaimed her sorrowful condition over the
inability to eat well as a result of unemployment as shared with the researcher is one
married female. See the way she pathetically and described the situation.
Secondly is in the terms of I am married, so happily married though without a

job. That’s ok. There are so many challenges, couple with the issue of family
challenges is there. You have to, for example my husband, both of us we are
unemployed, alright. And we have, we have been married, this should be our
third year. We don’t have any source of money coming in. we don’t have a job,
we have two kids, we don’t know how to cope with them. Umm ummm. Infact
we hardly even eat two square meals in a day. That’s so serious. So it’s very
hell
103
From her narration above, this female informant did not only regrets not
having a job but her condition is worsening and compounded by the fact that even her
husband too has no job and they are as well having two kids to cater for. The situation
is worse up to the extent that they could not even afford two square meals per day. In
summary, she described their situation as being so serious and hellish.
Informant 005 is not left out of the complaint about inability to feed well. He
said that:
I feel very bad. I feel very bad because somebody of my age, at least I am
supposed to be feeding for my younger ones and even providing for my
parents when the need arises. Alright, but for the fact that I am an unemployed
citizen I, I am not able to do so and it is really affecting me, it’s really not a
good thing, I feel so bad
Similarly, informant 018 has similar unemployment experience with informant

005:
You know as being an elder brother, your younger ones have expectations,
they expect that you should be able to help them meet their needs, they equally
expect that at least you should be able to take care of them to some extent and
aside that you also have your own personal challenges and needs. And ahhh as
a result due to the unemployment, there is a little or a limit to which what to
what one can do and these has actually been devastating because when you see
your younger ones striving, and even at times your parents, when you see them
striving and they are in a lack of something and you feel like helping, but due
to the lack of the stable means of income one just has to ignore and pretend as
if he does not see anything and it is painful experience.
Informants 005 &018 like some other informants bitterly pointed out that
despite their ages they are still unable to provide food for their sisters and brothers,
and even their parents just because they are unemployed. Regrettably they said, really
unemployment has affected them badly and it is truly indeed not good experience but
104
very bad one. In their expression, they exhibited an inner mind of frustration due to
their unemployment status and fruitless efforts of living a responsible life. The both of
them are sorrowful, sad, angry and bitter. It is an issue like this that makes Nigerian
society to look down on an unemployed individual that he has younger ones and
parents with needs but can’t assist them, and such individuals are considered to be
irresponsible and public nuisance. It is this societal perception on the unemployed
youths in Nasarawa state that psychologically destroys them and that may result and
prompt some of them into suicide or keeps them away from the public.
A mixed method study was carried out by (Kimani-Murage et al. 2014) in

Kenya in Africa about vulnerability to food security in urban slums: experience from
Nairobi, Kenya using factors such as level of income, household size, source of
livelihood, illness, dependence ratio, perceived insecurity and slum of residence has
shown that 85 percent of household were vulnerable to food insecurity as common
place and that residents in slums generally eat for bare survival with little concern to
quality and more importantly that the vulnerability during the 2007/2008 post-election
violence in Kenya enhances the price increase of staple foods doubled and at the same
time, the purchasing power of household was low because of worsened unemployment
situation. Invariably, coping strategies were adopted to address the food security and it
ends on reducing the number of meals, food variety and quality and increase in the
patronage of street foods become noticeable. This is also a near similar case in
Nasaeawa State Nigeria where this research was conducted. Therefore, premise on
that the unemployed complained about poor diet due to poverty that arose out of
joblessness which is in line with what was obtainable in Kenya as claimed by the
previous study under consideration. Therefore, the present findings and previous
studies are similar in some respect except that the investigation was carried out in
different country though, within the same continent.
b. Inability to provide financial and other assistance
Some of the informant during the course of interaction with them revealed to the
researcher that one area that unemployment has impacted in their lives is their
105
inability to help the younger ones in their homes despite the high need for that. The
following is what they said individually as recorded by the researcher.
Informant 010 presented his view thus:
Like me, I have some, I have younger ones at home that every day if I see
them I shade tears. Alright. They are supposed to be at the universities, their
mates are already at the university but because of lack of finance, ok, I can’t
help them in school. Alright. So I am really bothered about it.
Informant 021 also stated this in expressing his experience:
You know sometimes some people say you go to school and at the end you
have nothing to show because you are not employed. I don’t know if you get
me. You go to school, people are expecting much from you. But at the end
people that are on your street, who even did not even go to school, they will
now be looking you at the same level with them. Because you have nothing to
show. And your younger ones sometimes they come to you for help, you don’t
have any assistance for them, to render to them and this is painful to my heart.
So much things happens that way that makes people wants to talk bad to you
anyhow and look down on you because you are in the same level with them,
you went to school but they did not go to school, they say they have more than
you which you know you are more than them. But they will want to see you
the same level as them just because you go to school, you come back, you are
not working or employed and you are in the same zero level with them.
Informants 010 & 021 expressed their feelings that anytime they see their
younger ones they shed tears or it pains them because of his inability and helplessness
to help them particularly in sponsoring their education due to lack of money as a result
of unemployment. They lamented that the situation of their younger ones is a
disturbing one considering that other mates of theirs from other families living around
them are already in the universities or being assisted.
106
In addition to the narration of other informants on the helplessness of the

unemployed to offer assistance to their junior ones within their family, Informant 011
in her own narration had said as well that unemployment hinders her to assist the
young ones looking up to her to offer help and assistance despite the fact that those
younger ones in the family knew she was educated. This is the way she puts it:
Especially for the uneducated ones. Alright. They are looking at you, you have
attained to a particular level in life, in your education pursuit. And now you are
just sitting down. You don’t have anything to offer. They will just feel as if
you are a lazy person and some of them, they will not even like to come to you.
Especially those ones that have this kind of labouring work, ehennn little skills.
They will not want to come to you. They will feel you are not even important.
Wow. To the society because you don’t have anything to offer to them.
What could be deduced from the statement made by Informant 011 while
complaining or narrating about the predicament of unemployment on her includes just
sitting down as an educated person doing nothing and inability to offer anything to the
family members, being regarded as a lazy person by the younger ones who do not
know the situation she is passing through. In fact, the young ones may not even come
to you to ask for anything, feelings by the members of the family that she is not even
important due to inability to offer them anything tangible. These elements are the
basic impacts that informant 011 said emanates from her unemployment situation.
From the past study, drawing an example of the inability of unemployed

persons to adequately provide for their families and give assistance to others, a study
from Germany conducted on the effects of unemployment on children and young
people by (Bolt 1933) is cited as a glaring picture of the incapacitate situation of
unemployment or unemployed persons in providing and assisting families or others.
The scholars made their investigation on the general living standard of the said
children and young persons of both the employed and the unemployed people. From
their report, it indicated the children of the employed people were adequately taken
care as they were having the necessities of life being provided by their employed
parents. While the same report has the contrary about the children of the unemployed
107
persons as it indicated children of the unemployed people were deficient in health due
to poor feeding, had no good clothing, were under-clothing, and poor education as a
result of poor family background, or the inability of their unemployed parents to
adequately provide for them. The same scholars (Bolt 1933) reported that
unemployment in Germany within the period of their study does not only affect their
unemployed individuals but it affected the their economic badly too. The first of this
effect was that there was great decrease in their revenue as the unemployment rate
increased so high and the state had less people to pay taxes. Secondly, as the
unemployment increased, it also increased the cost of assisting the unemployed
persons in the society in the form of social welfare. Thirdly, it decreased the free
provision of food items by government to schools for the children in need. According
to the scholars (Bolt 1933), that the reduction of the free food items to schools was by
50 percent difference.
The incapacitate of unemployed persons in assisting and providing for families

and others is not only strange to Nasarawa state in particular and Nigeria, but it
extends even to the most highly developed world too as exemplified by the study that
was carried out in Germany. Therefore, unemployment is a global issue threatening its
victims and posing serious challenges to the unemployed parents as found out by the
present study under consideration and supported by previous studies as analyzed.
c. Inability to buy clothes and other things of choice
Some of the informants in the process of sharing their live impacts of unemployment
complained that lack of cloths and food of choice is an essential aspect of
unemployment experience. Informant 011 championed the sharing of this experience
thus:
Yea, ok like I want to buy some things, how to eat good food, I want to wear
good clothe, I may likely see something I like on the way but I don’t have
money to buy. It has not been easy. So I have been living as if I am a beggar
and no means of getting money or sourcing for money.
108
While sharing his view, Informant 011 protested that unemployment has
hindered him from buying things of his choice, including good food and good cloth
and other good things that he would have like to buy. As a result of the deprivation to
buy the things he needed due to unemployment, his personality has been reduced to
that of a beggar because no source of generating money. The unemployed persons’
ability to choose what to buy as food, clothes, and other good things of this life is no
longer a necessity and essential to them as long as they don’t have financial capability
to buy as they may wish to. The implication is that the unemployed persons
psychologically have been reduced to different things else and no longer real human
beings as they lost the human right of choice, though they are still being seen as
human beings. Due to this psychological effect in them, they see themselves as
inferior human beings as compared to others that are employed and could apply the
principle of opportunity cost comfortably in buying things and they may as well suffer
low self-esteem. In most cases, this is where depression has much influence on the
unemployed persons because they could now see how helpless and valueless they are
to themselves, their families and the entire community due to their unemployment
status and their inability to buy food, clothes and others of choice.
Similarly, informant 009 shared her own live experience of not being able to eat her
choice of food, wear her choice of cloth and other things as result of unemployment as
stated below:
It affects me because, it affects me in terms of I can’t eat what I want to eat.

That’s alright. I can’t wear what I want, I am just managing, I am just
struggling, hoping for a better day. Ok. I can’t even, the joy is not there as a
graduate. I can’t offer anything to people even my family, especially my
family.
Informant 009 narrated his bitter experience of unemployment as it affects his

human right of choice of either food to eat or clothes to put on. He clearly stated he
doesn’t eat food or wear clothes of choice as he is always being constrains of financial
ability to pay for his humanly desire needs in life. He added that he is only enduring
109
life especially as he is incapacitated to assist himself and others, and concluded

sorrowfully of not having joy as a graduate.
Informant 016 narrated his experience of inability to buy food, clothes and
other good things of choice as a result of his unemployment status. He regards the
experience as a painful one:
When you unemployed, you are in problem, or you don’t get anything doing
to get some pay. You cannot meet up your personal needs, most especially
meeting up with your family responsibility because you cannot have enough
money to buy all that is needed for your family. You can’t meet up your
personal needs. It is not what you want to eat you will eat, is not what you
want to wear you will wear, you will trek most of the times because you don’t
have money even for transport. Even when there is a television or newspaper
advert for job, you may not even have money to try with your application, or
to advance your efforts and to travel and meet up the requirement. Indeed,
these are some of the experiences of unemployment, very painful and
frustrating.
Unemployment indeed, determines the spending power of the unemployed as

their unemployment situation may negatively affect their needs. This was what was
discovered by a research conducted in the United States of America among the
unemployed who were earning Unemployment Insurance (UI) by (Ganong&Noel
2015). In their findings, it was found that states with low Unemployment Insurance
(UI) had drastic drop in the expenditure of the unemployed people due to their low
income. They reported that there is always a sharp drop in the spending of the
unemployment people and that it is attributed to lack of adequate money to buy all
that may be necessary for them.
In the light of this therefore, it is evident that the unemployed in this study
complained of inability to buy good cloths and other things of their choice because
they have low or no income to purchase the needed cloths and other things as shown
by the research. This phenomenon is not only with the unemployed persons in
110
Nasarawa state Nigeria who have no fixed income due to their unemployment
situation that cannot buy as they may wish to but it is applicable to unemployed
persons in other parts of the world as indicated in the research conducted in United
States of America (Ganong&Noel 2015).
4.2.3 Frustration and Depression
Diagram 4.3 Frustration and Despression
Frustration and depression is one of the major impacts of unemployment on youths as

revealed by the informants during the interaction with them in the field. Frustration is
a term that describes the state of an individual that is downcast and overweight with
worry and afflictions as a result of unsuccessful efforts in achieving the desired goals
and opportunity in life. According to (Klein 2011), frustration is always exhibited
through anger, violent actions, demonstrations or revolution against a government, or
any agency that seems to be responsible for the obstruction in attaining the desire
goals and opportunity. Egyptian revolution of 2011 is being cited as a good example
of exhibition of frustration. According to (Klein 2011), the Egyptians desired and
wanted good and a just government that could provide enabling environment for
business to thrive with employment opportunity for its young men and women, but
Mubarak regime failed woefully and their dream or desired became a mirage. They all
got frustrated especially as unemployment rate went so high and to unimaginable level
coupled with high rate of inflation and low wages. The Egyptian citizens took to
111
streets in the form of demonstration against Mubarak government in 2011 as glaring

exhibition of their frustration, though about 846 people died in that process.
Depression on the other hand, is the state or condition of a man that his/her mental
ability is negatively affected. This could be due to denial of goals or has made series
of efforts for progression in life but was obstructed by circumstances. Depression
could be considered as a byproduct of frustration because when there is denial of
expectations in life, it leads to frustration and prolong frustration as a result of prolong
denial it leads to depression (Association 2013). Below are the opinions of the
informants relating to the issue under discussion in this theme.
a. Frustration, depression and hopelessness of the unemployed
Informant 008 in the course of reaction to what was told the researcher that frustration
and depression is an experience that unemployed are battling with. In his view he said:
Ok, ok. You see, you see unemployment like I said it hasn’t been easy.
Sometimes it will leave you with a lot of burdens. And you know you get tired
at times you get frustrated you know if care is not taken you get depressed.
You get depressed you know. You think of how you are going to make end
meets. It’s quite challenging, so that’s how it has been.
Summarily, informant 008’s main concern is that unemployment has not been
easy with him because it comes with a lot of burdens thereby inflicts sorrow on him
and which may lead to depression. In every moment of time he said, he will be
thinking of how to make ends meet. He concluded that that life of unemployment is
very challenging.
Furthermore, Informant 008 also revealed that:
Something that makes you frustrated. Sometimes you will try as much as you
could, close your eyes and forget but it keeps on and on because (hmmm), so it
keeps you with no option because you stay awake at times and beginning to
112
think. Ok, how is the next going to be, how the next phase of life is going to be,
a lot of things. It takes your own sleep at night, you don’t sleep.
In addition, Informant 008 opined that unemployment encourages frustration

in the life of its victims because the more you try to forget about the nasty experience
of unemployment thereby preventing from sleep and keeps you thinking all through.
The thinking revolves around the next thing that will come to be in one’s life and
many others.
Informant 009 on the other perspective said:
Honestly it has not been easy. Alright. To be a graduate and you are doing
nothing, especially me that I am married, having children, you don’t have
anything to contribute as a mother, as a graduate to the family. Alright. It’s
very frustrating, it’s not good. Is a bad experience to, is a very bad situation to
experience. It’s not funny.
Similarly, informant 019 also shared his frustrated experience as follow:
Honestly I can say that the situation is frustrated. Because ahmm for
somebody to finish ah school and don’t have something doing it is frustrating
and you can see we are not happy with it the way things are going on. So it’s
very much frustrated. Yeah, that is what I mean. It’s so sorrowful. But it’s not
easy at all honestly. It’s so sorrowful, seriously we are not finding it easy at all.
Of course sometimes I will a kind of laying down just start thinking, I mean
not getting something doing so sometimes I will a kind of thinking in order to,
maybe just commit suicide because I don’t have anything doing so it’s not
easy. So ah we want government to a kind of help us and find us something
doing.
In the course of sharing their experiences with the researcher, these informants
also demonstrated that unemployment is very frustrating and adds that it is better be
imagine than experience because it is not good to witness and really not funny indeed
113
to be a victim. Informant 019 added that unemployment is sorrowful. Frustration is a

key attribute that manifest and
Informant 011 summarily described unemployment in two words as follows:
Very frustrating, very frustrating
In the case of Informant 011, there is no other way to describe unemployment

than in seeing it as very frustrating. In this summary, to Informant 011, the best and
most suitable adjective of qualifying unemployment is “very frustrating” because it
will be a waste of time to begin to enumerate the features of unemployment
experience since the list is endless.
Informant 009 also contributed to the discussion on the frustration of the

unemployed as a result of lack of job. He said:
I feel frustrated as a human being. I feel very frustrated, being at home and
doing nothing.
In the course of narrating his unemployment experiences, Informant 009

acknowledged that he was really frustrated being a human. This been a human being
he said is that when human beings are faced with difficulties that become
insurmountable it always encourages frustration and if time is not taken, it will result
in depression. Therefore, staying at home and doing nothing is really frustrating
according to the informant.
In addition to other informants, informant 021 narrated his experience as

follow:
The thing is this you know, when you are there, you see so many job
opportunities, you make an attempt, you even most times, borrow money to go
for an interview. Interview you’ll see so many people will come, you pass the
interview, but at the end of the day, you’ll find out that it is who knows who
114
that gets the job, so coming back you feel bad and you’ll feel bitter and
frustrated and even when next opportunities comes, you won’t be having that
positive mind of making an attempt, because you will be feeling it is the same
thing that is going to occur. You understand, ok, yes, and most times you find
out that some of the things that you are doing that ok when you go, it will be
all these petty and casual jobs, is not what at least you know your degree
should be given you. But we don’t have option than to accept and that is why
most of the times when you start, you find yourself doing some kind of things
illegal because, that is not where your mind is, to be.
In his narration of the frustrated nature of unemployment, informant 021

pointed an aspect other informants ignored, that is his fruitless efforts to secure
employment and the debts he went into or incurred as what contributed more in his
frustration. He regarded the experience as being bad and bitter because he borrowed
money as he had none which is the normal life of lacks of unemployed persons and
attended the several interviews but was not successful, this experience alone has the
adequate enablement to frustrate the informant. He added that due to his unsuccessful
efforts in securing employment, he goes out for casual jobs and illegal ways as the
best option to keep life, though he never intended for such. He was not open to explain
the illegal ways of earning a living but it suggests the pressures of unemployment on
the youths that prompts the same unemployed youths into vices as an option to earn a
living. This could justify the great number of unemployed youths involving in number
of social vices in Nasarawa state as the study area.
b. Boring and frustrating staying with parents as a graduate
Informant 002 sees the frustrating aspect of unemployment from a graduate staying
with parents based on the following comments from him:
Hmmmm honestly, like at times, your home, staying with your parents, your
kind ones, most of them are after they might have sent you to school hoping
one day after graduation you know, you will come and (to help) assist them.
115
Informant 002 in painting the gloomy picture of unemployment stated that the
worst part of the experience of unemployment is to stay with one’s parent after
graduating from school when indeed, one is supposed and expected to become a bread
winner of the family. To him, this is worrisome and frustrating as not being
independent causes frustration.
Furthermore, informant 022 stated his painful unemployment experience as

thus:
You know sometimes for you to be with your parents or family and you don’t
have something doing you will be frustrated, and you will just become a kind
of a liability to your family. They will not even respect you because you are
not contributing anything to the family, so even they want to come to you they
will not even seek your attention they will just go ahead and start their own
thing because you don’t have anything to contribute to the family. So it’s not
that easy honestly it is very frustrated. You can’t contribute you don’t have
work, so they will not regard you as a kind of somebody to even in the
community, they will not regard you because you don’t have job, you don’t
have anything to contribute, so they will not respect you.
Informant 022 narrated his unemployment experience as being very frustrated

especially as he still stays with his parents doing nothing. He sees himself as a liability
to the family and the community, and this afflicts him psychologically and eventually
led the experience to frustration. The implication of him considering himself as a
liability is that he knows and wishes to be engaged in doing something meaningfully
to earn a living and be assisting his parents as well contributing to the development of
his community but he is being crippled by his unemployment status. What makes his
situation worst that he qualifies his frustration as very frustrated is the treatment he
receives from his family and the community as he says they don’t respect him, he is
being ignored on issues that his attention could be called to, and he is not regarded as
somebody both in the family and the community just for the fact that he is not doing
anything that may enable him contribute his quota to the family and to the
development community.
116
The informants have revealed the predicament of the unemployed in the course
of staying with their parents due to unemployment challenges. This has gone a long
way to frustrate them since they are unable to help their parents after obtaining their
degree qualifications. The expectation of the parents of the unemployed is usually that
after they have sponsored their children for higher education, they are supposed to be
taken care-of by the children but reverse was the case. Therefore, the unemployment
of those concerned are sources of sorrow, grief and misery to both the unemployed
and their parents in general.
A previous study carried out in Sweden explain that unemployment does have
impact on well-being due to deprivation of employment and its benefits
(Nordenmark&Strandh 1999) and this was supported with their report of the study that
mental well-being is usually affected by financial difficulty and it further leads to
frustration (Ganong&Noel 2015; Giuntoli et al. 2011). The observed experiences by
the authors of the previous scholars is the frustration that the informants complained
of from the field. Therefore, the information obtained from the informants are in line
with the previous studies. In this regard, it could be said that the discovery from the
field is almost similar with the studies previously carried out on the feelings of the
unemployed.
In this objective one entitled “Psychosocial impacts of unemployment among

youths in Nasarawa State, Nigeria”, the raw data was analyzed accordingly. The
findings from objective one demonstrates that the unemployed are suffering from
different kind of stress, depression and psychological difficulties over their
predicament. In line with this proof, various scholars like (Extremera&Rey 2016)
postulated that unemployment is usually characterized by several negative
consequences on the victims which are enumerated to mean low levels of self-esteem,
financial deprivation and uncertainty about the future and many more. Indeed, it was
stated by (Extremera&Rey 2016) that there are many studies in the psychological
well-being of the unemployed have proved beyond reasonable doubt that they are
relatively not happy and which on the other hand enhance their mental distress.
Though, (Extremera&Rey 2016) said that longitudinal research has revealed that there
is little life satisfaction stability among the unemployed moderately, individuals
117
unemployed usually reacted very strongly over unemployment and which transcend
up to after they have secured a job.
In related findings from a research conducted by (Worach-

Kardas&Kostrzewski 2014) it could be concluded from the findings of objective one
that the unemployed quality of life is based on four dimensions namely mental health,
physical health as well as social relationship and the environment shape their feelings
and attitudes towards themselves. The general findings of the present study based on
objective one is that the “unemployed people are highly dissatisfied with their lives in
every ramification especially within the four dimensions enumerated by (Worach-
Kardas&Kostrzewski 2014) in this paragraph. Therefore, the impacts of joblessness
among the youths in Nasarawa state are fourfold based on (Worach-
Kardas&Kostrzewski 2014).
Therefore, in summary of objective one, the condition of the unemployed in

Nasarawa State Nigeria as revealed by the informants who shared their experiences
with the researcher is the reflection of the opinions of informants in a research carried
out in Sweden by (Hiswåls et al. 2017) which affirmed that loss of work (lack of
work) affected the social life of the unemployed as well as their financial condition, it
enhanced the unemployed feelings of isolation in their society, loss of self- esteem and
indeed feelings of hopelessness and frustration by the unemployed which directly and
indirectly affected their physical well beings.
In aligning the theory of frustration-aggression to this objective one, it could

assert that the unemployed youths in Nasarawa state faces severe frustration as a result
of lack of work and indeed they are aggressive due to lack of job. Therefore, they are
not happy with the condition in which they found themselves most especially that they
face serious financial challenges which incapacitated them from doing the needful and
other basics of life. So it could be said that they are both frustrated and they are
aggressive in every ramification because life generally is very difficult for them. In the
light of this, the situation of the unemployed youths in Nasarawa state is squarely fit
into aggression and frustration which the theory basically upholds.
118
Secondly, from this objective one it was discovered that the unemployed
youths under consideration in Nasarawa state faced isolation from the society because
they are highly incapacitated to provide what the society demands of them and as such
they are not friends of the society, they feel isolated. Due to this unemployment status
of theirs, they hardly belong or could be accepted to any class of the society among
the people that are employed, therefore they suffer isolation. The resultant effect of
this is that they are aggressive and they are also frustrated by every standard. This
situation is in consonance with the theory of Frustration-Aggression that is being
applied to carry out this study.
Thirdly, and lastly, on the application of the theory of Frustration-Aggression

to this study especially to this objective one is that unemployed youths feel loss of
self-esteem, and hopelessness as being enjoyed by their employed counterpart.
Therefore, a person that lost self-esteem in the society and faces hopelessness due to
joblessness can never be a non-frustrated person and can as well will never be a non-
aggressive individual. Therefore, the theory of Frustration-Aggression stands as the
best theory to explain this work.
119
4.2.4 Psychosocial impacts of Unemployment among Youths in Nasarawa State,

Nigeria
Diagram 4.4 Psychosocial impacts of unemployment among youths in Nasarawa

State, Nigeria
Source: Summary Diagram of Objective 1, Psychosocial impacts of unemployment on

Youths in Nasarawa State, Nigeria by Researcher
4.3 IDENTIFICATION OF THE IMPACTS OF FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES ON

