Youth Restiveness in Rural Communities: Social Psychological and Teaching-Learning Dimensions on NLNG and Greenville Experiences in Rumuji

Authors

  • Ezevunwo Obinachi Wori Department of Educational Foundations, Rivers State University, Nkpolu-Oroworukwo, P.M.B. 5080, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5281/

Keywords:

Youth Restiveness, Social Psychology, Teaching-Learning, NLNG, Greenville LNG, Rumuji Community, Sustainable Development, Corporate Social Responsibility

Abstract

Youth restiveness remains a persistent challenge in many rural host communities in Nigeria, where Perceptions of Socioeconomic Exclusion, Unemployment, Environmental Concerns, and Inadequate stakeholder engagement often heighten tensions between youths, communities, and corporate organizations. This study examined Youth Restiveness in Rumuji Community through the experiences of the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) and Greenville LNG, drawing on Social Psychological and Teaching-Learning Dimensions to identify sustainable pathways for community development. The study synthesises contemporary literature and is anchored in Frustration–Aggression Theory, Relative Deprivation Theory, Social Identity Theory, Social Learning Theory, Ecological Systems Theory, and Transformative Learning Theory. It reviewed key Concepts, Empirical Evidence, and the Social Psychological factors influencing Youth Attitudes, Group Behaviour, Conflict, and Community–Corporate Relations, while highlighting the role of Education, Community Learning, Peace Education, Civic Engagement, and Skills Development in mitigating Restiveness. The analysis emphasizes the importance of inclusive Corporate Social Responsibility, Participatory Governance, Youth Empowerment, Dialogue, and Educational Interventions as mechanisms for strengthening social cohesion and promoting sustainable Development in Rural communities. The study concluded that addressing youth restiveness requires integrated Psychological, Educational, and Community-Based Strategies rather than isolated economic interventions. It recommends strengthened partnerships among Government, NLNG, Greenville LNG, Traditional Institutions, Educational Stakeholders, and Community Organizations to enhance youth participation, Employment Opportunities, Peacebuilding, and lifelong learning. The study contributes to knowledge by advancing an interdisciplinary framework that integrates Social Psychology and Teaching-Learning Principles into Corporate–Community Engagement and Sustainable Rural Development, with implications for policy, research, and practice in host communities across the Niger Delta.

References

[1] I. Ibeh and D. O. Igwe, “Youth restiveness and surging insecurity: A reflection of questionable inclusive governance in Nigeria,” Nigerian Journal of Social Psychology, vol. 7, no. 2, 2024.

[2] S. J. Oke and S. A. Ahoton, “Youth restiveness and leadership problem in Nigeria,” African Journal of Stability and Development, vol. 16, no. 2, pp. 371–389, 2024.

[3] R. Akpokighe and A. Ejovi, “Youth restiveness in Nigeria: Implications on sustainable national development,” UJAH: Unizik Journal of Arts and Humanities, vol. 21, no. 3, pp. 66–89, 2021.

[4] J. Dollard, L. W. Doob, N. E. Miller, O. H. Mowrer, and R. R. Sears, Frustration and Aggression. New Haven, CT, USA: Yale University Press, 1939.

[5] L. Berkowitz, “Frustration-aggression hypothesis: Examination and reformulation,” Psychological Bulletin, vol. 106, no. 1, pp. 59–73, 1989.

[6] L. Berkowitz, Aggression: Its Causes, Consequences, and Control. New York, NY, USA: McGraw-Hill, 2012.

[7] S. A. Stouffer, E. A. Suchman, L. C. DeVinney, S. A. Star, and R. M. Williams, The American Soldier: Adjustment During Army Life, vol. 1. Princeton, NJ, USA: Princeton University Press, 1949.

[8] W. G. Runciman, Relative Deprivation and Social Justice. London, U.K.: Routledge, 1966.

[9] United Nations Development Programme, Human Development Report 2023/2024. New York, NY, USA: United Nations Development Programme, 2024.

[10] H. Tajfel and J. C. Turner, “An integrative theory of intergroup conflict,” in The Social Psychology of Intergroup Relations, W. G. Austin and S. Worchel, Eds. Monterey, CA, USA: Brooks/Cole, 1979, pp. 33–47.

[11] A. Bandura, Social Learning Theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ, USA: Prentice-Hall, 1977.

[12] A. Bandura, Social Foundations of Thought and Action: A Social Cognitive Theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ, USA: Prentice-Hall, 1986.

