ACTIVISM AND BELLEISM: THE IMPLICATION FOR SOCIO-POLITICAL EMANCIPATION IN NIGERIA, A STUDY OF THE IJAW YOUTH COUNCIL (IYC).

Abstract

The dearth of good governance in Nigeria has resulted in the proliferation of social activism throughout the country, which is primarily manifested through youth organisations or associations with socio-cultural leanings. The purpose of this study is to examine activism and Belleism and their implications for sociopolitical emancipation in Nigeria, with focus on the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC). The study interrogates activism in the Niger Delta to ascertain the factors stifling effective social action in the region despite the proliferation of ethnic youth activists and agitators ostensibly seeking positive change for the people . It contends that, rather than being a vehicle for achieving societal altruism, many activists in the region increasingly use activism as a tool for the pursuit of their personal upward socio-political and economic mobility. Participants consisted of members of the IYC and other Ijaw youths. The study uses Robert K. Merton's Anomie theory (1910-2003) as a framework. This study relied on both primary and secondary sources for its data. The study offered a reliable and robust measure of activism and Belleism. The findings show that activism is undoubtedly a political tool used by youth activists to promote Belleism and stomach infrastructure. The paper recommends that activists should use international best practices in advocacy and campaigns for social and political change rather than sacrificing justice for Belleism.

Keywords: Activism, Activist, Belleism, Stomach infrastructure and emancipation.

DOI: 10.7176/RHSS/14-2-03

Publication date:March 31^st 2024