THE PSYCHOSOCIAL DIMENSION OF THE UNEMPLOYED YOUTHS IN
NASARAWA STATE, NIGERIA
The second objective of this study is to find out the impacts of financial difficulties on
the psychosocial dimension of the unemployed youths in Nasarawa State, Nigeria.
This objective intends to find out the effects of financial difficulties on the
psychological and social dimensions of the unemployed youths in Nasarawa State,
Nigeria. Accordingly, the informants were interviewed and the outcome of their
cooperation during the interview produced a given result that is integrated into
themes.
120
The themes include impacts of financial difficulties on social effects of

unemployment on youths, impacts of financial difficulties on psychological feelings
of the unemployed youths, impacts of financial difficulties with regards to societal
feelings about the unemployed and finally, impacts of financial difficulties on general
effects of unemployment on youths in Nasarawa State. Apart from the themes, there
are sub-themes within the themes which are used to explain the details of the findings
from the field regarding the objective two.
4.3.1 Impacts of Financial Difficulties on Social Effects of Unemployment on Youths
Diagram 4.5 Impacts of Financial Difficulties on Social Effects of Unemployment on

Youths
The first theme of this objective is the impacts of financial difficulties on social effects
of unemployment on youths. A subthemes emerged under this theme as enumerated
and analyzed below. This theme incorporated and integrated the revelations made by
the different informants in the course of the interview. The view of the informants in
this regard is about the social effects of unemployment on youths.
Scholarly studies have been conducted and have produced unchallenging proof
that financial difficulties which arouse from unemployment have several social
consequences in the society. According to the study, the social effects produced by the
studies include severe financial hardship and poverty, homelessness and housing
121
stress, debt, shame and stigma, boredom crime, alienation, increased social isolation,
atrophying of work skills and ill-health, erosion of confidence and self-esteem which
all increased with the duration of unemployment (Mcclelland&Macdonald 1998;
Sherman 2013; Urbanos-Garrido&Lopez-Valcarcel 2015; Zeng 2012). Though, what
was found out from the field for this objective 2 in relation to financial difficulties on
social effects of the unemployed youths in Nasrawa State Nigeria is at variance with
the discoveries from the previous studies as seen below, another study which hold that
unemployment produces a drastic effect financially through disturbances it creates, the
stress it caused, and the hopelessness the victims feel (Gallie 1999) is closely related
to some of the findings from the field for this objective 2.
a. Inability to participate in social Gatherings
An informant Shared his experience on his inability to participate in social gathering

during the interview with the researcher, Informant 001 was of the view that:
I feel, I feel demoralize, because such gathering, you see people spending,
doing what will earn them respect and you will be sitting down idle. So I feel
demoralize.
The informant holds that he feels demoralize going to attend social gatherings
because of the way people spend money in those festive ceremonies and as such he
chose to be at home and stay away from such gatherings because if he goes he could
only sit down to be watching the activities going on without any contribution
financially.
In probing further if he goes to social gatherings on invitation he quickly replied that:
No, not all. Not at all
The sharp response of the informant in just two sentences that he never honors
invitation for social ceremonies since his unemployment is an indication that he never
122
wanted to be at the social gatherings even though he is invited because he doesn’t

want to go there and disgrace himself due to his financial challenges.
In relation to the unemployed and attendance of social gathering, Informant

003 on his own part said that:
I will keep talking because there are so many issues with going to social
places. Even sometimes they will invite you for an occasion with your peers
but for you to go there you will discover that going there is just like going to
ridicule yourself to zero, umm ummmmmmm because even within ourselves
sometimes they want to invite you to an occasion like wedding occasion and
other ceremony they may not even call you because they feel when you go
there you have no impact, hmmm, you will not give them anything and they
will look for people they will give something to and as such you will feel
inferior and that is a psychological trauma to me, that’s ok. With those things I
know it wasn’t a good experience at all. Ummmm and I don’t pray for
somebody to be in that kind of experience.
Informant 003 while presenting his own experience in relation to attendance of

social gathering disclosed that in most cases, the celebrants may not even invite you
and even in situation when you are invited, they (the unemployed) will be ridiculed
because on going to the ceremony, the unemployed will not be able to offer anything
therefore, they feel so inferior in the midst of their peers at the occasion. He therefore,
concluded that this sort of development encourages psychological trauma to him and
that it is an experience that is better imagined than experiencing or more appropriately
not worth emulating and sharing and that he never prays for someone not even his
worst enemy to experience the type of unemployment predicament that he is currently
experiencing.
Furthermore, informant 017 stated his feeling on social attendance as thus:
Ummm in as much as I will like to attend these social gatherings, the next
thought that comes to my mind is the responsibilities that come with such
123
gathering, one is expected to spend and perhaps support the celebrants or the
couple at the course of the occasion in one way or the other. And due to my
economy status, the financial status one is been restricted from such gatherings
if you don’t want to be embarrassed.
Informant 017 sees attendance of social events like the weddings, naming
ceremonies, and others as embarrassment as long as unemployed persons are
concerned. His reason is that all the social gatherings or programs demand the support
of invited persons in one way or the other, and when you fail to do the needful, it
becomes an embarrassment. The informant says he concluded of not attending such
gatherings because he would not want to be embarrassed due to his unemployment
status.
Similarly, informant 019 shares a similar view about social gatherings with
informant 017, but that he goes very late to such meetings. He says:
If I must go I will go late, I will attend late because I know the first part is the
financial part. You feel bad when they call you out for donations, like there
was one wedding I attended and they were selling a bottle of mineral for one
thousand (N1, 000) naira or so. Then when you don’t have money you, you
feel a kind of, or try to shy away because by the time they point at you and you
have nothing to present, it’s social embarrassment.
Informant 019 acknowledged attendance of social gatherings, but that he goes

very late to such meetings. His intention of doing this is to avoid the donation of
money or giving out support’s section because he wouldn’t want to be embarrassed
since he doesn’t have money to donate or to support the celebrants.
Though, the researcher is not able to find a study in Nigeria on how the
unemployed is isolated from social gatherings due to lack of finance, however a study
conducted by European Union Structural Funds (Potluka&Liddle 2014) on social
isolation provides answer to this subtheme. The scholars on the said social isolation
argue that there are three dimensions to social isolation and the third of it is the
124
tertiary isolation which deals with the contacts made by the unemployed with various
social groups and also their participation in social organizations. The findings of this
research is based on point one (material deprivation) reveals under the dimensions of
the social isolation that income is the first determining factor in social isolation.
Invariably, the study shows that the unemployed facing severe financial crisis
experience social deprivation. Therefore, in line with the present study it is evident
that those who suffers from unemployment do face social isolation as the discovery
from the field that the unemployed youths in Nasarawa State Nigeria had difficulties
attending social gatherings because they lacked the financial wherewithal to
participate unlike their employed peers.
Similarly, a study had identified that unemployment is a great contributor to

substantial alienation of higher number of teenagers as well as young adults
(Mcclelland&Macdonald 1998). Therefore, the finding of this research is in line with
the discoveries made from the field in Nasarawa State because majority of the
unemployed youths interviewed complain of isolation.
4.3.2 Psychological Feelings of the Unemployed Youths in the Society
The second theme that emerged under objective two during the interview with the
informants is called “psychological feelings of the unemployed youths in the society.
In this theme, informants shared their live experiences of unemployment. The theme is
further sub-divided into different sub-themes to give more in-depth meaning to and
understanding of the various components of the psychological feelings of the
unemployed. Below are the different categories of the psychological feelings of the
unemployed youths.
125
Diagram 4.6 Psychological Feelings of the Unemployed Youths in the Society
(Borrero 1980) demonstrated that previously before the research of

(Zawadzki&Lazarsfeld 1935) attempts were made to unravel the stages involved in
the psychological trauma of the unemployed to no avail. However,
(Zawadzki&Lazarsfeld 1935) studied the autobiographies of fifty-seven (57)
unemployed and he discovered that there are only six psychological stages that the
unemployed passed through. He said that the first stage is dismissal which is
characterized by feeling of injury alongside with distress and fears etc., the second
stage is numbness and apathy, the third stage is characterized by calmness as well as
increase in steadiness where the unemployed regains a balance because the
unemployed got used to the situation that they found themselves relying mostly on
good fate coupled with their own ability hoping that in no distance time they will get
something doing. In the fourth stage, the unemployed will again get weaker especially
when the unemployment prolongs while stage five sets in when the solutions are
rather getting harder than expected as savings are getting depleted and hopelessness
will set in and results to fears of the unknown situation and emergence of thought of
suicide. The last and final stage is dumb apathy, and the muddle course thinking
swinging in-between hope and hopelessness.
126
Though, the findings of the present study as per the second theme for objective
two on psychological feelings of the unemployed youths in Nasarawa State do not
serially followed the (Zawadzki&Lazarsfeld 1935) stages as captured by (Borrero
1980), most of the psychological issues enumerated by the informants during the face
to face interview coded from the interview transcript, the findings reflects to a greater
extent most of the issues found in the (Zawadzki&Lazarsfeld 1935)’s six stages of
psychological trauma of the unemployed.
a. Feelings when no money to attend to personal and family needs
Psychologically, there is feeling by the unemployed most especially when they are
handicapped financially to meet their needs and to render assistance to their family
members. Almost all the informants shared this view on the issue however, only few
of them are selected for the purpose of the analysis of this sub-theme.
Informant 009 reacted thus:
Ok. Alright. In terms of financial support especially for my husband that being
the one that saw me through the degree program, to contribute as a mother, My
children, I can’t give them anything, I can’t contribute anything, and I can’t
afford anything. It’s very unm, it’s very uncomfortable unto me.
Financially, this informant said that one aspect of financial difficulty she is
facing is that she could not be able to support her husband since her graduation despite
the fact that the husband is the one that sponsored her in her degree programme. Also
she is unable to provide any financial help to her children as well even though the will
to give is there. She finally concluded by saying that the situation is very
uncomfortable for her as a wife and as a mother.
In continuation of the revelation of the informants on the financial difficulties

they faced as a result of unemployment, Informant 004 also pointed out that:
127
Yeah, it’s really affecting me. It has affected me in so many ways ahnnn as a
lady, I need to take care of my hair, buy clothes and many other things as in
contributing to the family too. But as it is I cannot do anything. I am just
looking at myself as a liability, that’s just the truth. It’s not encouraging, I am
not happy seeing myself this way. I am not happy. That is just the truth, I am
not happy at all. At times I will feel like my going to school is a waste of time
The informant declared that unemployment really affected her in several ways
financially because as a lady she is unable to take care of herself, buy cloths and many
other things she would have buy. She equally added that the truth she could not be
able to contribute anything for the upkeep of her family as well. She lamented of the
unemployment situation and described her existence as a liability. She concluded that
generally the situation is not encouraging and deeply she is not happy and further
reemphasized that she is not happy at all and almost tempted to say that the school she
went a waste of time.
In a related development, Informant 005 is another contributor to the

information obtained from the field relating to the financial difficulties being faced by
the unemployed in Nasarawa Nigeria under study. This is what the informant said:
I actually feel embarrassed, because for the fact that somebody has invited you
to come and maybe support him in one way or the other and financially you
are not capable, uhumm it looks so embarrassing, so I feel so embarrass
anytime I find myself in such social gathering because I feel I am not part of
the people that are really ah meant to offer help, so I feel very embarrassed.
The informant’s main contention over the financial predicament he is facing as

a result of unemployment is that he felt highly embarrassed for his inability to support
celebrants in social gatherings after having received invitation. In this regard the
informant said he felt so embarrassed and indeed, regarded himself as one created that
could not be able to help but to be helped.
128
Still on the financial difficulties of the unemployed in solving needed

problems, Informant 006 claimed as follow:
It affects me negatively of course you don’t get what you want at that time you
know. And even occasionally, you need something, something good but due to
lack of finance you step back.
The informant also like some other informants earlier in this subtheme also
admitted that unemployment has affected him negatively on the basis that financial
handicap has rendered him helpless in very many areas of life endeavors ranging from
getting what is needed at a particular point in time especially something good,
something very important. Furthermore, Informant 006 asserted that:
You see you need to clothe yourself, you need to look good. You need to
clothe yourself, wear a good shoe, looking good but of course money. You
know, everything good needs money. So all sort of that, I manage with the one
I know I can afford. But it wasn’t easy at all. So that. It’s not good at all.
Informant 006 in addition expressed his feelings over the financial difficulties
that unemployment has meted to him. He enumerated all the things he would have
needed which include clothing, making oneself looking good, wear good shoes etc,
but he said he could not afford all these because the money is not there for him to use
in buying the needed items. He summed up by saying that knowing he could not
afford to buy the listed items due to lack of money, he goes for the ones he could
afford to buy however, he lamented that life is not at all easy with him and at the same
time, that type of condition he found himself is not really good at all to be frank.
Similar to earlier discussions under this sub-heading by other informants,

Informant 007 on his part has indicated that:
I feel bad whenever I see something I need and I want to buy and the money is
not there, honestly speaking at times I feel like going mad. That’s just it, just
as in about over an hour now, I mean something I saw and that thing is so
129
precious and very good thing and I know that it will help my life but then I
look at it and the money is not there so how will I do. In fact, tears almost
came out of my eyes that’s just it.
The points that emanates from the view of Informant 007 during the sharing of
his live experience of financial difficulties due to unemployment include feeling bad
because he could not be able to buy what he need at a particular point and
consequently he said he felt like running mad because those things he is unable to buy
are very precious and good to him particularly to his life but alas, the money is not
available. He therefore, rhetorically asked, and the money is not there so how will I
do? In providing the answer to his question he said, “in fact tears almost came out of
my eyes that’s just it”. While this informant was narrating his ordeals, tears formed a
cloud in his eyes and this proved apparently the pains and torture of financial
difficulties he is passing through due to lack of job.
One other informant who reechoed his financial predicament before the
researcher is Informant 007. He put his opinion across in this form.
Financial difficulty is really affecting my life I have told you that earlier. At
times may be there are a lot of things I need to do but then the money is not
there. And the money is not there, so it’s really is affecting me seriously I
don’t even know how or where to start from. I keep going here and there
begging uncles and aunties. They too at times they will even get tired of me so
it’s really affecting my life seriously
Openly, clearly and concisely, Informant 007 highlighted that financial

difficulties are actually affecting him seriously because he is prevented from getting
all that he needed to buy, with money. In fact, he said that it is indeed, difficult for
him to even know where to start from in narrating his ordeal. All he knew according
to him is that he depends on begging his uncles and aunties but even they are tired of
him and that indeed is making his life miserable.
130
Furthermore, informant 017 in his own way stated his lamentation over
unemployment experience as follow:
For example, I consider myself, am not responsible, do not have work doing to
help myself and family. Alright, go ahead, because there are a lot of things that
I am supposed to put on the table but because of the unemployment I have not
been able and up to now as a man which am supposed to be, maybe probably
by now if am employed I should be in my own house but up till now I am in a
rented house, home of which there are so many challenges that have been
coming up in the rented house which have been causing so many crisis
between my family and other neighbors.
Informant 017 sees himself as an irresponsible man based on the

unemployment experience. According to him, he is supposed to provide for himself,
family and render assistance to others as well contributing his quota to the
development of the community but he is being restricted to do so due to his status of
unemployment. His expression and view reveals an inner disturbance and burden and
the desire to work and to do the needful as all responsible people. He is also feeling
bad for being in a rented house up to date. This means the young man has a dream and
that must be the reason why he sees himself based on the unemployment status as not
being responsible as regards to his functions as a man. This also means unemployment
delays and destroys people’s dreams in life, the expression of this informant is a good
example as regards to this. If he had had employment since the time he graduated
from the university nothing would have stopped him from implementing his vision in
life to own a personal house. Unemployment therefore is indeed a killer and destroyer
of visions or dreams of youths in Nasarawa state, Nigeria.
Similar to the findings from the field for this subtheme, previous study that
was carried out in Sweden claimed that a respondent bitterly complained that
psychologically he is not comfortable in the family house because he would actually
want to make financial or other contributions to the family but could not and even
when going on holiday, it is the ones who have a job that still pays for him and that
things like that could be psychologically stressful ((Hiswåls et al. 2017).
131
Also, Pep Employment Services(Thomsen 2007) in its argument stated that

one of the problem of the unemployed is that they lacked financial support for their
homes and for other purchases and that this is causing a serious hardship for them.
Furthermore, another study conducted in Australia (Taylor 2002) has shown

that where the breadwinner in a family is unemployed, the economic impact on the
family would be severe for the individuals as well as with social problems and also it
would have ripple effects on the family. Indeed, statistics through this study has it that
in the year 2000 there were over 300,000 families with children below the age of 15
and each of these families were unemployed persons while evidence shown that one-
third of the unemployed families were living in poverty as the unemployed parents
were not able to provide adequately to their families (Taylor 2002)
Lastly, a study conducted in Poland, its investigation found out that at the
initial stage of unemployment, there will be worsening financial situation of the
household and when the lack of work or employment is prolonged, poverty will set in
((Zawadzki&Lazarsfeld 1935).
From the revelations made by the previous studies, there are supportive
evidences to prove that invariably personal and family lives of the unemployed are
influenced by financial stress during the course of unemployment not only among the
unemployed youths in Nasarawa State Nigeria under study but among all shades of
unemployed persons globally. Indeed, from the supportive evidences of previous
studies, when the unemployment becomes a long term one or prolonged, the personal
and family financial predicament will not only become worse but the financial strain
will slide into poverty. Therefore, what the present study discovered was not a totally
different situation from what was obtainable globally.
b. Feelings about inability to be credit worthy due to financial difficulties
In this subtheme, the researcher packaged the complaint made by some informants as
per the financial difficulties they are passing through due to unemployment in relation
132
to their inability to be credit worthy. This complains is peculiar to Informant 007. See
the complaints of the informant below:
Hmmmm, it has not been easy. The financial aspect of it is, I don’t even know
how to classify it. It has not been easy. You can’t borrow money; nobody can
lend you money to take care of yourself. You can’t borrow anywhere. Even
when you go to them or maybe neighbors, I want to borrow money they will
say, when you will even pay us so why are you coming. Ummmummm, they
will not even give you because they know you don’t have any work so how are
you going to pay?
This informant complained that the worst aspect of the unemployment on him
is that he cannot even borrow money from anyone because nobody is comfortable to
lend him the money because they knew he has no job and therefore, the possibility of
paying back is very narrow. They got him discouraged from borrowing through
several questions such as why do you want to borrow money? when are you going to
pay the money back? How will you pay back the money? Unfortunately, he is not
always able to provide a convincing answer to all these questions therefore; he is
schemed out of borrowing. As a result, he concluded that it is not really easy.
In a similar complain, informant 016 stated his distress over his inability to be
credit worthy as thus:
Yes, I have said it before now. In Nigeria, when you are not employed, people
don’t regard you, and because they don’t regard you they don’t loan or borrow
you money to solve some problems. Your family too don’t see you as anything
and they only assist you with daily food instead of borrowing you since they
feel you don’t have work doing to pay back as soon as possible, every other
person looks down on you because they believe in financial buoyancy and
unemployment denies one of financial buoyancy in Nigeria, that is the sad
experience.
133
As stated by informant 007 of his inability to borrow money due to his

unemployment status, informant 016 too has a similar problem or challenge. He
regards his inability to borrow money even from close relations and the entire
community as a sad experience in life as far as unemployment experience is
concerned. According to him, Nigerians, Nasarawa state people do not borrow money
to unemployed youths because they don’t have anything doing as a collateral they
may use to guarantee them for payment of such loans. The implication of this action is
that they, the unemployed youths are being seen as not credit worthy for loans to be
given coupled with the fact they are being despite by Nigerian society. Humanly,
anybody passing through such terrible experience as other informants consider it, will
definitely feel sad as the informant rightly stated it. This therefore, may lead to
frustration, and suicide tendency especially as the society does not value them and
openly shows this to these unemployed youths in Nasarawa state.
Furthermore, informant 017 stated his lamentation over his inability to borrow
money. Here is what said as his frustrated unemployment experience:
Ok, you know they said that eh the society that we are in now one does no
longer depend on government to give you before you eat so everybody tries to
be an entrepreneur but in this sense that you don’t have finance, you can’t get
loan from people because you are unemployed, you don’t have back up, how
do you start up, do you see the frustration and the difficulty? You might have
some visions; you might have some things in mind to do but because the
finance is not there you can’t do anything. You find yourself you know,
running from all looks and corners and nothing happens.
Informant 017 stated and explained his difficulty and frustration as a result of
not being able to borrow money to start business as a way out of his unemployment
challenges. As explained and started by other informants why they were denied of
loan from their families and community, the same result reason was given to
informant 017. That his unemployed status cannot guarantee him loan as the date of
payment is not certain and cannot be determined on a situation of a man that is
unemployed. Though, he has a vision and dream but it cannot be implemented for lack
134
of finance as it is now and it is only future can tell. The informant is helpless though
with an entrepreneurship zeal to alleviate himself from unemployment and its
difficulties but his being not credit worthy has crippled him and according to him he is
frustrated and is in difficulty.
While the researcher could not be able to lay his hands on any previous
literature that could be used to serve as a supporting document to this subtheme,
however there is a similar study that is closely related to this subtheme and which
could be used to serve as a backup to the subtheme accordingly. According to this
study, and conducted by (Okurut et al. 2011) in Botswana on credit rationing and
small business development in Botswana, it reported of the difficulties most of the
young persons had in their attempt to obtain loan from the state established
corporation that was solely instituted to alleviate the young people of their poverty
due to unemployment and to boost the economics of their nation. Conditions attached
to the loan were not easily being fulfilled by most of the poor young persons,
especially the expected experience they wished them to have had, credit history and
more of such. At the end most of them were considered not credit worthy for the
applied loans, and this made them more frustrated and more miserable as they were
left to face life without hope of earning a living. In this case, both the Nigerian
unemployed youths and the poor youths in Botswana had obstructions towards
obtaining loans due to the fact that they were not credit worthy based on their
unemployment status, or they had no collateral to guarantee them the applied loans.
The informant complained of not being credit worthy to be able to get money
from the people and use it to take care of himself because the people knew that he
cannot afford to pay back the money since he is jobless. This “taking care of
himself” is an aspect of quality of life. Quality of life is defined as multidimensional
with many factors which are subjective and objective in appeal and it reflects a
defined level of satisfaction which may include material and spiritual as well as
health. It also includes the experiences that individuals get through failure and success
throughout one’s life time and it depends strongly on the life goals that individuals
chose and the sense of their achievement (Mcgregor et al. 2009). In this regard,
unemployment in this subtheme deprived the individual to achieve certain level of
135
satisfaction which he would have derived from the money if he would have borrowed
supposing he is credit worthy.
In view of the above therefore, not being credit worthy is one of the reflections
of the unemployed under financial distress and invariably the informant has a poor
quality of life as a result of not being able to care for himself/herself, the family and
life satisfaction.
c. Challenges on well-being due to poor financial stand
Well-being could be seen and considered as the state of one being healthy and happy,
or it is the experience of one that is in a good health, happy, and successful or
prosperous in life. According to (Dodge et al. 2012), well-being could be described as
being able and without restrictions in fulfilling one’s goals in life and this therefore,
gives him/her happiness, healthy mind as he/she is being considered successful in life.
The researcher equally discovered from the field that there are serious
challenges the unemployed are facing in relation to their well-being. This informant
004 described the situation:
It really affects my well-being because there is a time I was very ill and my
parents were not in town, they travelled and I am alone so it really affects me
then. I was sick, no money to take care of myself to go to the hospital, I almost
died. If not because as a neighbor just came in and then saw me in that
condition, she now decided to help me by giving me some money to go and
treat myself.
The informant described what he passed through at a time when his parents
were not at home with him while he was sick. He said it took the intervention of God
from a good neighbor who on sympathetic ground gave him some money to go to the
hospital for medical treatment otherwise wouldn’t know what would have happened.
In this condition of unemployment, the well-being of the individual is not determined
as it depends on the mercy of others.
136
Informant 008 on his part looks at the financial difficulty of the unemployed
from the perspective of lack of prosperity. He put his claim across thus:
Financial difficulty affects me, it affects me badly, it affects me badly in the

sense that as a young man you have prospects, and when you cannot meet with
those prospects, it becomes so worrisome and it becomes so bad. So I feel bad.
I feel bad.
Prosperity of the unemployed according to Informant 008 is retarded because

of financial challenges being faced by the unemployed. He described the situation as
worrisome, and indeed, so bad and without hiding his feelings, he said he feels really
bad about the situation. The implication of the experience of this informant is that, he
is being considered unsuccessful and he is emotionally attacked due to his inability to
meet up with his prospects in life and that was why he categorically stated that he felt
bad with his unemployment status.
Still on the well-being of the unemployed, Informant 011 presented his own
side of the story thus:
It has really affected us badly. And me particularly, alright. Just what I just
said that sometimes, I may like a particular thing, ok. But I can’t I won’t be
able to afford it because I don’t have the money. I may want to eat chicken
today but where is the money. The money is not even there sometimes so I just
keep quiet and just hope and wait that things will get better someday but it has
not been easy, it has even brought down the kind of person I am because like
me, I love things, I am the kind of person that love good things. Alright. But I
cannot express it because I don’t even have it so, is better to a low down.
The complaint of this informant boils down to his inability to get the things he
would like to have due to financial predicament arising from his unemployment. In
fact, he generalized his statement that the financial predicament really affected all
unemployed badly. The solution to his unfulfilled dream according to him is that he
137
had adopted a policy of keeping quiet and despite the fact that he is somebody that
loves to have good things.
Furthermore, informant 018 narrated his own side of the unemployment as

regards to its restriction towards achieving goals in life:
Hmmm, there are so many ways, so many ways, there are certain needs that
are meant to be done, that one ought to have taken care of but due to the
financial constraints, one just have to stay away. One has to stay at his lower
stage in terms of social responsibilities or in terms of responsibilities to
himself, his parents and siblings, one is still not capable of eating reasonably
and adequately in life. And more so when it comes to issue of contributions
and perhaps even in the church, or there is a limit to which I can do because
am restricted by my unemployment situation.
Informant 018 expressed a feeling of restriction towards achieving goals and

purposes in life, he started by saying there are so many things and needs he wishes to
accomplish in life but his unemployment status restricts him through his inability to
raise the require finance for each of the unmentioned needs and things. He regards his
present stage in life as a lower level, this must be the motivating factor why he
strategized plans to advance himself in life though he is an unemployed person but
finance was not available to implement his plans. He is not only restricted to advance
in life, but he is also restricted to buy good food and feed adequately as a normal
human being. Based on his detail explanation and lamentation on this, the informant
seems to be restricted in achieving and contributing in all aspects of life. Few of the
areas he mentioned as being restricted to do the needful are himself, his parents, his
siblings and the church he attends or goes to.
Scholars from previous studies acknowledged that one of the strongest thing
that have the strongest impact on well-being is unemployment status (Mckee-Ryan et
al. 2005; Wanberg 2012) and the impact usually extend beyond the period when
unemployment is over (Clark et al. 2001; Clark et al. 2008; Daly&Delaney 2013).
138
Similarly, a study conducted by (Ahn et al. 2004) and funded by European

Network of Economic Policy Research Institutes states that one of the most damaging
experiences on individual well-being especially among the working age bracket
population is unemployment status. The study further asserts that previous studies
had also confirmed to that and as well acknowledged that joblessness has the most
devastating consequences on individual well-being in both non-pecuniary and
pecuniary (Ahn et al. 2004).
In a related development, this study and funded by European Network of

Economic Policy Research Institutes (Ahn et al. 2004) maintains that through their
investigation there is a lasting and aggravating negative effects on all through the
period of unemployment. To prove further, the finding from this study declared that
there are great differences as per the effects of unemployment on the well-being of
individuals across the various countries of the world. The case of reference is in
Denmark and the Netherlands where evidence proved that unemployment effects is
fewer than as it is in other countries because of the regulations and functioning of the
labor market.
Deducing from the previous studies that was reviewed, it is evidently

unquestionable beyond measure that well-being of the individual unemployed is
influenced by unemployment in countries of the world. However, the effects of the
unemployment on the jobless is not the same across countries of the world based on
the existing and non-existing packages of benefits coupled with the effectiveness and
efficiency of the labor market policies and mechanisms of the government of the
various countries of the world. Therefore, countries where there is the well-being of
the individuals unemployed is highly affected negatively more are those countries
without any unemployment benefit to cushion the effects of the joblessness. Nigeria is
one of such countries with no single effective and efficient institutions, benefits
policies or packages for the unemployed therefore, no wonder the negative impacts
are extremely high on the unemployed youths in Nigeria as revealed by the
information obtained from the unemployed informants that were involved and
engaged in the investigation in Nasarawa State Nigeria which indeed is similar to all
the states in Nigeria.
139
As discovered by scholars, it is also pertinent to note that apart from the

effectiveness and the efficiency of the unemployment labor market and benefits of
unemployment, several other factors exist in different countries of the world that
aggravate the negative consequences of unemployment on the unemployed or those
referred to as joblessness (Browning et al. 2003) Other previous studies argued that it
is the physical, emotional and mental damage that are the severe negative effects on
the well-being during unemployment (Ahn et al. 2004; Clark&Oswald 1994;
Goldsmith et al. 1996). In a nutshell, it could be said that the well-being of the
unemployed is affected by different factors during the period of unemployment
ranging from economic, social, political, and many more. Therefore, it is on this note
that the well-being of the individual unemployed could be understood globally and
even in Nigeria and particularly in Nasarawa State that is under investigation in this
study.
d. Inability to further education and development due to lack of fund
The researcher in the course of inquiry in the field also discovered that some of the
informants face financial difficulty which affected their further education. Informant
005 acknowledged thus:
It affects me generally. Alright. One has financial difficulty, I am facing, has

actually prevented me from even furthering my education. Alright. As it is
now I am supposed to update myself by, actually enrolling for my masters.
Alright, but for the fact that I don’t have the financial you know the finance so
to speak I cannot do that. Eyaa. Sometimes ah like where I am putting in now,
I am renting the place and it’s difficult for me to pay now, like my house rent,
so I am not finding it easy at all
Financial difficulties affected the pursuit of further education by the informant

based on the testimony of this informant. He lamented as the time of conversation
with the researcher the he should have enrolled for his master degree programme but
unfortunately he was unable to due to financial challenges. He also said that the
140
financial challenges extend to his inability to pay his house rent and concluded that
honestly life is not easy with him.
In a similar manner, informant 019 complained on the difficulty he faces as

regards to his plan towards further development as follow:
Yes, it does, it does because it is when you are planning well to do, it is ah it’s
said finance is the blood of business. Whatever thing you are planning, is
hooked on, no matter the beautiful ideas you have, you can put that beautiful
idea on ground looking at thinking of something what to do to improve your
life, but other finances will fold it up and you find yourself going below what
you were. So, the unemployment brings you below your level. Yes, you don’t
have better future except somebody assist you in doing something otherwise
your idea will be so beautiful, so wonderful, but no finance to implement it. So
you find yourself either remaining on where you are or you drop below the
level you are. Or you deteriorate, you deteriorate more and more. Yes, that’s
what one going through daily.
Informant 019 stated why finance is prominent in achieving a planned program

for advancement in life. The eagerness of this informant to fly high in life, though his
unemployment status acts as obstacle towards his plans as he does not have work
doing to earn money. According to him, money is the blood of business, and that no
matter how laudable a plan may be, without money its implementation would not be
possible. He added that an unemployment experience is that which deteriorates from a
low level in life to a lower level. The implication is that unemployed person goes from
bad to worst on the daily basis. He concluded that due to this daily deterioration,
unemployed youths in Nasarawa state don’t have better future and that positive
change can only occur when somebody may wish to assist these unemployed persons
with finance contribution or when they are employed.
Informant 020 pointed to lack of finance in his narration as an obstacle to his

education and further development. This is how he said it:
141
Yes, you know a lot of things you want to do, you won’t be able to do it. I
have said it before; all my bills I want to take care of them I will not. If you
want to further your education because education is the back bone of every
society and the more you acquire it is an investment that you cannot ah eh be
able to quantify it, so with unemployment you can’t be able to do this, why
because you don’t have financial because in Nigeria research work are not
being sponsored by government, most of the research work are done by the
individuals with their finances.
Informant 020 seems to have much developmental plans for a better future, but
was able to clearly stated and specified education as one of such. He said he would
have taken care of his numerous unmentioned plans but could not do so as each
requires him toraise finance in which he is not able to provide or raise due to his
unemployment status. He sees education as the backbone of development of all the
societies of the world, and he is greatly worry that he and other unemployed youths in
Nasarawa state are not able to further their education because of their incapacitate
situation. Though, the informant wasn’t much open on the effect of him and other
unemployed youths having difficulty in furthering their education as the backbone of
development. He must have been inwardly weeping for the resultant effect on their
children and their younger ones that they were supposed to be helping by them.
This sub-theme is part of the discoveries made from the investigation that was
carried out to establish the influence of the financial difficulties of the unemployed in
Nasarawa State. The informants’ major financial constraint in the period of
unemployment they found themselves is the inability to further their education when
the job is not there for them to do to earn a living after their graduation, their
incapacitation to pay his house rent to the house owner.
Though, the present study is not able to get a suitable literature to justify the
financial constraints on the part of the unemployed to further their education but it is a
fact that financial difficulties obstructs the development of the unemployed persons,
however educational advancement could be one of such development. There exists a
research (Acosta-Ballesteros et al. 2014) conducted in Spain to justify that there is a
142
relationship between unemployment and educational development. The discovery

made by the study is that unemployment is possible for those with lower level of
education. Invariably therefore, those with lower level education hardly leave job
because of the fear of not getting new one so they hardly further their education. Also,
the study revealed that graduates with the higher qualification especially university
degree holders that is related to health and welfare stands the chance of securing job.
The next most probably acceptable qualification is science and technology then social
sciences based on the claim by the study (Acosta-Ballesteros et al. 2014). Inversely,
the finding from the previous study shows that there is a link between the previous
study and the present study as per the relationship between unemployment and
education. From the field for this study it was discovered that the informants could not
further their education because of lack of money due to unemployment. From the
previous studies too there is evidence that unemployment is associated with the level
of educational attainment.
e. Lack of proper medication in time of ill health
The predicament of the unemployed also extends to lack of medical treatment due to
lack of money. Informant 006 shared this experience with the researcher in the
following words:
Of course it affects me to some considerable extent. Negatively because you

know when someone is living well you should know. At times he may feel
sick. Alright. But to get a proper medication for yourself and other things,
alright. Ah. Ok. You know you are not employed, you visit ah hospital but due
to lack of financial buoyancy something of that nature, you visit the nearest
chemist which could not even provide, facilitate in any test, who could not
really help. Who could not really dictate what is really the matter with you, ok.
Or they will give you a kind of medicine just to suppress it.
The informant stated that one predicament of financial constraints imposed on

the unemployed like him is that even while they are sick they hardly go to the hospital
143
and have a good medical attention because of the expected cost therefore, they go to
chemist to just but drugs that may only suppress the sickness.
Informant 003 also opined that:
Well let me even tell you the worst of all, they say health is wealth, that’s
alright, and somehow I am even having a health challenge, wow that I must
not mention to you but because of this problem I am telling you sometimes
even to go for this medical check-up is a problem because you keep dying in
silence and who will you cry to? And that is the situation I find myself
The situation of this informant based on his view is a very pathetic one. He
narrated that he is currently (in the course of the interview) suffering from health
challenges that he refused sharing with the researcher. Despite this health challenge he
said, he does not go for medical checkup and no treatment due to financial difficulty,
so he keeps dying in silence. He concluded that that is the situation he found himself.
In his narration of the health challenge as result of unemployment, informant

021 stated this as thus:
Ummm, it does, it does in the sense that at times even the basic necessities of
life often times one is not been able to provide as one ought to alright. And
take the issues of health for instance, at times you have to manage certain
illnesses simply because you can’t even afford some standard medical bills so
you intend to go for the lesser, ah where you’ll get the lesser charge, even
when you are sure you can, you will not get the best of treatment there. And
more so in terms of your feeding, it even affects the kind of food you eat. Ok,
when you suppose to eat a good balance diet, you will just manage whatever
comes your way because of the financial constraints.
This informant has a similar pathetic challenge like informant 003, the both
have health difficulties and don’t have financial capacity that could enable them to
adequately handle their cases. Informant 021 as he related to the researcher, he has
144
serious health problems that needed proper medication, but he goes for cheap
medication even though he knows the illness was not going to be adequately taken
care. According to him, he goes for cheap medication because he can’t afford the
needed money as result of his unemployment status. He added that the same situation
applies to his feeding as well as he said he doesn’t feed on balance diet as a result to
his unemployment status. He concluded that he manages illness and his feeding
because of the financial constraints as his predicament in life.
Furthermore, informant 022 stated his health predicament as result of

unemployment as follow:
Honestly it affects me a lot because most times, or sometimes when you fall
sick, ordinarily, you need some medication and the money is not there that is
how you just feel, you will just accept the pains, feeling the pains but there is
not solution to solve the issue.
Informant 022’s narration is short and very brief, but very sad and pathetic,
that often times when he falls sick he resolved to accept and endure the pains instead
of going for medication which is not possible with him as he can’t afford to raise
money as a result of his unemployment challenge. He concluded by saying that he just
accepts feeling the pains as he knows he doesn’t have the solution. That is too terrible
and unimaginable that a man has resolved to either live or he dies due to
unemployment predicament, no wonder, many of the unemployed youths attempted
suicide as they feel there is no reason for living while there are obstructions towards
them achieving goals of life as a result of unemployment.
Informant 023 stated her health challenge and difficulty as a result of

unemployment as thus:
It ahh it affects my health, at times when I fall sick like getting my

medication, eh you know most especially as am unemployed it is difficult. At
times like if not that I am fully down I hardly go for medication because have
no money, where will I even have the fund to go and take care of some
145
sicknesses, I should go for medical check – up, I don’t go. It is either when I
am fully down then one will come what is wrong with you, what is your
problem? I don’t know my problem I don’t know what is happening, I am
feeling feverish that like which way I am supposed to take care of myself,
think of how to like carry some kind of medical check – up on my own. I don’t
have the fund. And at times you will find it that even have the clothe that I will
be putting on I hardly change those clothes. I will like wash, keep them dry at
time there is provision for ironing, I will iron you know, changing things like
that. It has not been easy.
Informant 023’s narration on her difficulty in obtaining medication is pathetic

and touching. According to her, getting medication or going for treatment whenever
she falls sick it has not been easy due to her incapacitation situation that necessitate by
her unemployment status. Major reason she has for not seeking for medication is that
she doesn’t have money, or else she would have been going for check-ups and the
related medication. She added that it is only when she completely down that a relation
or a good Samaritan seeing her down that would ask and get her appropriate
medication. She concluded her unemployment experience she is passing through is not
easy.
It is important to note that this subtheme provided pathetic views of some

unemployed youths in Nasarawa State who are suffering from due to unemployment
which as a result could not afford any money to take care of themselves when they are
sick. This is as a result of the economic crisis in their lives. Previous study has proved
that that there is a significant relationship between economic crisis and increased
illness with particular emphasis among families that are facing unemployment in
Spain (Extremera&Rey 2016; Urbanos-Garrido&Lopez-Valcarcel 2015).
Other previous studies have acknowledged that unemployment is likely to be

connected to well-being or health issues in different ways as well as studies from
different countries have also proved that the effect varies between groups. For
example, (Artazcoz et al. 2004) discovered that implication on mental health are
distributed on unequal basis among different kind of social class, gender and social
146
class. In addition, (Kira&Klehe 2016) in a study identified that loss of work usually
causes disruption in the continuity as well as control of selfhood.
From the above sum of the submission made by previous research, it is clear to
note that it is not only from the present study that reveals that health challenge is one
of the financial difficulties that the unemployed suffer from but the claim is supported
by several studies. Therefore, the finding of the present study is similar to some of the
information obtained from the previous work of other scholars. Some previous studies
proved that there is a significant relationship between health problems and
unemployment as found out by a survey of (Mathers&Schofield 1998) as well as
psychological health based on research conducted by (Clark et al. 2001).
The summary of Psychological Feelings of the unemployed Youths in the

society which is the second theme is extensively discussed through several sub-
themes. In this theme, several discoveries were made and these include the feelings
when no money to attend to personal and family needs, feelings about inability to be
credit worthy due to financial difficulties, feelings on challenges of well-being due to
poor financial stand. Others include feelings on Inability to further education due to
lack of fund and lastly, feelings on lack of proper medication in time of ill health.
4.3.3 Societal Feelings Towards the Unemployed under Financial Difficulties
Diagram 4.7 Societal Feelings Towards the Unemployed under Financial Difficulties
147
(Hiswåls et al. 2017; Patton 2005; Patton&Donohue 1998) used a qualitative

and quantitative method and studied the unemployed women and men in Australia and
the outcome of the study revealed that financial difficulties results to lack of social
contact, diminishing motivation, treatment and loss of confidence, feelings of guilt.
Similarly, (Björklund et al. 2015) in their research also discovered that among the
unemployed using the Finish men, stated that unemployment is generally
characterized by exclusion from society, shame, feelings of worry and guilt.
In line with the previous studies, this third theme, the unemployed informants
in Nasarawa State under study revealed different perspectives of how different kinds
of people in the society regard them under financial difficulties as a result of their
joblessness. Their views are hereby presented thus in different subthemes.
a. Parents, Family and Spouse feelings for and about the unemployed in a family
One of the aspects of financial difficulties on the part of the unemployed identified by
the informants that are peculiar to most of the informants based on their view is lack
of respect of the unemployed in their family particularly from their younger ones.
From the point of view of previous study, it has been posited that unemployment is
not only a life event that affects the loser of the job but the impacts of the joblessness
spill-over to the social network of the unemployed such as the family members.
Similarly,(Nikolova&Nikolaev 2018) also said that many people have commented as
a result of their investigation that loss of job is likely to have a catastrophe high
negative economic and psychological effect on them and their families. It results to
lower earning or income, and meeting the family’s needs becomes a problem and long
lasting unhappiness. For this affects the people directly, and the negative
psychological effect of joblessness is capable of affecting both children and spouses
(Nikolova&Nikolaev 2018). In view of this observation, let’s see the discovery made
from the field in Nasarawa State.
Below is the view of some of the informants on the matter.
Informant 003 said this:

148
..I said financial difficulty affects me a lot a lot because I am one kind of
person that I don’t believe on somebody to give me something. And because I
don’t have the money and even the job you must have the something doing
before the money will come. Alright, now that I don’t have the job and money
is not coming and I have so many challenges, challenges the way I mentioned
earlier, I have challenges of taking care of my family in terms of providing
food for them, ummm, I have challenges in terms of buying clothing for them,
and I have challenges, my paying of my son’s school fees, I have challenges of
meeting, I am the eldest son, I have other younger ones that even at this
situation I am telling you they still hope and thinking you will meet up with
their demand in one way or two ways but you cannot meet up with their
demands, sometimes you don’t earn their respect, they talk to you anyhow
without respect because you are not affecting their lives and to whom you are
not affecting his life you cannot command him to do anything to you, you
cannot tell him to do anything for you, except he decide to do it and that is the
experience I am facing presently as I talk to you now.
Informant 003 pointed out that normally the unemployed is expected to have
been up and doing in providing finance to take care of issues within the family but he
was unable to due to unemployment and financial difficulties therefore, this erode
their respect for him in the family who are looking up to him. In conclusion he said
that he is not capable of commanding them to do anything except the ones they
decided to do themselves and he further asserts that while talking to the researcher he
is still facing the same predicament.
One other thing that was discovered in the course of the interview with
informants is the revelation about the uncomfortable posture of the parents of the
unemployed youths over their children joblessness. These are the comments of some
of the parents regarding the unemployment issue of their children. Informant 004
commented that:
Well, in terms of my parents I think they understand with me and they try to
like get me something if there is anywhere they know that they are recruiting,
149
they try to give me the information so that I can submit my CV. Well, I don’t
think that they are really happy but it’s not their fault as in they wish me well.
They wish they can get something for me to do.
This informant in his submission admitted that the parents did understand with
him as shown by their efforts being made to scout for job for them at different times.
In the light of this therefore, the informant believed that the parents are not happy
seeing him in the condition of joblessness. The wish of the parents is that he should
get something doing.
Furthermore, informant 021 explained and stated how he manages and

resolves crisis in his family as a result of his unemployment predicament:
Well, by the grace of God, the family, my family knew that when I had job
they were, I took very good care of them. And because of that I always sit
them down to educate them that look, this is the situation we find ourselves, is
the question of we being patient. Whatever little things we have, let’s manage
it because we are looking at something better, we are looking at tomorrow that
may be better so it’s an understanding. It is the question of the approach. I
have that approach and because we are all Christians, we belong to a good
Christian faith where the word of God helps us to have understanding of the
changes in life. I am not saying that no conflict but the conflict is understood
because of the circumstances that we are, at times you say you don’t have but
it’s a necessity. Children school fees you cannot say you don’t have and they
must go to school, and then there will be conflict so what you do in that case.
No matter what you preach, you must one way or the other either go to borrow
or liaise with the people to assist you at that point until you will be able to
argument but there is always understanding that we don’t have at that moment
but we will continue to manage with and trust God.
Informant 021 stated and explained how crisis created in his family as a result
of unemployment was managed and resolved. With what he explained, it is
understood that unemployment created lacks of necessities of life to him and the
150
family. The first thing he did in managing the crisis was to remind them how he was
caring and providing them with necessities of life and expected them to see his
inability of providing for them was not an intentional act. He concluded that what
helps most in his present predicament is the teachings of the Bible and the entire
family’s trust in God that he would change things for better in future.
In the narration of the similar crisis created by unemployment, informant 017

stated how it all started in his family. Below is his explanation:
Well, actually for now the way it has been affecting my relationship with my
children and eh my wife is that for now honestly my wife is supposed to go to
school to forge ahead with her education but because I am unemployed I am
jobless, I have not been able to eh send her to school of which she is still
looking at it as if I am not responsible as a man. Or that I am not interested. It
affects me badly because for one occasion, we’ve ever had a serious quarrel,
because after talking to me that I promised to take her to school to forge her
education, she was looking as if I am just flattering at her and as a result of that
sometimes she misbehaves at home looking as if I am not, I don’t want to
comply with the promises, I don’t want her to further her education. As a result,
when we have, anytime we have misunderstanding, definitely everybody will
go on his own way, even if I go near her, she will not even submit to me.
With the lamentation of informant 017, it is very clear that his family is on fire
with the negative feeling of the wife as regards to the husband inability to provide for
the family and to keep to his promises due to his unemployment status. With his
narrative, the family does not trust and has much regards for him anymore, neither
does his words hold water especially as he is being considered as an irresponsible
fellow. The most serious and painful thing in his distress is that the conflict in the
family affects their matrimonial relationship as he said even if I go near her, she will
not even submit to me. It is serious and terrible for this informant; his case is a good
example of the painful experiences unemployed youths in Nasarawa state are passing
through on the daily basis with their families due to their inability to adequately
provide for them.
151
Previous scholarly study in the United State which uses data that was collected
from 50 in-depth interviews to prove the emotional demands that men’s
unemployment produced for other people other than the unemployed men has
admitted that there are two types of emotion work that wives of the unemployed do.
These include self-focused and other-focused. The self-focused and other focused is
both facilitators in the process of unemployment arduous search process for a white
collar job (Rao 2017). In this study, there are extensive evidences that the wife
(spouse) feels more emotional during unemployment of their husband and as such
they made efforts to ensure that the husband gets another job. This is a clear indication
based on this study that the wives feel so worry when their husband is unemployed
and facing financial crisis. Like the findings of this subtheme, the female informants
informed the researcher that they feel so compassionate for their husbands who are
unemployed.
Evidence from previous study reveals that job loss as a result involuntary
affect both the loser but both the mothers, fathers and not only that it affects the
children but it has a great negative consequence even in children’s behavior in school
as well as academic achievement of the children (Bowen&Finegan 2015). Apart from
the fact that the joblessness of the unemployed affects the parents and children as
demonstrated by the previous study, it is good to note that the parents in particular are
worried and concerned for their unemployed children as recorded from the
unemployed that are used for this present study. Their main concern is that despite
their tertiary education attended and certificate obtained accordingly, they could not
stand on their own financially.
b. Friends and neighbors’ feelings about the unemployed under financial

difficulties
Friends and neighbors are some of the people living in the society where the
unemployed are staying with. Let’s see their own feelings about the unemployed
persons around them based on what was extracted from the views of some of the
unemployed persons that were interviewed in the course of this investigation.
Informant 011 argued that:
152
My friends and my neighbors, just that I cannot really contribute to in terms of

neighbor maybe in terms of bills or other things in the house or other things. I
cannot contribute because I can’t come out boldly and talk because really I am
not doing anything. I am just like a liability I don’t want to be a liability to
them or something.
The main concern of the informant is that he cannot come out boldly among
his friends and his neighbors because he is jobless, he cannot afford to contribute
anything and as such he sees himself as a liability and burden to them and that he
doesn’t want to be.
Informant 024 narrated her unpleasant experience she has with friends and
neighbors as result of her unemployment:
Because nothing good is coming towards me because of the lack of

employment. Once we are together with my friends and neighbors, they used
to say that what’s my own contribution towards the development of the
community? I feel very painful at the question and I always feel disgrace. so it
has been painful, it has not really been good relationship between me and them
because you don’t contribute to the family and the community.
In her narrative, informant 024 complained of the unpleasant experience she

receives from neighbors and friends as regards to a provocative question they use to
afflict her with whenever they meet. A question like the one her neighbors and friends
use to afflict her with is always being used in Nigerian society to silent someone as
he/she may want to contribute and disagree in a group discussion meaningfully. It is
those that proposed a view that she disagrees and may propose a better view that they
usually ask such a question so as water down her contribution. It is not only asked to
silent the individual, but to render the fellow useless and valueless in the community
as long as the person doesn’t contribute financially or materially to a community. The
implication of that question is that the informant shouldn’t have objected the view of
persons that have been contributing financially to the development of the community.
Though, her view may be as good as the best solution to the issue being discussed but
153
because she doesn’t contribute financially to the development of their land, she should
remain quiet in meetings like that. That is the humiliation unemployed youths go
through in Nasarawa state, Nigeria, and that is why the informant says that feels very
painful at the question and that she feels disgraced. She concluded that it has been
very painful as it has not really been a good relationship between her and the friends
and the neighbors because she doesn’t contribute to the family and the community due
to her unemployment status.
In a related experience, informant 025 related how he is being seen and

considered by his friends and neighbors as a result of unemployment:
Because, the friends, the neighborhood, the society, everybody is looking at

you as an unsuccessful person, someone who has no future because you don’t
have a job. So people look at you as you are not part of the society in short.
People look down on you because of this and by this you tend to begin to
nurture some ideas which one of it is to commit suicide so that you will just
die and go.
The brief narration of informant 025 portrays the frustration, insults and
humiliation unemployed persons go through in Nasarawa state, Nigeria. According to
this informant, his friends, and the neighbors see him as being unsuccessful in life,
someone that does not have future, or he is not part of the community. Added to the
way he is being classified by them, it is being practically demonstrated by the way
they live and relate to him by despising him to proof that he is useless and valueless.
He concluded that the experience and treatment meted on him by friends and
neighbors rises the thought of suicide so that he could die.
A study conducted by (Viviana et al. 2018) established that there is a recent

study that was conducted in Italy which proved that friendship outside the family is a
very essential source of support because the findings shows that in terms of intensity
based on the frequent assessment of the friend by the individual and the quality based
on the satisfaction derived from friendship relationship is positively related to life
satisfaction. From this study, there is a proven scholarly evidence that friends have
154
greater impact and influence on satisfaction and quality of relationship on individuals.

Premised on this scholarly claim, an individual who could not provide or contribute
anything positively cannot be seen as a friend where individuals could derive
satisfaction so no useful need to keep such friend. It is on this note that the informants
during the investigation in the field said they are unable to come out boldly among
their friends because they could not make any positive contribution to the relationship
with their friends because there was no satisfaction they are deriving from them
because they are jobless. Similarly, (Portes 1998; Viviana et al. 2018) also stated that
in the same way that economic capitals of the people are in the bank and human
capital is hidden in the brain of the people, social capital on its part is inherent in the
structure of their relationship with one another.
c. Community feelings about the unemployed under financial difficulties
Another important thing that the unemployed acknowledged during the interaction the
researcher had with them is that of the way the community viewed them due to their
financial predicament. Informant 011while elaborating on the issue expressed himself
that:
Well, with no regard, I must tell you the truth. No regard, with no regard
because just the way I say, when you have nothing to offer, people tend not to regard
you, wow, because even my neighbors, my neighbors, my friends, there are some of
my friends who are working, they are working, they feel you are not working, even if
they are in town sometimes, they may call some of our friends to go to a place where
they sit down, relax and enjoy themselves. Going there you may ask them of one or
two naira so with that they look at you, you feel inferior even going there you feel
inferior because you cannot meet up to their standards, wow. So sometimes you
always feel is better you stay back at home, stay on your own, think of how to better
your life, than even going there to make them feel a kind of ridicule you to zero.
As far as this informant is concerned, the community members where he lives

as unemployed has no human regard for them because he has nothing to offer due to
joblessness. The most disregards usually come from some of his friends who have job.
155
In most cases they hardly call them who are unemployed who have no money but they
called those who are working and they go out to relax together the informant
reiterated. The most reason behind their action (those who have job) of not calling on
the jobless is that they may think that on getting along with them the jobless may
demand some money from them. To avoid feeling inferior among the jobless the
Informant said they stay away from those who have job. Invariably, the informant is
trying to say that the unemployed and the employed have different classes and as such
they have little or nothing in common.
Similarly, Informant 004 also spoke along the line of informant 011. In his
own line of argument, he said:
I think in the aspect of the community, if there is anything that has to do with
financial contribution, even if they should tell me to contribute because I am
not working, because I am unemployed. Alright, there is no any financial
contribution that I can even give to them.
The relationship between the community and the unemployed is not in

common in the area of financial contribution because according to the informant, they
are jobless and have nothing to offer financially to the community.
Informant 005 while enumerating his own opinion about the relationship
between unemployed and the community said one striking thing. He said that apart
from being jobless and unable to render any financial assistance to the community, the
community tagged the unemployed as tugs and this is unfair as far as the unemployed
is concerned:
Yes, my community you know when really you are not at all, you are not you
not engaged in a particular job, and your community will definitely label you
as a thug because it is really not fair because you are not doing anything,
because you are unemployed citizen, you wake up in the morning, you go
around, and you have nothing to do, so they will look at you like somebody
who is not, eh you are not responsible at all so it’s affecting us psychologically
156
In his (Informant 005) conclusion he said that simply because they are jobless
they are regarded as irresponsible citizens and this has negative psychological
implications on the jobless in the community.
In community relationship with the unemployed, Informant 011 like all other
informants that shared their view on this issue said that financially, the unemployed
contributes basically nothing to the development of community. In fact, he said that
even if he is told to contribute he is totally handicapped to do so. This is exactly how
he put it across to the researcher:
I think in the aspect of the community, if there is anything that has to do with
financial contribution, even if they should tell me to contribute because I am
not working, because I am unemployed. Alright, there is no any financial
contribution that I can even give to them.
On this same issue, Informant 009 disclosed that:
Well, some people sees me, especially uneducated people, alright. They see
me as a liability to my husband. It’s only the educated ones know what you are
facing because they were into, they passed through what I passing through.
The informant said that as far as she is concerned the uneducated in their
community sees her as a liability to her husband however, according to her, the
educated citizens around who are working know what she is passing through having
scaled through such unemployment hurdles in the past.
Furthermore, informant 016 expressed his painful experience as thus:
My community as I am seeing, my community doesn’t honor you as

unemployed someone, they don’t honor you if you are not employed because
if you go out there, you and those people that didn’t even go to school you are
almost the same. That you, you have passed so many stages that they didn’t
pass, but the people in the community they will be thinking that you are all the
157
same because when you wake up in the morning you don’t have anywhere to
go to, you go to a place and sit down, they will just sit down from morning till
evening, and at times you too that you are unemployed you will be there with
them sitting because you don’t have anything to do, nowhere to go.
The community which this informant 016 lives does not value the unemployed
youths. According to the informant, his community doesn’t honor or regards
unemployed persons not just for the fact that they are unemployed, and cannot
contribute to the development of the community, but they are also classified as youths
that couldn’t go to school and at such don’t have job doing. The reason for such
classification is that youths that couldn’t go to school and don’t have job sit down
from morning till evening, and the same is applied to the others who schooled or being
to school but don’t have job.
Similarly, informant 018 stated how he is being treated by his community. He

stated that:
They see, they see me as not much valuable, those one that are close to me
that know me that really know what is happening, they still attach some values
but not all that much because I don’t have the fund and I don’t have, I have my
roles to play in the village, in the village, in the community, in my family but
due to, because of unemployment I don’t have anything to like sponsor that
role in order to enhance some things to their own expectations. So I at times if
you go to them, in a gathering like this, they will like make some arrangements,
and they do give attention to those ones that have the money or that are
working. That will be like answerable to their problems or their demands.
Informant 018 stated and explained his sorrowful experience he does receives
from his community due to his inability of contributing financially to the community.
According to him, his people do not value him though almost everyone is aware of his
efforts he makes to be engaged in any productive venture that would enable him earn
some money as desired. His pain is that despite the efforts he makes, attention is only
given to other youths who are working and could provide and donate financially to the
158
community. The informant is indeed worry as he feels there are roles he could play in
his community but his unemployment status is acting as a giant or as an obstacle
preventing him from implementing his dream.
In a bid to clearly understand the contextual factors as well as the experiences

of the unemployed in South Africa, (Du Toit et al. 2018) review thirteen qualitative
studies and in the final analysis, the results reveals that the broader society where the
unemployed stay, the surrounding community where they live, and the individual
unemployed as both actor and agent did not only have direct effect on the types of
experience that the unemployed individually passes through. In the recommendation
of this study, it was proposed that the unemployed need to be integrated into various
community subgroups and be allowed to be involve in the participation of projects
that will be targeted at not only empowering the community to strengthen it but also to
enhance equality among the members of the community and to propagate community
collaborative attitude. Furthermore, on the study’s recommendation, the social
scientists were enjoined to put in effort to market the idea to the people to ensure that
there is a shift from societal intolerance to tolerance for the unemployed and make the
people understand the realities of what the unemployed are facing which indeed is the
lack of job whereby the unemployed is surviving under severe hardship without any
means of income.
In another study (Aldrich&Dickie 2013; Sherman 2013), it was opined that

one other experience of unemployment by the jobless individuals is likely to be
affected by interpersonal as well as social contextual factors including stigmatization,
society’s unwillingness to comprehend the effects that unemployment is producing in
the life of the jobless (Aldrich&Dickie 2013; Fowler&Etchegary 2008; Patrick 2014;
Sherman 2013; Strier 2014; Zeng 2012)
A study carried out in Shanghai, China on the impact of unemployment on

young people’s social relationship has demonstrated that unemployment of the youth
has reduced their social contact and has enhanced their social networks with strong
peers but they are separated and segregated from the society which invariably returns
to less strong social support (Zeng 2012).
159
The deductions that could be made from the studies that were discussed is that
there is a clear evidence that the unemployed persons are not only facing a severe
stigmatization and real hard experience from the community and the society they
belong to. Premise on this, the studies proffered recommendations that the community
should come to the aid of the unemployment considering their pitiful, pathetic and
worrisome situation.
The situation in Nasarawa State Nigeria which is the very area of study for this
present research is akin to the findings of the previous studies that were used as a
supporting document. In view of this, the revelation made by the present study in
relation to this subtheme indeed exist in countries of the world that it is not a hidden
thing that the unemployed is in a state of dilemma in the hand of the community of
theirs.
4.3.4 General Effects of Financial Difficulties on Unemployed Youths
This theme examines the general effects that financial difficulties have on the
unemployed youths. In this section, some unemployed youths expressed their real live
situation on the effects of financial difficulties on the unemployed.
a. Financial difficulties on savings by the unemployed
In this sub-section, informants talked on the effects that financial difficulties have on
them in relation to savings. The summary is given thus:
Informant 008 disclosed that:
Why I will say I have savings account hoping as a family man, the little
struggling I am doing if I have like 2,000 naira, I do keep 1,000 naira there and
eat 1,000 naira because of any eventualities. Ok, there are circumstances that
may occur that I will want to go and deep my hand and carry the little one I
keep to take care of my family problems
160
The informant said that he actually has a little savings which he tried to save
from his meager resources but unfortunately the savings were drained due to family
issues he did have from time to time.
In a related difficulty of savings due to unemployment predicament, informant

017 stated his account as follow:
Where do you save from when you don’t have enough? What was saved while
working has been taken to solve problems in the family. If you have savings,
you will be doing better. But there is no savings. Ordinarily eh eh personal
pension insurance eh you cannot involve yourself because you cannot require
anything that require ehh periodic payment like life insurance, pension funds,
you won’t go into it because you can’t, there is no hope that you will meet up
the, the periodic payment premium. Ehhh. Alright, because you don’t have
regular income trickling into, to make you with that. So there is nothing called
savings for unemployed persons like us.
Informant 017 who was once working and had savings then got it exhorted as
result of his unemployment status. In his narrative, he said what he saved while
working was completely been used to take care of problems in the family as he was no
longer earning money. He added that since then he doesn’t save again because he
doesn’t have enough to take care of his family, and how much more of saving. He
lastly stated that unemployed persons like him don’t talk about savings since he
doesn’t earn money regularly and enough that could comfortably care for his family.
Informant 020 stated his inability to save as thus:
I don’t really have. I am not working. So how do you expect me to have

savings, I don’t have anything doing. Alright, the only thing I have if anything
comes to my ways from all these friends, like take this or from the casual job, I
will use it for my immediate needs, not to go and save it. I don’t have enough
for anything of that.
161
This informant 020 doesn’t have savings and she doesn’t seem to be planning
for that as soon as possible. Her reason is that she doesn’t have anything doing or a
stable job that generate income to her, and that her only sources of income are friends
and any causal job she may be opportune to do. She concluded that income realized
from these sources are been used for her immediate needs like food, clothing and
medication as they are not enough that she could plan to save some.
In her attempt to describe her inability to make savings, informant 024 stated
this:
I don’t have savings. Because, I don’t have enough money to take care of my
bills, how much more of savings.
Informant 024 was very brief and sharp explaining why she doesn’t have
savings. Her only reason is that she doesn’t have enough money to shoulder her
demands, how then could she plan to save.
Informant 025 discussed his difficulty of savings. Below is his explanation:
Yeah of course but my savings is nothing to write home about because it’s just
like hand to mouth to get and eat you know, you pay rent, you do some other
domestic, you pay bills, and your younger ones too are looking up to you so
you can’t be savings while they are there looking up to you. In another way, I
don’t have savings
Informant 025 made some savings which he feels it is nothing to write home
about, however, at the end of his discussion he feels it is like saying he doesn’t have
savings. He numerated different ways he spends his meager income on, like paying
his personal bills, and assisting his younger ones. He concluded that his situation is
such that could be best feeding himself and nothing more than that.
Scholars in previous studies in argument posited that it was acknowledged that

financial crisis proved that high number of low income countries have no provision
for income protection to workers in the case of loss of job. Also, in the emerging
162
developing countries of the world, the balance that exists between job and work
protection is in favor of the job (Robalino et al. 2009). As a result of the absence of
provision for income protection of workers, the study holds that when there is loss of
job by the workers, the little savings they have does not last and as such workers in
developing countries live in severe hardship and hopelessness. The situation is exactly
what the unemployed in Nasarawa State faced as a result of the unemployment and
job loss as revealed by the informants. The unemployed in Nasarawa State Nigeria
complained bitterly of having finished eating up their savings or don’t have enough to
save because of lack of job and that no provision for the unemployed by the
government of Narasawa State and Nigeria government.
b. Financial difficulties on prosperity of business of the unemployed
This subsection takes a look at the lack of prosperity of petty businesses embarked
upon by the unemployed youths. The leading person in this group is Informant 009.
Her view is presented below:
I have a husband but with the condition that our country, with the kind of
condition that our country is unto now, the country is not safe. As a business
man to open shop, nobody comes to buy something from you. You are having
children and wife, you can’t, you can’t meet your expectations, you can’t live
to take care of your responsibilities as a man. And as a woman sitting at home
doing nothing, when your husband comes back from shop, only one thing he
says you will be frustrated.
Informant 016 stated the frustration he encountered on his farming business.

Below is narration:
I moved into farming business to make myself, to feed through the farming
work. We farm, then the little we harvest we use it and sometimes we sell
some and the money there we use it to solve our problems. The farming itself
has problems because even the farming needs money and the money is not
there. So, we do it manually and it is not easy.
163
This informant embarked on farming business purposely to make a living

through it since he has been unemployed for the past five years. The farming business,
according to him aided him to an extend because he could feed and sales some to
solve some problems through it. But the lack of fund prevented him to go into
mechanize farming that would boost the business and yield in a greater dimension. He
concluded that due to his inability to raise the expected fund for mechanize farming,
manual type of farming makes it difficult and uneasy.
In a related situation, informant 023 stated her frustration as follow:
…even the electricity self is not helping matters. Alright, so even if the light
will be there it will also help, sometimes you have to go to the extent of buying
ice blocks from outside and that one is like it’s not even helping the business.
Something that you are just starting up and you are beginning to make such
expenses, so it’s even bringing me down. Sometimes I even feel like even
stopping.
This informant, according to her has started a kiosk business where she sales
soft drinks and their related. Her difficulty is that electricity in Nigeria has not been
stable that may keep her refrigerator working for the purpose of keeping her drinks
cool and preserve other items. As a result of this difficulty, she buys ice blocks every
day to keep her drinks cool, and this according to her is extra cost that is not helping
the business especially that she is just starting. She attempted several times to stop the
business as she feels she is not making any profit but loosing instead.
These informants are worried and frustrated that financial difficulties on their
part is severe most especially that their businesses which they are using as means of
survival are not prospering. The painful and pathetic situation with the informants, is
that Nasarawa state, Nigeria doesn’t seem to be doing nothing to improve their plight.
(Marič et al. 2010) stated that there is a relationship between entrepreneurship

and unemployment because some countries in the period when there was recession
across the world and mass lay off had used entrepreneurship to test the unemployed in
164
the open market through different forms of subsidizing (Marič et al. 2010). However,
entrepreneurship according to the study is not successful to provide the needed social
security as employment in large companies.
In like manner to discovery from previous study, the small businesses that the
unemployed in Nasarawa State Nigeria engaged themselves as revealed by the
informants also could not be able to provide social security of life satisfaction for the
unemployed because the businesses collapsed because it is the businesses that the
family are feeding and taking care of themselves from. So what was discovered from
the informants in Nasarawa State in Nigeria that businesses do not prosper in the hand
of the unemployed because their daily living depends on the businesses is not peculiar
to only Nasarawa State jobless persons but it is a global phenomenon.
In this objective 2, identification of the impacts of financial difficulties on the

psychosocial dimension of the unemployed youths in Nasarawa state, Nigeria was
revealed from the findings of this study. Accordingly, it was established that in
various capacities the financial difficulties affected the unemployed in Nasarawa
State, Nigeria in different dimensions ranging from social perspectives, psychological
dimension, societal perception and general effects respectively. In the course of
analysis, previous literatures relating to the present study were reviewed from across
the world and used as supporting documents to substantiate the findings from the field
in accordance to the objectives.
The aligning of the theory of Frustration-Aggression to objective two is not

far-fetched. In objective two, the first finding indicates that the unemployed youths are
socially deprived of attending social gatherings because even when they do, they are
not recognized because they are not capable of offering any tangible thing at the social
gatherings, even though they are looked upon to do something. Due to this, the
unemployed youths as it is gathered from the finding, they rather prefer to stay behind
from attending social gatherings. Consequently, the condition of the unemployed
youths in Nasarawa state as backed up by other previous studies such as (Mcclelland
2000) could be explained by the theory of Frustration-Aggression which states
165
frustration occurs mostly due to unobtainable goal and that may necessitate aggressive
behaviors as well.
Secondly, the findings reveal that the unemployed youths face serious
challenges psychologically which includes inability to take care of family, to be credit
worthy, their well-being, lack of finances. These variables invariably reflect
psychological trauma among the unemployed youths in Nasarawa state and as such
enhances frustration and encourages aggressive behaviors among the unemployed
youths. Therefore, the theory of Frustration-Aggression could not be divorced from
the psychological feelings experienced by the unemployed youths in Nasarawa state,
Nigeria which is similar to other unemployed youths elsewhere in the world.
The third on the application of the theory of Frustration-Aggression to this

study in relation to objective two as per the third finding on societal perception is that,
the society generally enhances the frustration of the unemployed youths as shown
from the investigations. In this regard, it was revealed that various categories of
people in the society have different perceptions about the unemployed which
invariably affects the unemployed youths in varying capacities that leads to frustration
and aggression. Therefore, the theory of Frustration-Aggression has a direct link to the
findings of this objective two because there are elements of frustration arising from
the various perceptions of the society on the unemployed youths which indeed
encourages levels of aggressive behaviors among the jobless youths in Nasarawa state,
Nigeria as revealed.
Lastly, on objective two, the theory of Frustration-Aggression could be applied

on some general findings that emanated from the study. These include effects on
living standard, savings, and effects on well-being of the unemployed youths. In a
general term, the unemployed youths are affected by poor living standard, poor
savings, and degrading well-being. These characteristics are indeed a pointer to
frustration, anger and miserable life. Therefore, the unemployed youths by every
standard would be aggressive as pointed out. In line with this, the theory of
Frustration-Aggression as propounded by Dollard and associates in 1939 and cited by
166
(Breuer&Elson 2017) stands out as a theory fitting-in the explanation of objective two
in relation to the general findings.
Diagram 4.8 Identification of the Impacts of Financial Difficulties on the

Psychosocial Dimension of the Unemployed Youths in Nasarawa State,
Nigeria
Source: Researcher’s Diagram of the summary depicting Impacts of Financial

Difficulties on the Psychosocial Dimension of the Unemployed Youths
in Nasarawa State, Nigeria
4.4 IDENTIFICATION OF COPING STRATEGIES OF UNEMPLOYED

YOUTHS IN NASARAWA STATE, NIGERIA
The third and final objective of this study is to know the coping strategies that the
unemployed youths adopted and used to withstand the challenges of unemployment in
Nasarawa State, Nigeria. The interview was held with the informants at various
intervals of time and the outcome of the interview held generated and revealed the
following strategies. These include begging strategies, Reliance on parents and family
members Strategies, skill acquisition strategies, business strategies, reliance on divine
intervention strategies and finally, reliance on government strategies.
167
There are multiple studies across the globe on coping strategies of the
unemployed either on long term or short term unemployment in the same way as it
was discovered from the present study in Nasarawa State. Therefore, in the course of
the analysis, each of the theme and subtheme of this objective will be analyze with
supported literature or more appropriately, with at least one coping strategies from
somewhere in the world. The essence of citing instances from other countries of the
world is to justify that coping strategies adopted by the unemployed in time of
joblessness is not peculiar to only the unemployed youths that were used as
informants for this study in Nasarawa State in Nigeria. Rather, coping strategies used
by the unemployed could be identifying from other jobless and unemployed people in
other parts of Nigeria, in West Africa, and also in Africa and the world. However, the
difference between what was found out from the present study and previous studies
may be the location of the coping strategies, the individuals involved, the
methodology adopted to achieve the coping strategies, and the resource available for
the strategies as well as other factors such as the geography and demographic, social
and cultural, economic and monetary as well as political, administrative and
governmental.
In the light of this, studies have shown that there is a negative life changes that
is connected to involuntary unemployment which usually forced people to look for
coping strategies to tackle the stressful event. Unemployment problem extends beyond
individual problem to include impacts on social as well as emotional effects and also
income which indeed deserve continuous involvement policy makers and researchers
(Suleman et al. 2016. Furthermore, (Julkunen 2001) has argued that there is
relationship existing between work and social identity which make the individual’s
self-perception to be connected to their jobs identity. This linked relation between
work and social identity has indeed makes the stress of unemployment a little bit
disturbing that calls for inevitable range of options for coping strategies.
In a related but different opinion, (Baddeley 2009) has argued that there a
several external and internal factors before and after job loss that is not deliberate and
which invariably influence the type of coping strategies during the job loss. In view of
this, (Crowley&Hobdy 2003) established that it is psychological hardiness when
168
correlated with problem-solving that determine greater use of coping strategies and to
achieve positive reappraisal
In line with the studies in the United States by (Feldman et al. 2002; Leana et
al. 1998) and also a research conducted in Portugal by (Suleman et al. 2016), using
qualitative interviews and open-ended questions to determine the unemployment
coping strategies among long unemployed men and women with a sampled population
of fifteen including seven men and eight women to prove the coping strategies by the
unemployed, this study is carried out.
The findings revealed by the Portugal research which claimed that the coping
strategies among the unemployed include accepting as well as looking for training,
search for jobs, request for financial assistance and support from friends and family
members, and also doing odd jobs as strategies.
Once again ,(Feldman et al. 2002; Leana et al. 1998) in their study also opined
that there are available coping strategies in the period of job loss which is aimed at re-
employment or attempt to regain psychologically after a layoff has occurred.
According to (Feldman et al. 2002; Leana et al. 1998), there are majorly six coping
strategies which are categorized into problem-focused and symptom-focused during
unemployment. The problem-focused are possible search for reemployment, to seek
for retraining and to plan to relocate geographically to search for a new job. On the
other hand, the symptom-focused comprises seeking for financial assistance from
different sources to ameliorate the economic challenges, seeking for social support
particularly from family relations and friends and lastly actively engaging in programs
organized by community to help the unemployed persons.
In like manner, a study conducted in Enugu State, Nigeria to assess how the
unemployed graduates cope with financial stress by (Pauline) also found out that the
coping strategies of the unemployed graduates include depending on friends and
family members as well as engaging in menial jobs.
169
The urgent need to carry out academic research investigation to understand the
coping strategies of the unemployed in Nasarawa State which informed this third
objective in particular is premised on the ground that:
In 2011, an analysis on the unemployment situation in Nigeria shows that of

the total number of unemployed individuals, 43.7% were university graduates, 23.8%
were polytechnic graduates and 15.5% were college undergraduates (CBN, 2012). The
continuous rise in the unemployment rate in Nigeria is disturbing; according to the
National Bureau of Statistics (Kale 2012), the unemployment rate rose from 4.9% in
2007 to about 29.5 % in 2013; which is a sign that policies to tackle unemployment in
the country are usually inefficient due to rigid and weak labor market institutions.
Though, Nigeria is not the only nation facing the problem of unemployment; but its
rising levels shows that the phenomenon has become precarious. Thus, urgent
attention on policies designed to tackle unemployment in Nigeria need to be properly
reviewed (Duke et al. 2017; Imoisi et al.)
Again, the national unemployment rates for Nigeria between 2000 and 2011
showed that the number of unemployed persons constituted 31.1% in 2000; 13.6% in
2001; 12.6% in 2002; 14.8% in 2003; 13.4% in 2004; 11.9% in 2005; 13.7% in 2006;
14.6% in 2007; 14.9% in 2008; 19.7% in 2009; 21.1% in 2010 and 23.9% in 2011. In
2012, unemployment rate in Nigeria increased to 24%. Such wide rate of
unemployment was transmitted through the various states’ unemployment rates (Kale
2012).
Also, unemployment rate has also been on the increase moving from 11.2% in
2003 to 21.1% in 2010, showing an average annual growth of 7.78%. National Bureau
of Statistics, Nigeria (2014) shows that unemployment rate in Nigeria increased from
21.1% in 2010 to 23.9% in 2011 (Kale 2012)
In the light of the above therefore, Nasarawa State as one of the thirty-Six
states in Nigeria shared from the unemployment figure enumerated by the previous
scholars. As a result, here the present study’s coping strategies based on the
investigation that was carried out in Nasarawa State among twelve informants used as
170
the study group includes the following as could be seen in subsequent theme and
subtheme respectively.
4.4.1 Begging Strategies
One of the strategies used by the unemployed youths in Nasarawa State Nigeria based
on the view of the informants the researcher interacted with is begging strategies. The
begging strategies here include reliance on friends and on parents and family
members.
Diagram 4.9 Begging Strategies

Below are the opinions of the informants in this regard.
a. Reliance on friends, parents and family members.
One of the information that emerged from the field relating to objective 3 in respect of
sub-theme of begging is the reliance on friends, parents and family members by the
unemployed youths in Nasarawa state. Informant 008 said:
My parents are late and I have some one or two family members that whenever
things get difficult or worse I do call, some of them that are working, I do call,
they help me with, 1,000, 2,000, 3,000 sometimes to solve my problems.
The informant revealed that though, the parents are late but there are some
family members who are working that do help particularly when he is highly pressed
171
to do one or two things from time to time within the range of N1,000 to 3,00 based on
request
Similarly, Informant 007 opined that:
Ah there was a day I tried to help myself as to do something that will help me
so as to stop collecting, begging uncles and aunties here and there but then I
decide to go into ah little business but then it’s not working at all. But it’s not
working. I tried to buy ah liquid soap I make liquid soap to sell but
unfortunately some will even take it on credit without giving me the money. In
fact, I was so discouraged to the extent I just have to leave and stop that work.
I only depend on my parents.
Though, at a point in the course of the unemployment and its consequences of

financial difficulties the informant decided to embark on petty business to enable him
stop relying on family relations, the business within a very short period folded up
because people bought the items without paying for them though, they promised to
pay later but did not. Consequently, he stated that he was so discouraged and
therefore, stopped the business and solely depends on the parents.
Furthermore, informant 020 stated this as thus:
I don’t really have. I am not working. So how do you expect me to have

savings, I don’t have anything doing. Alright, the only thing I have if anything
comes to my ways from all these friends, like take this or from the casual job, I
will use it for my immediate needs, not to go and save it. I don’t have enough
for anything of that.
The informant’s statement above was when he was narrating why he could not
make some savings and did specified his meager sources of income as his friends and
from any casual job. Based on this revelation, it is indicated and understood that the
informant relies on his friends for his daily living as he clearly stated that he uses what
he receives from friends for his immediate needs and not to go and save. This
172
informant therefore uses his friends as a major source of income in coping with his
unemployment predicament.
In a related narrative, informant 019 stated his own coping mechanism as

shown below:
Since the money is not there, there is nothing one can do. At times you’ll end
up going from one house to another and to your friends telling them that since
I have been sick, they said I should eat this one and this one and you don’t
even have the money, so that is what I really do to get some money for myself.
Informant 019 explained how he copes with his unemployment predicament,

with his narration, it appears he only goes to relations and friends when he must have
exhorted other unmentioned ways. That at the end he goes up from one house to
another and to friends requesting or begging them to be helped in his distress
situation. This narration and experience of this informant shows how unemployment
reduces man to degradation level as he goes from one house to another and to friends.
His predicament forced him to act the way he did and this could be the reason why he
stated that and at the end, this could as well help us see why a lot of them go into vices
or attempted suicide.
One of the findings of a research conducted in Portugal as earlier pointed out is

that the unemployed request for one form of financial support or the other from family
members which include parents, brothers and sisters and others as well as from friends
(Duke et al. 2017; Imoisi et al.). This is what (Duke et al. 2017; Imoisi et al.) refers to
as symptom-focused coping strategies which according to them are associated with
requesting emotional or financial support. Invariably, the scholars’ further asserts that
based on assumption, symptom focused strategies eliminate symptoms of stress which
include anxiety and loneliness which are not capable of removing the source.
In Nasarawa State under investigation, the coping strategies is akin to that of

the findings by previous studies because the unemployed in Portugal relied on family
members and friends as one of the strong coping strategies and also in the same way,
173
the unemployed in Nasarawa State agreed that their family members and friend helped
in their coping strategies as a result of unemployment that they found themselves.
4.4.2 Skill Acquisition and Self-Employed Strategies
Diagram 4.10 Skill Acquisition and Self-Employed Strategies
It was also extracted from the information obtained from the field that skill
acquisition is one of the strategies used to cope with the unemployment hardship
being faced by the unemployed youths in Nasarawa State Nigeria. The skill they said
they acquired or went into are different types such as printing, petty business, etc.
Though, several informants contributed in this direction, only the following views are
presented here:
The skills acquisition and self-employment as a coping strategies involve some

skills that the unemployed trained themselves and which automatically made them to
become self-employed. (Ekong&Ekong 2016) also said that training was one of the
coping strategy of the unemployed discovered in the study they conducted in Portugal.
In a study carried out in Nigeria, Kwara State to be precise on coping strategies of the
unemployed youths by (Adegboyega et al. 2016), it was clearly discovered that the
coping strategies include buying and selling/street hawking of by the youths, motor
park touting, armed robbery, involvement in daily paid jobs. Supports from parents,
174
prostitution, part time jobs/self-employment. Similarly, there is a study that was

conducted by (Julkunen 2001) to identify the coping and mental well-being among
unemployed youths in six Northern European countries of Sweden, Scotland, Norway,
Iceland, Finland and Denmark. The outcome of the research is that unemployment
coping strategies is determined by the societal context that is existing in the different
countries.
However, in the case of the present study, it was found out that printing
business, catering and barbing business were the main training that the unemployed
went through in the course of their unemployment and joblessness in other to cope.
a. Printing business as a coping strategy
Informant 008 while presenting his own opinion on this issue said he is into business
of printing:
How do I cope? Alright that’s a big question. What I do like I told you Sir. Yes.
The hope is what actually keeps me living. The hope that tomorrow is going to
be better and what I do, some of what I do, the hustling, let me say hustling,
some of the hustling I do, ok. It keeps me moving with the hope that tomorrow
is going to be better. I actually go out to look out for means of surviving. Ok,
like I state in my comment, I do printing. I do printing. Alright.
The informant when ask of what he was doing to cope with the situation,
quickly responded that he was living on hope that though, today (referring to the
period of he was in) is very bad he have the strong belief that tomorrow will be better
for him because he is hustling a lot particularly from the printing business he is doing.
Similarly, informant 025 presented what he does as his business coping

strategy as follow:
Ok at the moment because my course is a professional course, I read Computer

Science/Information Technology, I am trying to use my initiative, alright, to
175
put into practice what I learnt in school. Ok, so it’s just a small computer
business that I do. Ok, when students come you give them support, you know
trying to do one or two things even when what they feel should work out
doesn’t work out you try to at least put an end to them, give them hope that at
least there is hope, there is something positive that can get out of this because
you know that is where you can earn your living, no salary. So it’s from what
they give you that you take. Without them giving you that means nothing. It’s
all about online ehhh transactions, whereby students come, ok, do their data,
you print some of their course forms, do some registration online, accept
admissions, print some other write ups, word document and the rest.
This informant read computer science in the university, with his narrative he has
started a computer business in a university environment where he does online and
printing works for students. According to him, he does this as putting into practice
what he had theoretically on the course he read in the university and as a way to earn a
living and as a copy strategy of unemployment he has been passing for the past four
years.
b. Catering business as a coping strategy
It was also discovered that catering business was one of the coping strategies that the
unemployed youths in Nasarawa state used.
Informant 004 in her own perspective presented his view on the issue under
consideration thus:
Well, I just my, with the catering business I am into presently, I just manage it
and cope and look for something better in the future. Alright. If the
government should assist if they can assist. Alright. Is not the money that I
need but job or employment is what I need.
This informant while unfolding her coping strategy since she was facing the
unemployment challenge stressed that she is into a skill of catering business which is
the main source of her meager income that she is coping with it for the main time
176
while looking forward to get something better in future most particularly if something
come from the government as employment.
In her narration, informant 023 related to the researcher her coping strategy of
unemployment as follow:
Eh well not really even though without the employment you know I eh must
have to go out and look for something to help myself, to live and that I can be able to
help my family. So I eeh have started a catering business, to see how I can make some
money for myself and family.
In her discussion with the researcher, the informant disclosed to the researcher
that she had just started a catering business as a coping strategy of unemployment.
Though, the catering business she engages herself with is not indeed an absolute
solution to her unemployment predicament but is to just to keep life pending the desire
job based on what she read from the university. That is why she said she started the
catering business to see how she could raise some money for herself and family. It is
the same with all unemployed youths in Nasarawa state, Nigeria.
c. Barbing as a coping strategy
Barbing as a strategy was also one of the coping strategy that the researcher identified
from the field. In formant 005 championed this revelation in the following words:
Yes, I, I am coping systematically, ah for the fact that I have a barbing

business running, alright, that is how I am coping right now, and it’s not really
easy, because the location of my business is also a challenge because I don’t
have money to afford for a better shop. And you know in a very strategic place
so it’s really affecting my business.No, not really because of, because of
location, Because of low patronage, oh, it’s making the business not to move.
177
Though, the informant admitted that his present coping strategy to cushion the
effect of unemployment is through a business that is running, he however complained
bitterly of lack of business due to wrong location of shop.
Informant 016 disclosed his coping strategy of unemployment as stated below:
Ahmm, now ah, I am presently working, patching up with a barbing salon private
business organization. That is what I am doing now in order to help my living and my
family. I go there in the morning and come back late in the night and the pay is very
small not easy, will continue patiently till I get good employment.
This informant who has been unemployed for the past five years, engaged himself in a
barbing salon business. He feels it ought to be so as a sort of helping himself and his
family as the major reason for any coping strategy. He added that he goes out for his
daily business in the morning and comes back late in the night, it has not been easy
according to him coupled with the pay that is very meager but pledged to endure till
he secures his desired job. The experience of this informant is a good example that is
applicable to almost unemployed youths under going in their different coping
strategies in Nasarawa state, Nigeria. The experience of this informant equally helps
to see the frustration and anguish the unemployed youths pass through in their daily
living either with a coping strategy or without a coping strategy.
Though, there is scanty literature that supported printing, catering and barbing
as coping strategies based on the literature search conducted which earned this sub-
themes more of a novelty in the literature for the coping strategies of the unemployed.
In Dutch, there is a study credited by (Dekker et al. 2014) which mentioned something
near similar. The study of ninety-one (91) graduated academics in addition to twelve
(12) bringing the total to one hundred and two (102) were used to conduct the
investigation. The result shows that the unemployed graduates remarkably showed
resilience in coping with the unemployment situation based on the problem and
emotional oriented that was used for the study. The emotional shows that they
structure their day while the problem oriented indicates that they have a coping
178
strategy of willingness to look for and do any job outside their academic specialization
and even to do the jobs below the level of their academic certificates.
The job outside their academic certificates or specialization captured by the

previous study from Dutch could be referred to the printing catering, barbing etc that
the unemployed graduates in Nasarawa State, Nigeria are engaged in. This is true
because these job engagements they are doing were not their academic disciplines the
graduate with and the certificates awarded them from their tertiary institutions.
Therefore, like the coping strategy adopted by the unemployed graduates in Dutch
could be said to be akin to that of the Nasarawa State unemployed that were used for
the present study. Though, it is pertinent to note that the unemployed in Dutch and
that of Nigeria may not have the same qualifications, not from the same country, and
their coping strategies may not have been influenced by the same factor.
Though, the findings from the previous studies differs markedly from the
findings of the present study in terms of this theme two and its subtheme, the findings
in the present study cannot be said to be completely divorced or different from the
previous studies that were reviewed to support the findings. For instance, the study
carried out in Kwara State, Nigeria to be precise on coping strategies of the
unemployed youths by (Adegboyega et al. 2016) identified buying and selling which
is similar to the catering business that was discovered as a coping strategy among the
unemployed in Nasarawa State. Also, (Julkunen 2001) did identified the coping and
mental well-being among unemployed youths in six Northern European countries of
Sweden, Scotland, Norway, Iceland, Finland and Denmark as being determined by the
societal context that is existing in the different countries. The printing, catering and
barbing strategies as a means of coping with the unemployment as identified from the
field was in line with the societal context where the present research was conducted
based on the discovery by (Julkunen 2001).
179
4.4.3 Assistance from Spouse as a Coping Strategy
Assistance from the spouse is one other coping strategy that was acknowledged by
one of the informant during the period of conducting the investigation in the field.
Informant 014 had this to say:
The unemployment almost become a menace, because the society, the system
in Nigeria society pave way for the unemployment and it’s really biting harder
on one. Then. How I am coping is bad. I am coping anyhow; I want to cope.
Alright. I am living below standard. Ehmmm the only way to cope we cope
from the help of my wife, from the little things she sells, we use that one to
argument our living.
This informant said that his coping strategy is from his Spouse who is doing
some little sales being made from the business she is doing. He however, said despite
this, the situation is very critical for them due to the unemployment which the Nigeria
society is inflicting on the teeming unemployed in the country.
In a related experience, informant 023 disclosed assistance from her husband

as coping strategy:
Since my husband is working and he foot his bills, it affects me in a way that if
I am going to the market I have to make a list. A list that suites the amount I am
having. I cannot have an extra cash to say I like this thing let me just buy it for my
baby, I like this…. Or except I will have to go back and seek permission and request
for money, he gives me money for major things we need in the family.
Informant 023 has been unemployed for the past four years; she uses her
husband who is employed as her coping strategy of her unemployment predicament as
she indicated that the husband gives her money for the major things in the family.
However, she has difficulty in buying other things she may wish to buy for her baby
as the man could only and based on his financial ability provides the things that are
considered major ones as she stated.
180
In her narration, 010 stated her husband as her sustenance in her

unemployment predicament. Below is her narration:
The heavy one that there is just the financial problem, because since I am married,
my husband is there to help me out, so he assists me, I don’t feel it much compared to
when I was single, at least my husband buys food. If you are single and you are
unemployed, then, you are affected both emotionally, financially, physically, in fact
looking at you alone one will know you are not alright.
At the course of her explanation of unemployment’s effects, difficulties and its

burdens on the unemployed youths, informant 010 appreciated of having her husband
who is employed as her assistance that assists her especially in buying food for her.
She said that though, the unemployment’s burden is much severe on her particularly
the financial aspect but that it is far better compared to when she was single. With her
narration, it indicated that when a lady is unemployed and is single in Nasarawa state,
Nigeria, her problem seems to be intense and complicated and this could be true with
the fact that a married man in Nasarawa state, Nigeria must feed or provide for his
family. It is as serious as that, and that is the situation with informant 010, that her
unemployment is less complicated compared to when she was single.
A set of scholars in Howe, (Howe et al. 1995) highlighted that job loss
usually appears to have effect on family of the person whose job is severe while the
loss of gainful employment by a husband is connected to the increase in the incidences
of battering (Windschuttle, 1980), wife mortality ,(Fox&Kaul 2018; Paul&Moser
2009) wife psychiatric disorder (Brooks-Gunn et al. 1997) and child abuse (Wanberg
et al. 1996). In the light of this, there is inverse relationship between husband and
wife in the course of loss of job on the side of the couples particularly with how they
manage it. Though, a study cautioned that there are intervention experimental reports
which states that spouse asymmetrical relationships may not be suitable in time of
unemployment as the findings of the study reveals that using the spouse as an
assistance may have consequences that could not be predictable and may even have
negative consequences (Howe et al. 1995). The study further cautioned that though,
181
spouse is very important in time of unemployment, but using the spouse as an

assistant may not be too important therefore it must be done with caution.
In the light of the argument in relation to spouse roles in time of

unemployment, some previous studies and researches supported the claim that spouse
help each other in the period of unemployment distress just the same way that the
present study uncovered from the field. However, previous study had shown that there
is the need to exercise restraint on using spouse in time of unemployment because it
may be counterproductive. Based on the findings from the field, it is the position of
the researcher to submit that spouse is helpful to each other should any of them loss
job as demonstrated by the present study. Indeed, there is a case in this present study
where both the woman and man loss their job and they said that they are
complimenting each other to keep the family going. Therefore, the importance of
spouse assistance in time of distress particularly during unemployment is very useful.
It is in support of the usefulness of the unemployed spouse to his partner that it is
argue that scholars did x-ray recent researches which are indicating that partner or
marital relationship is very important to understand the connection between job loss
and depression (Howe et al. 1995).
4.4.4 Business as a Coping Strategy
Business is one of the strategies that the unemployed are coping with in their
unemployment situation according to what they said. Informant 006 is one of the
persons that revealed the coping strategies with respect to business strategies. He said:
I sell recharge cards to earn a living. That is what I am doing for now. In
recharge cards there is no too profit in it. You know for instance, you get a
recharge of one thousand (1,000) naira, you only gain the gain of thirty (30)
naira, consider the cost of transportation, Consider the cost of feeding your
own self and consider how you clothe your own self. You can see that you are
only trading to mouth.
182
This informant acknowledged that the business he was doing to cope with the
hardship of the unemployment is the selling of recharge cards (top ups) for hands
phones. He however complained that there is just very little profit in the business
because top up cards for the hands phone that one will purchase at the cost of one
thousand Nigeria Naira (equivalent to about 4 United States Dollar) he will only make
a profit of just thirty Nigeria Naira which is nothing to write home about because that
profit is not up to the cost of transportation used for the purchase of the cards let alone
to talk of sustaining him.
In continuation with using business as a coping strategy by the unemployed in

Nasarawa State, Informant 007 on his own part said this:
Ah there was a day I tried to help myself as to do something that will help me
so as to stop collecting, begging uncles and aunties here and there but then I
decide to go into ah little business but then it’s not working at all. But it’s not
working. I tried to buy ah liquid soap I make liquid soap to sell but
unfortunately some will even take it on credit without giving me the money. In
fact, I was so discouraged to the extent I just have to just and leave and stop
that work. I only depend on my parents.
The informant said that she is also engaged in some little business in order to
cope with the unemployed condition. In her own case, she is engaged in liquid soap
making but the predicament according to her is the attitude of the people patronizing
her who always buy on credit basis and are refusing to pay her. Consequently, the
business got liquidated therefore, she depends on her parents for her sustenance.
Furthermore, informant 021, explained and stated what he does as his coping
strategy. Below is the narration:
I am into a petty trading business. I sell soft drinks, and even this local drinks,
the kunu, the zobo, soya milk and kunun aya at home. I just started it by our
house, selling different items to help me and family.
183
This informant is a married man and has been unemployed for the past six
years. He went into a small business as his coping strategy as result of unemployment,
to help himself and family. According to him, he sales soft drinks like coco kola, malt,
local drinks like kunu, zobo, soya bean milk, and kunu aya. The informant, due to his
financial difficulties as a result of unemployment, he is using the veranda of the house
he lives as his shop.
In a related experience, informant 025 stated his coping strategy as thus:
Ok at the moment because my course is a professional course, I read

Computer Science/Information Technology, I am trying to use my initiative,
alright, to put into practice what I learnt in school. Ok, so it’s just a small
computer business that I do. Ok, when students come you give them support,
you know trying to do one or two things even when what they feel should
work out doesn’t work out you try to at least put an end to them, give them
hope that at least there is hope, there is something positive that can get out of
this because you know that is where you can earn your living, no salary. So it’s
from what they give you that you take. Without them giving you that means
nothing. It’s all about online ehhh transactions, whereby students come, ok, do
their data, you print some of their course forms, do some registration online,
accept admissions, print some other write ups, word document and the rest.
This informant has been unemployed for the past four years, what he read in
the university has helped him to start a computer business in a study area. He is into
online and printing business for students where he lives with. According to him, what
he does with the students daily as a coping strategy is what gives him meager income
that he is living on.
4.4.5 Petty Jobs Strategies
Petty jobs are jobs that do not need special skills or none skills requirement jobs.
These types of jobs could be handled by anybody that wishes to as long as the person
or persons assigning him or her on the jobs deems it fit. On the other hand, these jobs
184
could be referred to as casual jobs, casual in the sense that they are not permanent or
not regular. Economically these jobs are less importance compare to permanent jobs
that would require skills and experiences, or they have secondary value in their order
of importance with the permanent or regular jobs. Based on the nature of these jobs,
and their secondary value, they don’t give much income as compared to permanent
jobs, and moreover the duration for such jobs may be as brief as the jobs may last. For
some of these jobs, it may take just an hour, while for others it may take two to three
hours, or a week, depending of the needs of the casual employer. But one thing with
such jobs is that they do not have special specification on the duration and payment or
remuneration method or guide line, the casual employer makes arrangement with
whom so ever and if arrangement is accepted the job starts and terminates based on
the arrangement. Examples of such jobs are: molding blocks manually, uploading
goods from a lorry, working on the farm, washing clothes, fetching water, cleaning a
compound, splitting firewood, etc. These are among the petty jobs that most of the
Nasarawa stae unemployed youths go for as coping strategy as result of the
unemployment predicament. Informant 010 is one of the persons that revealed the
coping strategies with respect to petty jobs strategies. This is exactly his opinion on
the strategy:
We are just managing. There is this private school I am managing with.

Alright, at least you can use it to solve one or two problems for now. Because
the money is not even enough.
The informant made it known that his strategy of coping with the
unemployment situation is involvement in petty job. As at the time of the interview he
revealed that he is managing with a private school and with that he is coping with the
hardship of the unemployment despite the fact that the money is nothing to write
home about.
In a related experience informant 016 stated his coping strategy as follow:
Day and day activities we go out, whatever we see, we can see small work to
do as laborer at times get one thousand, two thousand naira. You get what you
185
eat and remain some against tomorrow if you don’t have anything to do you
can sustain yourself from that. We are looking forth every day to do one or two
things to get ourselves food to eat.
This informant narrated and explains what he does daily as a coping strategy
over his predicament as a result of his unemployment. In his narration, that they,
meaning he and other unemployed colleagues go out daily to seek for any casual
work, no matter its nature as long as it is legal and it may fetch them money to feed
for that day. He added that they tend to spend carefully and save some for the next day
peradventure they fail to secure another casual job the following day. He concluded
that this they do every day to have one thing or the other doing just to get themselves
food.
Informant 018 in a similar narrative stated his coping strategy as thus:
Doing a building work and, I help masons to give them blocks and I used to
do painting, any type of work that comes and may give money to me I will like
to do it because I don’t have a job that I will be engaging myself into.
In eliminating the difficulties of unemployment, informant 017 goes to the

building sites or construction companies to give masons blocks as a coping strategy
where he receives meager income at the end of the day. Added to this, he engages
himself in painting houses as the opportunity may arise, and concluded that he does
any other work that may fetch him financial benefit.
Furthermore, informant 024 described her frustrated situation and what she
does as her coping strategy as follow:
Ummm, Ahh its its been difficult and it’s not quite easy. But ah thank God,
God is helping me. I try as much as I can not to just think about it because if I
think it changes nothing. I strive and do whatever I find around that is that can
fetch me a little ah financial benefit I do them. I try as much as I can, not to
think about it but to do something that may give little money.
186
This informant looks very worry, depressed and frustrated as result of

unemployment experience, and this was exhibited at the question that was urging her
just to tell and describe how she is coping with her unemployment. With her narration,
she goes for anything legally that may fetch her money as a coping strategy in her
plight. She concluded that she tries to get engage in doing things that may give little
money instead of thinking about her difficulties.
Informant 017 stated his own plight of unemployment and his coping strategy:
Well, ehhh anything called job that can fetch me anything, alright. I am not
looking at my market value any longer that’s ok. I look, anything that can give
me anything, anything I just do and collect whatever in fact you don’t need to
even price because whatever they offer you, you take. Umm uhummm,
because you don’t have, you have lost market value. Wow. You cannot, you
have lost your market value. No person is ready to pay you your market value,
umm uhummm. So, that is the situation, it is as bad as that.
Informant 017 who ever worked before and has been unemployed for the past
ten years shows his desperation for doing anything that may fetch him money. With
his narration, he goes for anything that may fetch him money as long as it is legal, and
added that he doesn’t go into any arrangement before he works and get what so over
that might be paid to him. He concluded that it ought to be so because unemployed
persons have lost their market value and can’t get paid appropriately.
From experiences, many of the unemployed relied more on petty job below
their qualification or even not at all equivalent to their academic status outside the
good employment just to keep soul and body together. In a study that was conducted
in Belgium to confirm if any job is better than no job at all in order to know the
existing relations between types of employment, unemployment as well as subjective
health, it was observed by (Van Aerden et al. 2017) that research has used various
multidimensional scales to identify employment quality. These include Employment
Precarious Scale (EPRS) which is made up of six different categories namely
disempowerment, wages, temporariness, vulnerability, and lastly, rights and
187
exercising rights. In their study, they identify five dimensions of employment

conditions which include material reward, worker’s right and social protection,
employment stability, working time arrangement as well as employability
opportunities were used to differentiate different types of wages that accrues to the
employed in Belgium. The scholars argue that unemployment or precarious
employment enhances detrimental health condition of the unemployed particularly for
individuals that have dependents and at the same time do not have other household
that do not have good income or those household with multiple precarious jobs. This
type of household according to (Vosko 2006) is called precarious households ,(Van
Aerden et al. 2017; Van Aerden et al. 2014; Van Aerden et al. 2016)
Clearly, as shown by the scholars, there is evidence that petty or menial jobs
exists also in other countries among the unemployed based on the categorization
given. The unemployed living with the petty job do have several challenges based on
the description made by the scholars. Therefore, it is not out of place that the present
study reveals that the unemployed in Nasarawa State Nigeria engaged in petty jobs to
cope with the unemployment financial stress.
4.4.6 Reliance on Divine and on Government Intervention
Diagram 4.11 Reliance on divine & on Government Intervention

188
In this theme, the informants shared their hope on relying on divine

intervention in their case of unemployment and also on government intervention
programs. Let’s read through their comments and see.
a. Reliance on divine intervention strategies
Reliance on divine providence from the Almighty God is one of the strategies that
some of the informants said they are using to coping with the unemployment situation
in Nasarawa State Nigeria. Hear what some of them told the researcher in the course
of interaction: Informant 009
No, not at all, I don’t think of that I only commit it into God’s hands. That’s it,
ok, and praying for a better future, a better day. That at the end of the day,
something good, and something positive may come up.
This informant is of the view that all the worries of unemployment he is

having is left in the hand of God therefore, the Almighty God is his coping strategy
therefore he rested squarely on God’s provision with the eminent hope of faith in God
that certainly one day the unemployment will become a thing of the past.
In his lamentation over the distress of unemployment, informant 019 disclosed

his coping strategy as follow:
Very difficult, the life has been very difficult for me in terms of this
unemployment issue. Alright, it has been very difficult issue for me. It is only
God am trusting, no hope for me, he is the one am looking to, to help me.
This informant is very brief in his narration of the coping strategy his using,
with the difficulties he is experiencing due to unemployment, he decided to trust God,
the one that has appropriate power to handle issues that no man may handle. To him,
he has tried and did his best to get out of the unemployment predicament and since his
efforts is fruitless, he is looking to God who knows all things and has power to assist
him. The informant therefore is relaying in God as his coping strategy, and he may no
189
longer be disturbed of his present predicament since he knows God would not fail but
certainly rescue him from his present frustration and predicament.
Informant 008 stated his coping strategy as thus:
How do I cope? Alright that’s a big question. What I do like I told you Sir.
Yes. The hope is what actually keeps me living. The hope that tomorrow is
going to be better and what I do, some of what I do, the hustling, let me say
hustling, some of the hustling I do, ok. It keeps me moving with the hope in
God that tomorrow is going to be better. I actually go out to look out for means
of surviving. Ok, like I state in my comment, I do printing. I do printing.
Alright.
In his narration as regards to how he is coping with the unemployment, he

clearly stated his confidence in God as his hope, that tomorrow would be better.
According to the informant, though things are in bad shape now and life is full of
difficulties but he strongly believes in God that would change things for better in
future. He concluded that because he believes God would assist him, it therefore keeps
him moving on, trying several things to make a living instead of getting depressed and
frustrated in life.
In a similar narrative, informant 020 narrated his coping strategy as thus:
There is always understanding that we don’t have many things at that

moment but we will continue to manage life and trust God. We belong to a
good Christian faith where the word of God helps us to have understanding of
the changes in life.
This informant acknowledged his lack of numerous things in life due to

unemployment predicament and accepted that with good fate. However, he is resting
and trusting God the almighty for a better change in his situation. According to him,
he belongs to a good Christian church where the word of God is taught well and helps
them to understand there are situations like the unemployment he is presently passing
190
through in life and that God is able to help him change it by providing him with a
good job tomorrow.
The representation of the opinions of the informants from this subtheme

justified that they have high hope that things would get better soon. They are not
completely discouraged by their hopelessness because to them, one day their
unemployment stress will be over either through their reemployment or other
alternatives that will change their present financial predicament to positive situation.
In the same way, a study that was conducted by (Griep et al. 2015) to assess
unemployment experience and the coping strategies associated with it using Photo
voice to really grasp the context-specific details in Belgium supported the hopefulness
of the unemployed. In the study, the scholars argue that the participants they used for
the research in their enthusiasm strongly believed that someday, their goals and
dreams of coming out of unemployment would be achieved. The unemployed chosen
for the study or that were used to displayed their earnestness hopefulness to come out
of joblessness depicted hope for the future. The symbolic meaning of their photograph
suggested hope as the central key that encourage them to forge ahead into the future.
The scholars argue that the significance of the hope of the participants is demonstrated
by the submission made by one of the informants in the following articulated
comment “This picture, it's like a haven of light surrounded by black. There is a lot of
black, but if we persist, we will eventually achieve something, we must keep looking
for that light, keep believing that we will find it. Where there is life, there is hope"
(Griep et al. 2015). Another picture chosen by one other participant to further show
the future hope of the unemployed is painted thus "This is my girlfriend with the baby
of my cousin. When I saw those 2 together, I saw this vision of the family I want to
have in a couple of years. This is my dream, us being a happy stable family later"
(Griep et al. 2015).
From the pictures of the participants in the study carried out by (Griep et al.
2015), unemployment is sometimes despite the distress it brings to its victims could as
well ginger the jobless to be positive in their situation that there will be divine
intervention in their future. In this vein, the joblessness on their part is not totally a
191
disappointment but it also creates in the unemployed the energetic decision to squarely
face it with all utmost hope that it will be well. In the same vein it was found out in
Belgium, in that same way, the Nigeria unemployed particularly the Nasarawa State
graduate unemployed that all hope is not in any lost.
b. Reliance on government intervention programs and hope for future policies
Based on the information obtained from the informants, it was discovered that
government introduced some poverty alleviation programs targeted at the unemployed
is playing a role in cushioning the effect of the unemployment among the youths in
Nasarawa State in Nigeria. The view was shared by some of the informants
accordingly as follows.
Informant 008 in the course of the interaction with the researcher said:
I believe ehnnn, let me say 40% I will rate the government 40%. Ok, they are
trying to be…. Ok, there was a program initiated by the Vice President, (N –
Power) in order to reduce unemployment rate, some of the challenges are just
bad policies by some individuals, even the holders of those policies are not
doing good or justice to the system because it was done selectively. A lot of
graduates are out there hoping that program can help in order to reduce the
unemployment rate but it was done selectively when you have god – fathers.
You have somebody that can put you there, ehnnn you will be favoured to be
there and when you don’t have anybody and that is how you remain, ok. That
is to say, so I will say government is not doing well enough. Ehhh some of the
policies embarked upon to reduce unemployment seems to be selective,
ehnnnn selective and favoritism. Ok, ehnnn that is to say is not everybody that
gets it, ehnnn it is biased
The revelation made by this informant proved that the present government of
President Buhari under the chairmanship of the Vice president, Professor Yemi
Osinbajo has introduced a policy that served as financial assistance to the people
especially the unemployed youths through the N-power as a form of poverty
192
alleviation programme and to some reasonable extent within the average rate of 40%.
But the informant bitterly complained that the beneficiaries of the programme are
politically influenced and as such for someone getting it, the person must be highly
connected to those that matters in the helm of affairs. By implication therefore from
what the informant revealed, the ordinary Nigerian unemployed are not having access
to the fund.
Furthermore, informant 021 shared his experience and coping strategy as thus:
Of course I want to say government should try and provide us job

opportunities because people particularly the unemployed youths are suffering
in Nigeria honestly, we don’t have anything doing and see the way youths are
going to and fro for lack of job. People finished school you don’t have
anything doing and even the casual work some time we don’t find it easy, so
we are pleading government try and help provide job opportunities for us.
Informant 021 described the predicament of the unemployed youths as

suffering or as tormenting experiences in life. He therefore referred the researcher to
the going ups and downs of the unemployed youths in the nation as their ardent search
for employment opportunities. He added that the youths finished their schools and do
not have anything doing to earn a living, and that the painful thing is that even the
petty and casual jobs are not available most of the time. As his reliance and hope is on
government, he is pleading earnestly to Nasarawa state government to come to their
plight by providing them with employment opportunities as a solution to their
predicament.
Informant 006 on the other hand said this:
If the government should come and agree maybe to I need a kind of

empowerment you know. May be more capital, something of that nature. You
know. The kind of business that demand reasonable amount of capital in order
to keep the unemployed lively and also help them to make a living from it.
193
Informant 006 is building his coping strategy on the likely policy that the
government may decide to embark upon that will help the unemployed to overcome
the unemployment challenges. This according to him may be some other form of
empowerment that will help the unemployed to have access to reasonable capital that
will make them embark on business that will sustain them. If this is done it will
improve the lives of the unemployed.
Furthermore, Informant 006 suggested thus:
Of course. If the government could be able to open a workshop you know, it

will be of much benefit to us providing us with all you know right tools and
after and providing us with the essential ah essential facilities I think it will
help. (Ekong&Ekong 2016)
The further suggestion made by Informant 006 is to organize sensitization

workshop and skills training so that at the end, government should help provide the
needed tools that will be needed by the unemployed to start something very
meaningful in their lives.
From the findings in this subtheme, the government in previous years in

Nigeria has not done anything serious to cushion the negative effects of the teeming
graduate unemployed. Therefore, the view of the informants is that the alternative
source of coping strategy which supposed to come through government
unemployment benefit is just not there and that is why, unemployment in Nigeria is
really a bad experience.
In Nigeria, the government programme for the unemployed mostly come

through the National Directorate of Employment (henceforth called NDE) charged
with the responsibilities of training the unemployed in various kind of skill
acquisition. In a study of skills acquisition and reduction of unemployment in Nigeria
using the Akwa Ibom State experience as a case study, (Ekong&Ekong 2016) is a
study that employed both secondary and primary covering 1987-2012 established that
a positive link exists between unemployment reduction and the influence of NDE in
194
Akwa Ibom though, the findings of the research indicated that that is some challenges
involved. Furthermore, it was found out that that was a mixed income contribution
and skills acquisition by NDE to the Akwa Ibom State’s economy because 40 percent
of the participants claimed a minimal influence of NDE while 48 percent said the
contribution of NDE is positive (Ekong&Ekong 2016).
The theory of Frustration-Aggression is also applied to the explanation of

objective three in the sense that out of frustration arising from youth unemployment,
the unemployed youths scout for coping strategies that will help cushion the effects of
unemployment. In so doing, the unemployed youths embarked on skill acquisition
other than their original disciplines or fields of study, engaged in and adopted some
business strategies, depends on divine providence from their creator, relied on parents,
relations and friends, also relied on government. However, these coping strategies
adopted by the unemployed youths could not said to be very reliable because of the
failures that are inherent in them as reveals by the findings therefore the need for the
suitability of the theory of Frustration-Aggression to this objective three. Indeed, from
the revelations through the findings, there are a lot of challenges (frustrations)
associated with the coping strategies and instruments which instead of ameliorating
the hardship of the unemployed youths, they aggravated their hardship thereby leading
to frustration and aggressive behaviors.
The findings of this present study is almost similar with the findings from the
previous study because from the field, it was revealed according to Informant 008 that
government intervention programme performance could rate 40 percent. The
Informant said “I believe ehnnn, let me say 40% I will rate the government 40%”. In
the light of this, it could be affirmed that the participants voice from the previous
study and that of the present study tend to agree that government is trying their best
but their performance in job creation training to check unemployment through
employment counseling as well as job linkages, entrepreneurship training and
enterprise creation, vocational skills acquisition training, training for rural
employment promotion, collaboration with other relevant agencies, training for labor-
based transient works amongst others is minimal. Therefore, the failures of these
problems to tackle unemployment challenges has forced the unemployed to depend on
195
divine providence even though, it is a well-established fact that government of any

country supposed to be the prime helper of the unemployed youths in any country
including Nigeria.
4.5 IDENTIFICATION OF COPING STRATEGIES OF UNEMPLOYED

YOUTHS IN NASARAWA STATE, NIGERIA
Diagram 4.12 Identification of Coping strategies of unemployed youths in Nasarawa

State, Nigeria
Source: Researcher’s Diagram of the summary depicting Coping Strategies of

unemployed youths in Nasarawa State, Nigeria
196
CHAPTER V
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
5.1 INTRODUCTION
The chapter is made up of six sections in all. These includes the introductory part of
the chapter, the summary of the major findings from the study under investigation,
and this is done according to each of the three objectives of the present study. The
third aspect of the chapter focused on the contribution that the present study has made
to body of knowledge in general and specifically to the psychosocial impacts of
unemployment among youths in Nasarawa State and Nigeria.
On the other hand, the fourth section examines suggestions arising from the
study based on the findings that arose out of the investigation and the conduct of the
study. In another dimension, the fifth part of this chapter recommended areas for
further study within the scope of this study based the gap left behind by the study for
future researchers who may want to conduct similar related study. Lastly, on this
chapter is conclusion of the study. The conclusion is based on the general summary of
the entire findings of the study taking into cognizance the theoretical underpinnings.
5.2 SUMMARY OF MAJOR FINDINGS
In general, it was agreed by previous studies that unemployment particularly youth

unemployment constitutes a serious global challenges to various countries of the
world in one form or the other. Despite the uniform agreement over the challenges
posed by youth unemployment across the world, more emphasis relating to the youth
unemployment focused more on problems/challenges and even when emphasis is on
the impacts, it is more pronounced in the western countries of the world which the
197
present researcher saw as inadequate. Therefore, in developing countries such as

Nigeria and in particular Nasarawa State, much work on the impact of youth
unemployment especially on psychosocial impacts is scanty based on previous
studies. Also, the outcome of previous studies on youth unemployment is a reflection
of the use of survey to collect data but the present study is based on qualitative in-
depth interview.
In the light of the above, the present study tries to fill the gap that is missing
from the previous study using Nasarawa State Nigeria as a study Centre. The idea
behind using Nasarawa State is to provide an in-depth study to make the study
different from the previous studies that used survey data. Also, the main focus of this
study is on psychosocial impact and coping strategies of youth unemployment which
is the main problem of youths as it affects them severely and have been rooted in them
especially in their daily lives hence the dire need to understand the impacts of the
psychosocial factors as it has become a prevalent and disturbing phenomena
especially in Nasarawa State.
The essence of carrying out this detailed research is to find out the realities of
the issues at stake from the people through in-depth investigation from the informants
who are the real people that bear the brunt of the impact therefore, the researcher
developed a passion not only to find out the psychosocial impact and coping strategies
of youth unemployment but to situate the investigation from the youths in Nasarawa
State to determine the real impact. Findings from the field investigation have proved
that there are various psychosocial impacts of youth unemployment in Nasarawa
State, Nigeria. The impacts and coping strategies based on the revelations made by
the informants are three-fold and the summary is hereby provided under the three
objectives.
5.2.1 Objective 1
The objective one of this study which investigates the psychosocial impacts among the
unemployed youths in Nasarawa State, Nigeria” shows a three-fold results which
includes social, psychological and economic. In other words, the major outcome of the
198
investigation of objective one show that the psychosocial impacts of the unemployed
youths ranges from socio-psychological and economic. In this regards, the socio-
psychological factors reveal the various social and psychological stress that the
unemployed youth are going through as a result of the unemployment situation. This
includes horrible hardships and hopelessness of the unemployed which indeed caused
certain related anti-social behavior such as drug addicts, smuggling, robbery, theft,
frustration, depression and attempts to commit suicide. Psychologically on the other
hand, the unemployed youths are faced with inferiority complex from their working
class peers and friends, parents and even spouses hence they found it very difficult to
associate freely with people around them. To make the matter worse, they hardly even
attend festive ceremonies and other social gatherings since they are not capable of
making the occasions colorful. Indeed, it was revealed that the unemployed youths are
passing through sleepless nights and restless days due to frustrations, hopelessness and
helplessness of their unemployment situation as testified by virtually all the
informants.
Though, the psychological and social effects of the growing unemployment

have been studied in various countries and the social cost has been known particularly
from a study conducted by (Shelton 1985) the present study constitute a novelty in
Nasarawa State, Nigeria even though the findings of the objective one may seem
similar to the study of (Shelton 1985) which was carried out in the United States of
America.
Economically, the unemployed are faced with the challenges of inability to

have three square meals daily, and other essentials of life such as clothing, shelter and
basic necessities of life.
5.2.2 Objective 2
The second objective of the present study focused on “Identification of the impacts of
financial difficulties on the psychosocial dimension of the unemployed youths in
Nasarawa State, Nigeria”. The major findings based on investigation reveals that
financial difficulty faced by the unemployed youths in Nasarawa State impacted on
199
the youths in areas of social, psychological, societal perception and finally on other
general impacts.
The aspect of the social effects that the financial difficulties posed on the
unemployed youths in Nasarawa state include severe financial stress and poverty,
homelessness and housing stress, indebtedness, shame and stigma. Others include
boredomness, housing/accommodation stress, tendency and passion to commit crime,
alienation from family and friends, ill health due to lack of medical attention as well
as erosion of confidence and self-esteem.
The Psychological impact on the unemployed on the other hand in relation to

financial difficulties based on the findings ranges from the helplessness of the
unemployed to assist family members financially, the unemployed even in the face of
severe lacks is unable to get help financially simply because they are not credit worthy
in the event of repayment, there is also a high level of disregard for the unemployed
by the people around them due to poor financial state, poor medical attention due to
lack of money,
Societal attitude towards the unemployed represents one of the findings of

objective 2. The unemployed informants generally disclosed that at times they
suffered from lack of respect due lack of job in the society especially from the
community members, friends, peers, parents, spouse, and other family members
especially the junior ones.
Other general effects that the financial hardship brought to the unemployed as
observed by the informants varies but are integrated into poor savings, collapsed
business due to over dependence on the capital,
The findings of the objective 2 reveal a radical departure from the previous
studies especially in Nasarawa State, Nigeria. While previous studies investigation
relating to social effects of unemployment such as (Mcclelland 2000;
Mcclelland&Macdonald 1998; Mcgregor et al. 2009) reveals most similar factors to
the findings of the present study, the finding is new in Nasarawa State in relation to
200
the social, psychological, societal and general consequences of financial difficulties.

Second, the results of the investigation that emanates from this objective in relation to
social, psychological, societal is relatively new as no study apart from the present
study especially in Nasarawa State, Nigeria has similar outcome.
Though, what was found out from the field for this objective 2 in relation to
financial difficulties on social effects of the unemployed youths in Nasrawa State
Nigeria is at variance with the discoveries from the previous studies as seen below,
another study which hold that unemployment produces a drastic effect financially
through disturbances it creates, the stress it caused, and the hopelessness the victims
feel (Choudhry et al. 2012) is closely related to some of the findings from the field for
this objective 2.
5.2.3 Objective 3
In the course of the Identification of coping strategies of unemployed youths in

Nasarawa State, Nigeria, it was found out that there are several coping strategies that
were available. These includes, begging strategies, Reliance on parents and family
members Strategies, skill acquisition strategies, business strategies, reliance on divine
intervention strategies and finally, reliance on government strategies. The unemployed
relied mostly on begging and the strategies they used in achieving this is phone calls,
sms and even social media platform messages. The help comes through parents,
friends and family members etc. There is also the revelation that in the course of long
duration of unemployment, the affected unemployed youths enrolled for and learn a
particular trade or skill through self-help training. engaged in Petty business as a
coping strategy. This helped and enhanced the ability of the unemployed to effectively
cope with the unemployment stress though, with several hitches as the business
collapsed in the short run as both the capital and profits ran down due to over
dependence on the business for overall means of survival.
The findings from objective 3 is generally new in Nasarawa State, Nigeria on

the basis that for the first time through a qualitative study discovery on the possible
ways in which youths coped with the overall stress arising from hardship of
201
unemployment was revealed. Therefore, these findings provide a true picture of the
possible means of surviving through hardship experienced by the unemployed youths
whether in short term and or in long term unemployment.
5.3 CONTRIBUTION OF THE STUDY TO KNOWLEDGE AND POLICY
The findings of this study has immensely and positively contributed to knowledge
especially in the related area of unemployment which has been a major constraint to
governments all over the world, in Africa, Nigeria and Nasarawa State in particular.
The contributions of the study are seen from different perspectives.
5.3.1 Theoretical Contribution
The major theoretical contribution to this study is the frustration-aggression theory

advanced by (Dollard et al. 1939) because it explains the behavior of the people in
relation to violence and criminal. More appropriately, the theory explains the reasons
behind people’s involvement in violence and criminal activities in all societies
irrespective of whether an advanced on non-advanced. Essentially, the researcher is of
the view that this theory be adopted by Nasarawa State, Nigeria, there is the likelihood
of bringing to a halt the high rate of unemployment. In this regards, it will bring to the
notice of the government to understand that frustration leads to aggressiveness and
aggressiveness leads to violence hence, an unemployed person is always aggressive
and violent in a situation of any slightest opportunity. However, it is important to note
that the researcher is of the view that the rights to job and employment could better
address unemployment than relying on studying frustration-aggression theory as a
solution to unemployment challenges. the reason why the researcher is advocating for
this is because in spite of the inherent roles of various stakeholders to formulate
policies and programs to check unemployment rate, it keeps on increasing. Unless
unemployment is seen as a right and be uphold so, no reliance on frustration-
aggression theory could solve the problem because, sometimes, even the gainfully
employed persons get frustrated and resorted to aggression and possible violence.
Second, instances are bound that even the thickly rich people who are multi-billionaire
in dollar has committed suicide. Finally, frustration could not only be explaining from
202
the stand point of lack of joblessness as frustration is caused by both seen and unseen
factors which sometimes could not be explain. In fact, as demonstrated by the
revelation made by the informants in Nasarawa State, Nigeria during the course of this
study, some were later became self-employed but still they get frustrated and even
think of committing suicide. Therefore, the argument by (Kapuvari 2011) that
frustration-aggression is usually a product of unemployment do not hold water in all
circumstances.
5.3.2 Policy Implication
Essentially, the major contribution to knowledge of the present study is the

discoveries made about the psychosocial dimensions of the unemployed youths in
Nasarawa in relation to the general impacts of unemployment, the difficulties that is
being encountered by the unemployed youths as a result of the financial difficulties
they faced and finally, the different coping strategies adopted by the unemployed
youths which helped them greatly in the face of the hardship of unemployment.
Indeed, the present study has made contribution to literatures in the field of
unemployment, produced novelty that could be use as base for other researchers to
start their research based on the gap it has created in relation to the recommendations
for further study it has made.
The present study did not only have a very important policy implication for
policy makers but has provided a road map for policy makers especially for Nasarawa
State Government t on the dire need to embark on inclusive and aggressive policies
and programs to tackle the high rate of unemployment in the State. Again, the
researcher hopes that the findings from this study will make the government to
provide job opportunities for the educated youth graduates as to be proud of their
State. This will serve as a buffet contrary to the demonstration by one of the findings
which shows that the government of Nasarawa State has not done much to reduce
unemployment. A framework that will focus on developing a plan for the
unemployed youths be put in place and be effectively implemented towards
ameliorating the hardship being encountered by the unemployed youths in the State.
this indeed will serve as an instrument and good guide for the Ministry of
203
Employment and Labour productivity (MoE&L) Nasarawa State and other agencies
responsible for tackling youth unemployment to fully come to the knowledge of the
unemployment predicament and for necessary action.
Once more, the findings could be helpful to donor agencies and Non-
Governmental Organizations to know the predicament of the unemployed youths in
Nasarawa State and by extension, in Nigeria
5.4 SUGGESTION
As a result of the findings, the following suggestions become inevitable particularly to

the government/policy makers, and Non-Governmental Agencies and equally parents
and the youths themselves.
5.4.1 Government/Policy Makers
1. To end unemployment in Nasarawa State in particular, there is the need for the
government seriously address unemployment in the State through commitment
of huge capital to establish skill acquisition programs that will not only end up
giving quality training of the teeming unemployed youths but such fund be use
to set up the youths on completion of the training programmmes. The basic
fulfillment of this is a step forward for not only making the unemployment
youths to have life fulfilling dream and to be self-reliance but their self-
reliance will transform to producing a crime-free and anti-social free
environment. The skill acquisition programs could be through the National
Directorate of Employment (NDE) or other sister agencies in Nasarawa State
2. It is the statutory responsibility of responsive government like the Government

of Nasarawa State to create jobs for her youths hence, the State Government
should as a matter of urgency wake up to the task of creating jobs for the
youths through the establishment of industries, firms. This could be achieved
through attraction of local and foreign investors into Nasarawa State.
3. The Nasarawa State Government should be able to give loans to the

unemployed youths through investing such monies into small scale businesses
204
that will be closely monitor by the monitoring and evaluation unit under the
Governor’s Office. This will enhance the lives of the youths and consequently
results in multiplier effect of the economy of Nasarawa State.
4. The State Government should partner with the private organizations through
public/private partnership initiative by providing a friendly environment and
grant tax-free to all persons wishing to invest in the State. This will go a long
way to ameliorate the problem of unemployment being faced by Nasarawa
State in particular.
5.4.2 Non-Governmental Organizations
Non-Governmental Organizations should as well come to the aid of the State

Government by providing fund for vocational skill acquisition training to assist the
government train some jobless educated youths and setting them up to stand on their
own without necessarily depending on the government for a job that is not there. Also,
the vocational training if acquired by the youths and they are set up to stand on their
own, it will go a long way not only to empower them financially but will make them
to self-reliant and hence better the lots of their entire family.
5.4.3 Parents
For the parents, it is suggested that mere training of their children in tertiary education
is not enough. In order to make their children self-sustaining and avoid depending on
them after acquiring higher certificates, every parents should see it as a dire
responsibility to go extra miles to train their children in skills through skill acquisition
programmes. Also, parents should be able to raise money to set up business for their
children after graduation that will make not only make them gainfully engaged and be
self-reliance but also to be able to take care for themselves without necessarily turning
to them for help.
205
5.4.4 The Unemployed Youths
The unemployed should be ready to face post-graduation challenges squarely.

Though, evidence from the findings shows all the efforts being made by the youths to
cope with the stress of joblessness, they still need to brace-up the more because the
findings revealed that most of them got frustrated and discouraged along the line
hence, they resorted to thinking of committing crime and even suicide. The jobless
youths need to be creative and should have initiative of engaging in self-help projects,
engage in petty business no matter how small, manage it effectively in order to
produce bountiful result in future. Indeed, the future of the youths are in their hands
with respect to employment hence, they should be able to manage whatsoever they
found their hands doing they should be committed to it and do it well.
5.5 FURTHER RESEARCH
Based on the present study and the theory and methodology it adopts and its findings
which created a gap for others to fill, the present researcher suggested the following
for further research.
1. There is the need for future researchers wishing to carry out a study on issues
related to unemployment to research on effects of unemployment in Nasarawa
State in particular and Nigeria in general
2. The present study is carried out using qualitative approach. Therefore, further
researchers should endeavor to study similar issue in Nasarawa State using
quantitative approach that will use inferential statistical tools to validate the
findings of the present study especially the general effects of psychosocial
dimensions of unemployment on youths, the effects of financial difficulties on
unemployed youths and the coping strategies adopted by youths during
unemployment.
3. The present study only examines an aspect of youth unemployment, the

psychosocial dimensions. Further future study should try to look at the
potential factors that has perpetually keeps unemployment to increase despite
all the efforts by government.
206
5.6 CONCLUSION
The conclusion of the present researcher based on the study carried is that government
neglects of providing employment opportunity for her teeming youths who are
graduating in millions annually from institutions of higher learning and other training
schools. Consequently, this has greatly not only contributed to the increasing number
of the unemployed youths but has compounded the problem in such a way that
government has become helpless to address the situation. (Innocent 2014) supported
this assertion when he said that “Unemployment has become a major problem in
Nigeria and millions of graduates and school leavers are busy roaming the streets in
search of elusive jobs. However, government at all levels is paying lip service to
creating employment opportunities for the people”.
As a result, there are persistent increasing numbers of unemployed graduates

across Nigeria including Nasarawa State. The by-products of this unemployment rate
especially in Nasarawa State, Nigeria has general impacts on the life of the
unemployed youths. They faced severe financial difficulties and as a result they
adopted certain number of coping strategies ranging from setting up petty business,
engaged in skill acquisition programs, depend on family relations as well as parents
and even friends as the case may be. Ideally, one would have thought that these
ventures would have solve the problems of the unemployed but indeed, it could not.
Therefore, the unemployed feels neglected and rejected by the government since the
government felt short of providing gainful employment for them to earn a living. Also
the unemployed felt inferior among their peers especially among their gainfully
employed peers. The danger of this development as discovered from the field is that
some of the youths resorted to earn a living through engaging in anti-social behaviors
and in some cases thought of committing suicide to end their suffering.
The entire process of data analysis was followed using a defined step-by-step
qualitative guide of identification and interpretation of data that has helped in
producing a set of themes. Therefore, it could be affirmed that the data analysis is
based on descriptions that gave rise to themes and assertion derived from the various
views of the informants that participated in the interview which is in line with
207
(Creswell 2013, 2013). The data was also arrived at from the direct quotations picked
from the informants’ views and also from supportive literatures related to the issue
under study. Additionally, the issues that emerged from the study focused on social,
psychological, and economic conditions.
Unemployment has become a major problem in Nasarawa state, Nigeria and millions
of graduates and school leavers are busy roaming the streets in search of elusive jobs.
However, government at all levels is paying lip service to creating employment
opportunities for the young people. Government policies on reduction of youth
unemployment are highly politicize, and very selective and so these policies are not
helpful to the general public as they are not targeted at the poor or at the unemployed
youths but they are political schemes to gain the attention and to deceive the general
public that they are working towards reduction of youth unemployment. That is why
almost the beneficiaries of such policies must be connected to the political leadership
or else you don’t get it. The last and the current administration in Nigeria, when they
were coming, they promised us that they would give us three (3) million jobs per year,
and up this moment they are yet to fulfill their promise to Nigerian youths that voted
for them in 2015. The only program they are able to embarked upon that seems to be
meant for the reduction of youth unemployment is N-Power program. N-Power
program is a graduate program initiated by Muhammad Buhari in this present regime.
The beneficiaries of this program are assign on tasks especially teaching based on
their disciplines in any public service or schools for a period of two years with the
payment of 30,000.00 naira only monthly. Though, the researcher is unable to access
the statistics of unemployed youths that benefited from this program. However, what
happens to the beneficiaries at the expiration of the program, why not full employment
for the few that might be lucky to assure the world that a particular number of youths
were employed, and is N-Power program working towards reduction of youth
unemployment?
208
REFERENCES
Abdullahi, S. 2012. Entrepreneurship and Economic Growth: An Analysis of Impact

of Public Policy on Entrepreneurship Development in Nigeria. International
Conference on Business and Management 6-7.
Acosta-Ballesteros, J., Osorno-Del Rosal, M. & Rodríguez-Rodríguez, O. M. 2014.

Education and Unemployment Patterns for Young Workers with Job
Experience in Spain. ISRN Economics 2014
Adebayo, A. A. 2013. Youths Unemployment and Crime in Nigeria: A Nexus and

Implications for National Development. International Journal of Sociology
and Anthropology 5(9): 350-357.
Adegboyega, L. O., Okesina, F. A. & Mustapha, M. L. 2016. Coping Strategies of

Unemployed Youths in Kwara State, Nigeria. Asia Pacific Journal of
Education, Arts and Sciences 3(3): 78-85.
Adesugba, M. A. & Mavrotas, G. 2016. Delving Deeper into the Agricultural

Transformation and Youth Employment Nexus: The Nigerian Case. 31. Intl
Food Policy Res Inst.
Adinkrah, M. 2003. Homicide–Suicides in Fiji: Offense Patterns, Situational

Factors, and Sociocultural Contexts. Suicide and life-threatening behavior
33(1): 65-73.
Agetue, F. N. & Nnamdi, A. E. 2011. Entrepreneurship Training. A Tool for Job

Creation and Sustainable National Development in Nigeria. Journal of
teacher perspective (JOTEP) 5(3):
Ahn, N., García, J. R. & Jimeno, J. F. 2004. The Impact of Unemployment on

Individual Well-Being in the Eu. European Network of Economic Policy
Research Institutes, Working Paper 29
Aiyedogbon, J. O. & Ohwofasa, B. O. 2012. Poverty and Youth Unemployment in

Nigeria, 1987-2011. International Journal of Business and Social Science
3(20):
Ajibola, M. 2008. Innovations and Curriculum Development for Basic Education in

Nigeria: Policy Priorities and Challenges of Practice and Implementation.
Research Journal of international studies 8(54): 51-58.
Ajufo, B. I. 2013. Challenges of Youth Unemployment in Nigeria: Effective Career

Guidance as a Panacea. African Research Review 7(1): 307-321.
Akande, T. 2014. Youth Unemployment in Nigeria: A Situation Analysis. Africa in

Focus, Available at www. brooking. edu/blogs/africa-in-
focus/posts/2014/09/23-youth-unemployment-nigeria-akande [23 September
2014]
209
Aldrich, R. M. & Dickie, V. A. 2013. " It's Hard to Plan Your Day When You Have
No Money": Discouraged Workers' Occupational Possibilities and the Need to
Reconceptualize Routine. Work 45(1): 5-15.
Altbeker, A., Schirmer, S., Schorr, R., Melaphi, M. & Bernstein, A. 2013. Coping
with Unemployment- Young Peoples’ Strategies and Their Policy
Implications.
Amsel, A. 1992. Frustration Theory: An Analysis of Dispositional Learning and

Memory. Cambridge University Press.
Amupitan, O. 2011. An Assessment of the Role of the National Directorate of

Employment (Nde) in Reducing Graduate Unemployment in Kaduna State.
Anon 2016. Criminal Report. Command., N. S. P. Lafia.
Artazcoz, L., Benach, J., Borrell, C. & Cortes, I. 2004. Unemployment and Mental
Health: Understanding the Interactions among Gender, Family Roles, and
Social Class. American Journal of public health 94(1): 82-88.
Artner, A. 2014. Youth Unemployment and Neets–Reasons and Treatment in

Europe with Special Regard to Hungary.
Asaju, K., Arome, S. & Anyio, S. F. 2014. The Rising Rate of Unemployment in
Nigeria: The Socio-Economic and Political Implications. Global Business and
Economics Research Journal 3(2): 12-32.
Assaad, R. & Roudi-Fahimi, F. 2007. Youth in the Middle East and North Africa:
Demographic Opportunity or Challenge. Population Reference Bureau
Washington, DC.
Awogbenle, A. C. & Iwuamadi, K. C. 2010. Youth Unemployment:

Entrepreneurship Development Programme as an Intervention Mechanism.
African Journal of Business Management 4(6): 831-835.
B, B. T., Sulochana, N., Zororo, M., Obert, S. & Desderio, C. 2015. Effects of the
Educated Youth Unemployment Nexus in Zimbabwe. journal of humanities
and social sciences 20(10): 11.
Baddeley, M. 2009. A Qualitative Study of Coping with Unemployment.
Berlingieri, F., Bonin, H. & Sprietsma, M. 2014. Youth Unemployment in Europe:

Appraisal and Policy Options. ZEW Gutachten/Forschungsberichte.
Betcherman, G. & Khan, T. 2015. Youth Employment in Sub-Saharan Africa

Taking Stock of the Evidence and Knowledge Gaps.
Bezabih, Z. 2014. Nature of Youth Unemployment in Kazanchis, Addis Ababa.

Addis Ababa University Addis Ababa, Ethiopia,
210
Björklund, O., Söderlund, M., Nyström, L. & Häggström, E. 2015. Unemployment

and Health: Experiences Narrated by Young Finnish Men. American journal
of men's health 9(1): 76-85.
Blanche, M. T., Blanche, M. J. T., Durrheim, K. & Painter, D. 2006. Research in

Practice: Applied Methods for the Social Sciences. Juta and Company Ltd.
Blanchflower, D. G. & Oswald, A. J. 2013. The Danger of High Home Ownership:

Greater Unemployment. Chatham House.
Bolt, G., Burgers, J. & Van Kempen, R. 1998. On the Social Significance of Spatial
Location; Spatial Segregation and Social Inclusion. Journal of Housing and
the Built Environment 13(1): 83-95.
Bolt, R. A. 1933. Child Hygiene: The Effects of Unemployment on Children and

Young People in Germany. American Journal of Public Health and the
Nations Health 23(7): 744-747.
Borrero, M. 1980. Psychological and Emotional Impact of Unemployment. J. Soc.

& Soc. Welfare 7(916.
Bowen, W. G. & Finegan, T. A. 2015. The Economics of Labor Force

Participation. 2054. Princeton University Press.
Brada, J. C., Marelli, E. & Signorelli, M. 2014. Introduction: Young People and the
Labor Market: Key Determinants and New Evidence. Comparative Economic
Studies 56(4): 556-566.
Brandolini, A., Cipollone, P. & Viviano, E. 2006. Does the Ilo Definition Capture
All Unemployment? Journal of the European Economic Association 4(1):
153-179.
Breuer, J. & Elson, M. 2017. Frustration–Aggression Theory. The Wiley Handbook

of Violence and Aggression 1-12.
Brooks-Gunn, J., Duncan, G. J. & Maritato, N. 1997. Poor Families, Poor

Outcomes: The Well-Being of Children and Youth. Consequences of growing
up poor 1-17.
Browning, M., Dano, A. M. & Heinesen, E. 2003. Job Displacement and Health
Outcomes: A Representative Panel Study. Citeseer.
Caliendo, M., Cobb-Clark, D. A. & Uhlendorff, A. 2015. Locus of Control and Job
Search Strategies. Review of Economics and Statistics 97(1): 88-103.
Calvó-Armengol, A. & Zenou, Y. 2003. Does Crime Affect Unemployment? The

Role of Social Networks. Annales d'Economie et de Statistique 173-188.
Campbell, B. 2013. Value Orientation and Unemployment: A Multiple Case Study

of Eight Unemployed Participants. Saybrook University,
211
Chiazor, I. & Udume, M. 2017. Unemployment in Nigeria: A Time Bomb Waiting

to Explode: Issues, Diagnoses and the Way Forward. Advances in Social
Sciences Research Journal 4(2):
Chigunta, F. 2002. The Socio-Economic Situation of Youth in Africa: Problems,

Prospects and Options. Youth Employment Summit, Alexandria, Egypt
Chigunta, F. 2002. Youth Entrepreneurship: Meeting the Key Policy Challenges.

Education Development Center.
Clark, A., Georgellis, Y. & Sanfey, P. 2001. Scarring: The Psychological Impact of
Past Unemployment. Economica 68(270): 221-241.
Clark, A. E. 1998. Measures of Job Satisfaction: What Makes a Good Job?

Evidence from Oecd Countries. OECD Publishing.
Clark, A. E., Diener, E., Georgellis, Y. & Lucas, R. E. 2008. Lags and Leads in Life
Satisfaction: A Test of the Baseline Hypothesis. The Economic Journal
118(529): F222-F243.
Clark, A. E. & Oswald, A. J. 1994. Unhappiness and Unemployment. The

Economic Journal 104(424): 648-659.
Cloete, A. 2015. Youth Unemployment in South Africa. A Theological Reflection

through the Lens of Human Dignity. Missionalia 43(3): 513-525.
Cobb‐Clark, D. A. & Schurer, S. 2013. Two Economists' Musings on the Stability

of Locus of Control. The Economic Journal 123(570):
Cohen, L., Manion, L. & Morrison, K. 2013. Research Methods in Education.

Routledge.
Conroy, M. 2010. A Qualitative Study of the Psychological Impact of

Unemployment on Individuals.
Creed, P. A. & Macintyre, S. R. 2001. The Relative Effects of Deprivation of the

Latent and Manifest Benefits of Employment on the Well-Being of
Unemployed People. Journal of occupational health psychology 6(4): 324.
Creswell, J. W. 2013. Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed

Methods Approaches.Sage publications.
Crowley, B. J. & Hobdy, J. 2003. Psychological Hardiness and Adjustment to Life

Events in Adulthood. Journal of adult development 10(4): 237-248.
Curtain, R. 2001. Youth and Employment: A Public Policy Perspective.

Development Bulletin 55(1): 7-11.
Daly, M. & Delaney, L. 2013. The Scarring Effect of Unemployment Throughout

Adulthood on Psychological Distress at Age 50: Estimates Controlling for
212
Early Adulthood Distress and Childhood Psychological Factors. Social

science & medicine 80(19-23.
Damon, W. 1999. The Moral Development of Children. Scientific American

281(2): 72-78.
Damon, W. 2004. What Is Positive Youth Development? The Annals of the

American Academy of Political and Social Science 591(1): 13-24.
Damon, W. & Gregory, A. 2002. Bringing in a New Era in the Field of Youth
Development. Handbook of applied developmental science 1(407-420.
Damulak, D. D. 2015. Housing Policy in Nigeria and the Growth of Urban

Marginalities: A Case Study of Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa
State, 2000-2014. Department Of Political Science, Nasarawa State
University Keffi,
Dekker, J., Amsing, H., Hahurij, L. & Wichgers, I. 2014. The Resilience of
Recently Graduated and Unemployed Dutch Academics in Coping with the
Economic Crisis. JSSE-Journal of Social Science Education
Dike, V. E. 2009. Addressing Youth Unemployment and Poverty in Nigeria: A Call

for Action, Not Rhetoric. Journal of Sustainable Development in Africa
11(3): 129-151.
Dodge, R., Daly, A. P., Huyton, J. & Sanders, L. D. 2012. The Challenge of
Defining Wellbeing. International journal of wellbeing 2(3):
Dollard, J., Miller, N. E., Doob, L. W., Mowrer, O. H. & Sears, R. R. 1939.
Frustration and Aggression.
Du Toit, M., De Witte, H., Rothmann, S. & Van Den Broeck, A. 2018. Contextual
Factors and the Experience of Unemployment: A Review of Qualitative
Studies. South African Journal of Economic and Management Sciences 21(1):
1-11.
Duke, O. O., Agbaji, D. D. & Bassey, O. 2017. Corruption and the Challenge of
Boko Haram Terrorism in Nigeria: A Case of the Nigerian Armed Forces.
Asian Research Journal of Arts & Social Sciences 4(2): 1-20.
Durrheim, K. 1999. Research Design. Research in practice: Applied methods for

the social sciences 29-53.
Ekong, U. & Ekong, C. 2016. Skills Acquisition and Unemployment Reduction in

Nigeria: A Case Study of National Directorate of Employment (Nde) in Akwa
Ibom State. International Journal of Economics Management Sciences 5(352.
Emeh, I. E. J. 2012. Tackling Youth Unemployment in Nigeria; the Lagos State

Development and Empowerment Programmes Initiatives. Afro Asian Journal
of Social Sciences 3(3.4):
213
Esim, S., Varia, N. & Durón, G. 1999. Adolescent Livelihoods: A Selective Review
of Issues and Programs. International Center for Research on Women
(ICRW), Washington
Extremera, N. & Rey, L. 2016. Attenuating the Negative Impact of Unemployment:

The Interactive Effects of Perceived Emotional Intelligence and Well-Being on
Suicide Risk. PloS one 11(9): e0163656.
Fajana, S. 2000. Functioning of the Nigerian Labour Market. Labofin.
Feather, N. T. 2012. The Psychological Impact of Unemployment. Springer

Science & Business Media.
Feldman, D. C., Leana, C. R. & Bolino, M. C. 2002. Underemployment and

Relative Deprivation among Re‐Employed Executives. Journal of
Occupational and Organizational Psychology 75(4): 453-471.
Fowler, K. & Etchegary, H. 2008. Economic Crisis and Social Capital: The Story of
Two Rural Fishing Communities. Journal of Occupational and
Organizational Psychology 81(2): 319-341.
Fox, L. & Kaul, U. 2018. The Evidence Is In: How Should Youth Employment
Programs in Low-Income Countries Be Designed?, The World Bank.
Fryer, D. 1986. Employment Deprivation and Personal Agency During

Unemployment: A Critical Discussion of Jahoda's Explanation of the
Psychological Effects of Unemployment.
Fryer, D. 2013. Psychological or Material Deprivation: Why Does Unemployment

Have Mental Health Consequences? Dlm. (pnyt.). Understanding
Unemployment, hlm. 116-138. Routledge.
Gallie, D. 1999. Unemployment and Social Exclusion in the European Union.

European Societies 1(2): 139-167.
Gallie, D., Marsh, C. & Vogler, C. 1994. Social Change and the Experience of
Unemployment. Oxford University Press.
Ganong, P. & Noel, P. 2015. How Does Unemployment Affect Consumer

Spending? Unpublished manuscript, Harvard Univ., Cambridge, MA.
http://scholar. harvard. edu/files/ganong/files/ganongmpnemploymentpending.
pdf Article Location
Giuntoli, G., South, J. & Whilte, J. 2011. The Impact of Involuntary Unemployment
on Mental Well-Being at a Time of Economic Recession and the Role of
Community Interventions to Strengthen People’s Resilience. Social Policy
Conference, hlm. 4-6.
Goldsmith, A. H., Veum, J. R. & Darity Jr, W. 1996. The Psychological Impact of
Unemployment and Joblessness. The journal of socio-economics 25(3): 333-
358.
214
Gribble, L. C. & Miller, P. 2009. Identifying the Psychological Constructs

Underpinning the Effects of Retrenchment. Australasian Journal of Business
and Social Inquiry 7(2): 36.
Griep, Y., Baillien, E., Ysebaert, I. & De Witte, H. 2015. Assessing the Experience
of Unemployment and Its Associated Coping Strategies: Grasping Context-
Specific Details Using Photovoice. Romanian Journal of Applied Psychology
17(2): 52-62.
Grimmer, J. & Stewart, B. M. 2013. Text as Data: The Promise and Pitfalls of
Automatic Content Analysis Methods for Political Texts. Political analysis
21(3): 267-297.
Guion, L. A., Diehl, D. C. & Mcdonald, D. 2001. Conducting an in-Depth

Interview. University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of
Food and Agricultural Sciences, EDIS.
Hamilton, S. F., Hamilton, M. A. & Pittman, K. 2004. Principles for Youth

Development. The youth development handbook: Coming of age in American
communities 2(3-22.
Hammer, T. 2000. Mental Health and Social Exclusion among Unemployed Youth
in Scandinavia. A Comparative Study. International journal of social welfare
9(1): 53-63.
Han, C.-K. 2009. Unemployment, Financial Hardship, and Savings in Individual

Development Accounts. Journal of Poverty 13(1): 74-95.
Hiswåls, A.-S., Marttila, A., Mälstam, E. & Macassa, G. 2017. Experiences of

Unemployment and Well-Being after Job Loss During Economic Recession:
Results of a Qualitative Study in East Central Sweden. Journal of public
health research 6(3):
Howe, G. W., Caplan, R. D., Foster, D., Lockshin, M. & Mcgrath, C. 1995. When
Couples Cope with Job Loss: A Strategy for Developing and Testing
Preventive Interventions. Job stress interventions 139-157.
Howe, G. W., Levy, M. L. & Caplan, R. D. 2004. Job Loss and Depressive
Symptoms in Couples: Common Stressors, Stress Transmission, or
Relationship Disruption? Journal of Family Psychology 18(4): 639.
Idris, I. 2016. Youth Unemployment and Violence.
Idris, I. 2016. Youth Unemployment and Violence: Rapid Literature Review.
Ilori, E. O. I. 2014. Evaluating the Impact of the National Directorate of

Employment Policy on Selected Agro-Chemical Small Medium Enterprises in
Akure, Nigeria.
Imoisi, A. I., Amba, E.-a. A. & Micheal, I. Unemployment Rate and Economic
Growth in Nigeria: An Empirical Analysis, 1980–.
215
Innocent, E. O. 2014. Unemployment Rate in Nigeria: Agenda for Government.

Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies 3(4): 103.
Iversen, L., Sabroe, S. & Damsgaard, M. T. 1989. Hospital Admissions before and
after Shipyard Closure. BMJ 299(6707): 1073-1076.
Jin, R. L., Shah, C. P. & Svoboda, T. J. 1995. The Impact of Unemployment on

Health: A Review of the Evidence. CMAJ: Canadian Medical Association
Journal 153(5): 529.
Johnson, J. M. 2002. In-Depth Interviewing. Handbook of interview research:

Context and method 103-119.
Julkunen, I. 2001. Coping and Mental Well-Being among Unemployed Youth—a

Northern European Perspective. Journal of youth studies 4(3): 261-278.
Juvva, S. & Newhill, C. E. 2011. Rehabilitation Contexts: A Holistic Approach.

Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment 21(2): 179-195.
Kakoudakis, K. 2014. Effects of Social Tourism on Unemployed Individuals’ Self-

Efficacy and Job-Search Behaviour. University of Nottingham,
Kale, Y. 2012. The Nigeria Poverty Profile 2010 Report. Press briefing by the
statistician-general of the Federation/chief executive officer, National Bureau
of Statistics (NBS). The conference room, 5th floor, NBS headquarters, central
business district, Abuja, Nigeria: NBS, hlm.
Kapuscinski, C. A., Braithwaite, J. & Chapman, B. 1998. Unemployment and

Crime: Toward Resolving the Paradox. Journal of Quantitative Criminology
14(3): 215-243.
Kapuvari, V. 2011. Psychological Effects of Economic Recession and

Unemployment. European journal of mental health 6(1): 83.
Kasl, S. V. & Cobb, S. 1970. Blood Pressure Changes in Men Undergoing Job
Loss: A Preliminary Report. Psychosomatic medicine 32(1): 19-38.
Kettunen, J. 1997. Education and Unemployment Duration. Economics of

education review 16(2): 163-170.
Khan, A. & Cheri, L. 2016. An Examination of Poverty as the Foundation of Crisis

in Northern Nigeria. Insight on Africa 8(1): 59-71.
Kieselbach, T. & Traiser, U. 2002. Long-Term Unemployment and the Risk of Social
Exclusion among Young People in Europe: Recommendations for Activation
Policies. Paper Present at Social Exclusion, Activation and Welfare
Conference.
Kilishi, A., Mobolaji, H., Usman, A., Yakubu, A. & Yaru, M. 2014. The Effect of
Unemployment on Crime in Nigeria: A Panel Data Analysis. British Journal
of Economics, Management & Trade 4(6): 880-895.
216
Kimani-Murage, E. W., Schofield, L., Wekesah, F., Mohamed, S., Mberu, B., Ettarh,
R., Egondi, T., Kyobutungi, C. & Ezeh, A. 2014. Vulnerability to Food
Insecurity in Urban Slums: Experiences from Nairobi, Kenya. Journal of
Urban Health 91(6): 1098-1113.
Kira, M. & Klehe, U.-C. 2016. Self-Definition Threats and Potential for Growth
among Mature-Aged Job-Loss Victims. Human Resource Management
Review 26(3): 242-259.
Koivumaa-Honkanen, H., Honkanen, R., Viinamäki, H., Heikkilä, K., Kaprio, J. &
Koskenvuo, M. 2000. Self-Reported Life Satisfaction and 20-Year Mortality
in Healthy Finnish Adults. American Journal of Epidemiology 152(10): 983-
991.
Kunnuji, M. O. 2016. Population Density and Armed Robbery in Nigeria: An

Analysis of Variation across States. African Journal of Criminology and
Justice Studies 9(1): 62-73.
Lacey, A. & Luff, D. 2001. Qualitative Data Analysis. Trent Focus Sheffield.
Leana, C. R., Feldman, D. C. & Tan, G. Y. 1998. Predictors of Coping Behavior

after a Layoff. Journal of Organizational Behavior: The International Journal
of Industrial, Occupational and Organizational Psychology and Behavior
19(1): 85-97.
Maclean, M. 2002. Economic Management and French Business: From De Gaulle

to Chirac. Springer.
Manning, R. D. 2001. Credit Card Nation: The Consequences of America's

Addiction to Credit. Basic Books.
Marcellus, I. O. 2009. Development Planning in Nigeria: Reflections on the

National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (Needs) 2003-
2007. Journal of Social Sciences 20(3): 197-210.
Marič, M., Jeraj, M. & Pavlin, J. 2010. Entrepreneurship as a Solution to the

Unemployment Problem. Škola biznisa 2(89-97.
Mathers, C. D. & Schofield, D. J. 1998. The Health Consequences of

Unemployment: The Evidence. Medical journal of Australia 168(4): 178-
182.
Mcclelland, A. 2000. Effects of Unemployment on the Family, SAGE Publications

Sage UK: London, England.
Mcclelland, A. & Macdonald, F. 1998. The Social Consequences of

Unemployment. Report for the Business Council of Australia
Mcgregor, J. A., Camfield, L. & Woodcock, A. 2009. Needs, Wants and Goals:
Wellbeing, Quality of Life and Public Policy. Applied research in quality of
life 4(2): 135-154.
217
Mckee-Ryan, F., Song, Z., Wanberg, C. R. & Kinicki, A. J. 2005. Psychological

and Physical Well-Being During Unemployment: A Meta-Analytic Study.
Journal of applied psychology 90(1): 53.
Mkandawire, R. 2000. Alienated, Criminalised and Stigmatised Youth Subcultures

of South Africa. Kopano–Southern Africa Regional Exchange Conference,
Dikhololo, North West Province, hlm. 20-25.
Moller, V. 1991. The Unemployment Blues: Psychological Effects of

Unemployment on the Individual. University of Natal, Centre for Social and
Development Studies.
Musa, U. F., Abdullah, M. a. I. L. B. & Wahid, R. 2016. Politics of Poverty

Alleviation Programs in Nigeria: Challenges and Prospects. Journal of
Education and Social Sciences 4(2289-9855.
Musa, U. F., Abdullah, M. a. I. L. B. & Wahid, R. 2016. Politics of Poverty

Alleviation Programs in Nigeria: Challenges and Prospects.
Nikolova, M. & Nikolaev, B. N. 2018. Family Matters: The Effects of Parental

Unemployment in Early Childhood and Adolescence on Subjective Well-
Being Later in Life. Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization
Nixon, A. & Wild, D. 2008. Pmc34 Methodologies for Assessing and

Demonstrating Data Saturation in Qualitative Inquiry Supporting Patient-
Reported Outcomes Research. Value in Health 11(6): A569.
Nordenmark, M. & Strandh, M. 1999. Towards a Sociological Understanding of

Mental Well-Being among the Unemployed: The Role of Economic and
Psychosocial Factors. Sociology 33(3): 577-597.
Nossiter, A. 2012. „Kano under Siege‟. New York Times
O'brien, G. E. & Feather, N. T. 1990. The Relative Effects of Unemployment and

Quality of Employment on the Affect, Work Values and Personal Control of
Adolescents. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology 63(2):
151-165.
Oduwole, T. A. 2016. Coping Mechanism among Unemployed Graduates in

Mushin Local Government Area of Lagos State, Nigeria.
Okojie, C. E. 2003. Employment Creation for Youth in Africa: The Gender

Dimension. Jobs for Youth: National Strategies for Employment Promotion
15-16.
Okurut, F. N., Olalekan, Y. & Mangadi, K. 2011. Credit Rationing and Sme
Development in Botswana: Implications for Economic Diversification.
Botswana Journal of Economics 8(12): 62-85.
Olusegun Ajayi, J. 2015. Graduates Unemployment and Criminality in Ado-Ekiti.

International Journal of Management and Business Research 5(1): 61-77.
218
Omadjohwoefe, O. S. 2013. Insecurity and Sustainable Development: The Boko

Haram Debacle in Nigeria. American International Journal of Social Science
2(7): 82-88.
Onah, N. G. & Okwuosa, L. N. 2016. Youth Unemployment and Peace in Nigerian

Society. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences 7(1 S1): 52.
Onimisi, T. & Tinuola, O. L. Assessment of the Policy of National Directorate of

Employment in Nigeria: 2011-2014.
Oniore, J., Bernard, A. & Gyang, E. 2015. Macroeconomic Determinants of

Unemployment in Nigeria. International Journal of Economics, Commerce
and Management, C 3(10.
Osakwe, C. 2013. Youth Unemployment and National Security in Nigeria.

International Journal of Humanities and Social Science 3(21): 80-85.
Patrick, R. 2014. Working on Welfare: Findings from a Qualitative Longitudinal

Study into the Lived Experiences of Welfare Reform in the Uk. Journal of
Social Policy 43(4): 705-725.
Patton, M. Q. 2005. Qualitative Research. Encyclopedia of statistics in behavioral

science
Patton, W. & Donohue, R. 1998. Coping with Long‐Term Unemployment. Journal

of Community & Applied Social Psychology 8(5): 331-343.
Paul, K. I. & Moser, K. 2009. Unemployment Impairs Mental Health: Meta-

Analyses. Journal of Vocational behavior 74(3): 264-282.
Pauline, O. I. Assessing the Coping Strategies for Reducing Financial Stress among
Unemployed Graduates in Enugu State, Nigeria.
Pernice, R. 1996. Methodological Issues in Unemployment Research: Quantitative

and/or Qualitative Approaches? Journal of Occupational and Organizational
Psychology 69(4): 339-349.
Portes, A. 1998. Social Capital: Its Origins and Applications in Modern Sociology.
Annual review of sociology 24(1): 1-24.
Potluka, O. & Liddle, J. 2014. Managing European Union Structural Funds: Using a
Multilevel Governance Framework to Examine the Application of the
Partnership Principle at the Project Level. Regional Studies 48(8): 1434-
1447.
Rao, A. H. 2017. Stand by Your Man: Wives' Emotion Work During Men's
Unemployment. Journal of Marriage and Family 79(3): 636-656.
Rikko, L. & Wapwera, S. 2016. Perception and Conditions of the Urban Poor in
Greater Karu Urban Area (Gkua) Nasarawa, Nigeria.
219
Robalino, D. A., Vodopivec, M. & Bodor, A. 2009. Savings for Unemployment in

Good or Bad Times: Options for Developing Countries.
Roberts, J. A. & Clement, A. 2007. Materialism and Satisfaction with over-All

Quality of Life and Eight Life Domains. Social Indicators Research 82(1):
79-92.
Rukubaland, C. I. 2011. Department of History Nasarawa State University, Keffi.

Nasarawa Journal of Political Science 1(2): 29.
Ruth, H., Emmanuel, A. Y. & Ndubuisi-Okolo, P. 2014. Understanding and

Overcoming the Challenge of Youth Unemployment in Nigeria. Review of
Public Administration and Management 400(3614): 1-9.
Salami, C. 2011. Enterpreneurship and Youth Unemployment in Nigeria: The

Missing Link. Global Journal of Management and Business Research 11(5):
Salau, E., Onuk, E. & Ibrahim, A. 2012. Knowledge, Perception and Adaptation
Strategies to Climate Change among Farmers in Southern Agricultural Zone of
Nasarawa State, Nigeria. Journal of Agricultural Extension 16(2): 199-211.
Samiullal, S., Koteswariah, G. & Sivasankara Reddy, K. 1995. Impact of Gender

and Job Tenure on the Self-Perceived Competencies (Career Anchors) of Bank
Employees. JOURNAL OF THE PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCHES 39(13-
17.
Schliek, M. 2011. Abstinence Rate, Participation in Follow-up Rehabilitation and

Life Satisfaction after Qualified Alcohol Detoxification Treatment–Predictors
of Recovery at 1-Month Follow-Up. University of Twente,
Servais, J.-M. & Van Goethem, V. 2016. International Labour Organization (Ilo).
Kluwer Law International.
Sherman, J. 2013. Surviving the Great Recession: Growing Need and the
Stigmatized Safety Net. Social Problems 60(4): 409-432.
Stankunas, M., Kalediene, R., Starkuviene, S. & Kapustinskiene, V. 2006. Duration

of Unemployment and Depression: A Cross-Sectional Survey in Lithuania.
BMC public health 6(1): 174.
Statistics, L. 2014. Us Department of Labor. Career guide to Industries
Stober, E. O. 2015. Unemployment Scourge: Rising to the Nigerian Challenge. The

Romanian Economic Journal 18(56): 181-200.
Strandh, M. 2000. Different Exit Routes from Unemployment and Their Impact on
Mental Well-Being: The Role of the Economic Situation and the Predictability
of the Life Course. Work, Employment and Society 14(3): 459-479.
Strier, R. 2014. Unemployment and Fatherhood: Gender, Culture and National

Context. Gender, Work & Organization 21(5): 395-410.
220
Suleman, F., Amor, T. & Guerra, I. 2016. Coping Strategies of Long-Term

Unemployed in Portugal.
Swanepoel, H. & De Beer, F. 2012. Community Development: Breaking the Cycle

of Poverty. Juta and Company Ltd.
Taylor, J. 2002. Unemployment and Family Life. The Price of Prosperity. The
Economic and Social Costs of Unemployment, University of New South Wales
Press, Sydney 65-85.
Teddlie, C. & Yu, F. 2007. Mixed Methods Sampling: A Typology with Examples.
Journal of mixed methods research 1(1): 77-100.
Thomsen, S. L. 2007. Evaluating the Employment Effects of Job Creation Schemes

in Germany. 36. Springer Science & Business Media.
Thornberry, T. P. & Christenson, R. L. 1984. Unemployment and Criminal

Involvement: An Investigation of Reciprocal Causal Structures. American
Sociological Review 398-411.
Tiggemann, M. & Winefield, A. H. 1984. The Effects of Unemployment on the

Mood, Self‐Esteem, Locus of Control, and Depressive Affect of School‐
Leavers. Journal of occupational psychology 57(1): 33-42.
Tochukwu, A. saturday, December 10th, 2016. End Spate of Robberies in Keffi,

Nasarawa State. Daily Trust.,
Tumin, M. M. 1985. Social Stratification: The Forms and Functions of Inequality.

Prentice Hall.
Ucha, C. 2010. Poverty in Nigeria: Some Dimensions and Contributing Factors.

Global Majority E-Journal 1(1): 46-56.
Ugwu, A. & Enna, D. 2015. Conflict Transformation in Nasarawa State: The

Alternative Dispute Resolution (Adr) Option. Global Journal of Political
Science and Administration 3(3): 58-73.
Ugwu, C. 2017. Refiguring Transnational Intervention: Ethnographic Example

from the Roll Back Malaria Initiative in an African Community. Ethnography
1466138117741504.
Umaru, A., Audu, U. M., Orlaade, A. P. & Bala, H. A. Urbanization and the Family
Structure; a Focus on Karu Metropolis Nasarawa State.
Urbanos-Garrido, R. M. & Lopez-Valcarcel, B. G. 2015. The Influence of the

Economic Crisis on the Association between Unemployment and Health: An
Empirical Analysis for Spain. The European Journal of Health Economics
16(2): 175-184.
Van Aerden, K., Gadeyne, S. & Vanroelen, C. 2017. Is Any Job Better Than No
Job at All? Studying the Relations between Employment Types,
221
Unemployment and Subjective Health in Belgium. Archives of Public Health

75(1): 55.
Van Aerden, K., Moors, G., Levecque, K. & Vanroelen, C. 2014. Measuring
Employment Arrangements in the European Labour Force: A Typological
Approach. Social indicators research 116(3): 771-791.
Van Aerden, K., Puig-Barrachina, V., Bosmans, K. & Vanroelen, C. 2016. How
Does Employment Quality Relate to Health and Job Satisfaction in Europe? A
Typological Approach. Social science & medicine 158(132-140.
Vinokur, A. D., Price, R. H. & Caplan, R. D. 1996. Hard Times and Hurtful
Partners: How Financial Strain Affects Depression and Relationship
Satisfaction of Unemployed Persons and Their Spouses. Journal of
personality and social psychology 71(1): 166.
Viviana, A., Silvia, M., Giulia, R. & Zaccarin, S. 2018. Social Relations and Life
Satisfaction: The Role of Friends.
Vosko, L. F. 2006. Precarious Employment: Towards an Improved Understanding

of Labour Market Insecurity. 2006. McGill-Queen’s University Press
Montreal and Kingston.
Wanberg, C. R. 2012. The Individual Experience of Unemployment. Annual

review of psychology 63(369-396.
Wanberg, C. R., Watt, J. D. & Rumsey, D. J. 1996. Individuals without Jobs: An

Empirical Study of Job-Seeking Behavior and Reemployment. Journal of
applied psychology 81(1): 76.
White, B. 2012. Agriculture and the Generation Problem: Rural Youth,

Employment and the Future of Farming. IDS Bulletin 43(6): 9-19.
Willemse, R. P. 2015. The Perceived Impact of Unemployment on Psychological

Well-Being among Unemployed Young People in Worcester.
Wilson, W. J. 1996. When Work Disappears. Political Science Quarterly 111(4):

567-595.
Winkelmann, R. 2014. Unemployment and Happiness. IZA World of Labor
Worach-Kardas, H. & Kostrzewski, S. 2014. Quality of Life and Health State of

Long–Term Unemployed in Older Production Age. Applied research in
quality of life 9(2): 335-353.
Yaro, O. O. & Ebuga, E. A. 2013. An Assessment of the Development Potentials of

Nasarawa State in Nigeria. International Journal of Environmental Science,
Toxicology and Food Technology 6(1): 1-5.
222
Yoms, E. 2013. Towards a People-Centred Approach in Theology for Socio-

Economic Rural Community Development in Nasarawa State, Nigeria.
Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University,
Zawadzki, B. & Lazarsfeld, P. 1935. The Psychological Consequences of

Unemployment. The Journal of social psychology 6(2): 224-251.
Zeng, Q. 2012. Youth Unemployment and the Risk of Social Relationship

Exclusion: A Qualitative Study in a Chinese Context. International Journal of
Adolescence and Youth 17(2-3): 85-94.
223
APPENDIX A
INTERVIEW GUIDELINE
This section is divided into 4 sections. Section A deals with the personal information
of the participants, and the period they have been employed. Section B deals with the
psychosocial impacts of unemployment as they been affected directly or indirectly.
Section C deals with the financial difficulty of the unemployed with regard to their
well-being and living standard. And section D deals with the expected strategy to cope
with unemployment experience.
A. Demographic/personal history.
-How old are you?
-Are you married?
-What is your practicing religion?
-How long have you been living here?
-How long have you been unemployed?
When was your last employment?
Why were you disengaged from the employment?
B. Psychosocial impacts.
-What are your experiences of being unemployed?
Probing questions;
How does unemployment affect your relationship with your wife, children, and your
neighbors?
Have you ever thought of committing suicide?
As an unemployed person, how do you feel when you are invited to social events?
224
How your family does sees you now?
How your community/society does see you now?
Have you ever been involved in any anti-social behaviors/activities?
Do you feel worth compare to when you were employed?
C. Impacts of financial difficulties on the psychosocial dimension.
How do financial difficulties affect you?
Probing questions:
Do you have savings?
How do you feel when you don’t have money to attend to family needs?
D. The strategy to cope with unemployment.
-Can you please tell how you are coping with unemployment?
Probing questions:
What have you been doing to help yourself in this unemployment situation?
What do you think should be done to improve your situation?
Do you think you need any skill training to improve your situation?
Do you depend on someone now for your living?
What effort has your government done to reduce unemployment?
-Do you have any question to ask in relation to all we have discussed?
225
APPENDIX B
CONSENT LETTER
Department of Social, Environment and Developmental Studies
Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanity,
Universiti Kebangsaan, Malaysia.
Dear Participant
----------------------------------------
----------------------------------------
I am Galadima Gladstone Wayas, a postgraduate student with the above institution. I

am conducting a study on psychosocial impacts of unemployment among youth in
Nasarawa state as partial fulfillment for the award of Ph.D. degree in Development
Science.
You are specially selected and invited to participate with me in this research work as I
would require you to please objectively provide answers to a series of questions.
Note that all information given would be treated confidentially and shall be used only
for this research, and you would never be implicated forgiven any information.
Your engagement in this research work is personal sacrifice and voluntary, you may
wish to give up the interview at any time without being punished. Your cooperation is
highly needed and would be appreciated for the success of this research.
Thank you sincerely.
I_____________________________________________ agree/do not agree to

participate in the interview as requested.
Signature______________________ Date___________________________
226
APPENDIX C
Coding
Research Informants Codes Emerging Themes Sub-themes

Objectives
1. To explore the Informants 1, 5, Friends almost I almost fell into

psychosocial 18 & 20. drag me to social social vices
impacts of vices
unemployment
among youth in
Nasarawa State,
Nigeria Reduction of
Informants 1, 3 & people’s respect I lost my respect
24. for me in the sight of
people
Getting
demoralize due to
inability to do the
needful Got demoralize
because I was
helpless
Irresponsible and
Informants 1, 11, a nuisance to the
&22. people Seen as an
irresponsible and
nuisance person in
A horrible Sad the society
experience, war
and hell
Almost become
insane due to I nearly run mad
thinking because of over
thinking
Sleeplessness
Inability to sleep
Informants 2, 3, & Nights and at nights restless
8. restless days days
Life was generally

hard
Informants 12, 13, Hardship of life
& 25.
Life is full of
Attempt to hardship.
Informants 3, 5, 9, commit suicide
& 20.
227
Attempt to
commit suicide.
Informants 1, 2, Inability to meet Hardly have

3,4,6,7,8,10,11, up with basic access to one
needs and food square meal a day
12,13,14
Inability to Unable to provide

Informants 4, 6 provide for the for the family
and 8, 12 children, younger
ones in the family
Lack of and
Inability to basics and
contribute to essentials of life
financial Support
for the family
Unable to help the

Informants 1, 3, 4, family financially
6, 8,12 Inability to buy
clothes of choice
Informants 9, 11,
& 16. Inability to eat
food of choice
Unable to buy
clothes of choice
Informants 5, 10,
11, &17 Cannot afford to
eat food of choice
Informants 2, 8, 9, Highly frustrated Getting Unemployment

11, 19, 21 &22. and depressed frustrated and causes frustration
Depressed and depression
2. To identify the Informants 1, 6, 8, Inability to Social effects of Difficulty in

impacts of 10, 14 participate in Unemployment attending social
financial social Gatherings on youths Gatherings
difficulties on the
psychosocial
dimension of the
unemployed
228
youths in Informants 4, 5, 6, Feelings when no Unemployed feel

Nasarawa State, 7, 9, &17. money to attend bad due to lack of
Nigeria to family needs money to attend
to family needs
Credit worthiness
Feelings about of the
inability to be unemployed
credit worthy youths
Informants 5, 7,
16, &17.
Challenges on Psychological
well being Feelings of the
unemployed Condition of well-
Youths being of the
Informants 4, 8, unemployed
11 &18. youth
Feeling bad when

unable to solve
family issues Feelings of the
financially unemployed in
Informants 4, 5, 6, solving family
7, 9, &17. problems
Parents feelings Feelings of

for the parents for the
unemployed unemployed
youths youths
Informants 3, 4,
11, 17, 21, 24, & Spouse Feelings Spouse feelings
25. for the for their fellow
unemployed spouse
youths unemployed
Friends and Societal feelings

neighbours towards the
unemployed
Feelings for the
Informants 3, 4, unemployed Feelings of
11, 17, 21, 24, & feelings friends about
25. unemployed
youths
Community
Feelings
Feelings of the
229
Informants 4, 5, 9, community
11, 16, &18. towards
unemployed
youths
Effects on living General Financial effects

standard Financial effects on living standard
of unemployment of the
on Youths unemployed
Effects on savings Effects of

Informants 8, unemployment on
17,20,24 & 25 youth savings
Effects on well-
being
Informants 4, 8, Effects of
11 & 18. unemployment of
youths well being
Informants 3, 6, Effects of Health Health challenges

21, 22, &23. unemployment on Challenges of the
health challenges unemployed
youths
3. To identify Informants 3, 4, 5, Reliance on Begging Unemployed

strategies 7, 8, 10, 14, 19, parents and Strategies relies on parents
unemployed 20 & 23. family members and family
youth used to members to cope
cope with
unemployment
experience
Skill acquisition
strategies
Informants 4, 5, 6, Embarked on Business Unemployed

7, 8, 16, 19, 20, business Strategies embark on petty
23, & 25 strategies to cope businesses to cope
Informants 8, 9, Reliance on Reliance on Reliance on

19, &20 divine providence divine divine providence
intervention by the
strategies unemployed
Informants 1-25 Reliance on Reliance on Reliance on

government Government government by
the unemployed
Informants 3, 3, 5, Embarked on Petty jobs Unemployed look

10, 16, 17, 18, & casual jobs strategies for daily jobs for
24. survival

Galadima Full Thesis 14102019 (1) PDF Format PDF

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

You might also like

Galadima Full Thesis 14102019 (1) PDF Format PDF

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Galadima Full Thesis 14102019 (1) PDF Format PDF

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

THE PSYCHOSOCIAL IMPACTS OF

UNEMPLOYMENT AND COPING

GALADIMA GLADSTONE WAYAS

UNIVERSITI KEBANGSAAN MALAYSIA

GALADIMA GLADSTONE WAYAS

THESIS SUBMITTED IN FULFILMENT FOR THE DEGREE OF

FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES

GALADIMA GLADSTONE WAYAS

TESIS YANG DIKEMUKAKAN UNTUK MEMPEROLEH

FAKULTI SAINS SOSIAL DAN KEMANUSIAAN

20 October 2019 GALADIMA GLADSTONE WAYAS

Pengangguran dalam kalangan belia merupakan sebuah cabaran sejagat yang

Unemployment among youths as a global challenge prompted several research efforts

CHAPTER II LITERATURE REVIEW AND THEORETICAL

2.5 Theory of Psychosocial Impacts of Unemployment 20

CHAPTER III RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.10.5 Background Information of Informants 59

CHAPTER IV DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION

CHAPTER V SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

5.3.1 Theoretical Contribution 201

Appendix A Interview Guideline 223

Appendix B consent letter 225

Appendix C Coding 226

Table No. Page

.Table 1.1 Meaning of youth: Global, Regional and local/ Nigeria 12

Table 2.1 Current unemployment trends 23

Table 2.2 Unemployment by Gender 24

Table 2.3 Youth Unemployment by Level of Education 24

Table 2.4 Youth and Number of Criminal Cases 25

Table 2.5 2010 poverty level in Nigeria by zone 34

Table 2.6 Summary of literature review 39

Table 3.1 Unemployment rates across education groups in Nigeria

Table 3.2 Youth unemployment rate by states in Nigeria: 2002-2011 56

Table 4.1 Socio-demographic profile of informants 74

Figure No. Page

Figure 2.1 Diagram of Frustration –Aggression Theory 23

Figure 2.2 Overview Impacts of Youth Unemployment Diagram 30

Diagram No. Page

Diagram 4.1 A horrible Sad Experience, War and Hell 75

Diagram 4.2 Lack of Basics and Essentials of Life 98

Diagram 4.3 Frustration and Despression 110

Diagram 4.4 Psychosocial impacts of unemployment among youths in

Diagram 4.5 Impacts of Financial Difficulties on Social Effects of

Diagram 4.6 Psychological Feelings of the Unemployed Youths in the

Diagram 4.7 Societal Feelings Towards the Unemployed under Financial

Diagram 4.8 Identification of the Impacts of Financial Difficulties on the

Diagram 4.9 Begging Strategies 170

Diagram 4.10 Skill Acquisition and Self-Employed Strategies 173

Diagram 4.11 Reliance on divine & on Government Intervention 187

Diagram 4.12 Identification of Coping strategies of unemployed youths in

1.1 BACKGROUND OF STUDY

In 2001 United Nations General Assembly portrayed almost the developing

Youth unemployment in Africa has been a serious challenge as it increases

In the ILO report,(Assaad&Roudi-Fahimi 2007) it revealed the population

According to (Asaju et al. 2014), Nigerian youths unemployment rate was at

In a report by the federal ministry of youth and development (Dike 2009) it

According to (Awogbenle&Iwuamadi 2010) a record from the federal bureau