[13] A. O. Adewuya, O. E. Oladipo, and A. Esangbedo, “School protective factors and adolescent mental health in Nigeria: An investigation of cumulative effects, buffering mechanisms, and gender differences,” BMC Psychology, vol. 14, Art. no. 399, 2026.

[14] U. Bronfenbrenner, The Ecology of Human Development: Experiments by Nature and Design. Cambridge, MA, USA: Harvard University Press, 1979.

[15] U. Bronfenbrenner and P. A. Morris, “The bioecological model of human development,” in Handbook of Child Psychology, 6th ed. Hoboken, NJ, USA: Wiley, 2006. [Editors and page range incomplete.]

[16] UNICEF, The State of Nigeria’s Children 2024: Updated Situation Analysis of Children and Adolescents in Nigeria. Abuja, Nigeria: UNICEF Nigeria, 2024.

[17] J. Mezirow, “Perspective transformation,” Adult Education, vol. 28, no. 2, pp. 100–110, 1978.

[18] J. Mezirow, Transformative Dimensions of Adult Learning. San Francisco, CA, USA: Jossey-Bass, 1991.

[19] J. Mezirow, Transformative Learning in Practice. San Francisco, CA, USA: Jossey-Bass, 2009.

[20] UNESCO, Global Education Monitoring Report 2024: Leadership in Education. Paris, France: UNESCO, 2024.

[21] [21] UNESCO, Global Education Monitoring Report: Education for Peace, Inclusion and Sustainable Development, 2024.

[22] United Nations, The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2024. New York, NY, USA: United Nations, 2024.

[23] United Nations, World Youth Report 2024. New York, NY, USA: United Nations, 2024.

[24] Federal Ministry of Youth Development, National Youth Policy of Nigeria. Abuja, Nigeria: Federal Government of Nigeria, 2019.

[25] L. Steinberg, Adolescence, 12th ed. New York, NY, USA: McGraw-Hill, 2023.

[26] J. W. Santrock, Life-Span Development, 19th ed. New York, NY, USA: McGraw-Hill, 2024.

[27] World Bank, Rural Development Overview. Washington, DC, USA: World Bank, 2024.

[28] World Bank, World Development Report 2024: The Middle-Income Trap. Washington, DC, USA: World Bank, 2024.

[29] International Organization for Standardization, ISO 26000: Guidance on Social Responsibility. Geneva, Switzerland: International Organization for Standardization, 2024.

[30] World Commission on Environment and Development, Our Common Future. Oxford, U.K.: Oxford University Press, 1987.

[31] D. G. Myers and J. M. Twenge, Social Psychology, 14th ed. New York, NY, USA: McGraw-Hill, 2024.

[32] C. A. Anderson and B. J. Bushman, Human Aggression: Contemporary Perspectives. New York, NY, USA: Routledge, 2023.

[33] D. R. Forsyth, Group Dynamics, 8th ed. Boston, MA, USA: Cengage Learning, 2023.

[34] M. Deutsch, P. T. Coleman, and E. C. Marcus, The Handbook of Conflict Resolution: Theory and Practice, 4th ed. San Francisco, CA, USA: Jossey-Bass, 2023.

[35] Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Skills Outlook 2024: Skills for Resilience and Sustainable Development. Paris, France: OECD Publishing, 2024.

[36] A. Woolfolk and E. L. Usher, Educational Psychology: Active Learning Edition, 15th ed. Boston, MA, USA: Pearson, 2024.

[37] C. D. Ryff, “Psychological well-being revisited: Advances in the science and practice of eudaimonia,” Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, vol. 83, no. 1, pp. 10–28, 2014.

[38] World Health Organization, “Mental health, adolescents and young people: Fact sheet,” World Health Organization, 2024.

[39] Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Youth Well-Being, Education and Social Inclusion. Paris, France: OECD Publishing, 2023.

[40] W. Johnson, A. D. Oluwatobi, O. I. Adeyemi, I. O. Agiri, and O. B. Jatto, “Predisposing factors of youth restiveness among young adults in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State,” International Journal of Educational Perspectives, vol. 12, no. 2, pp. 204–209, 2024.

[41] O. E. Omoju, E. E. Ikhide, I. A. Olanrele, L. E. Abeng, M. Petreski, F. O. Adebayo, I. Odigie, and A. M. Muhammed, “Empirical review of youth-employment policies in Nigeria,” arXiv preprint arXiv:2310.07789, 2023.

[42] E. E. Anugwom, “Beyond the conflict: Youth militants, amnesty, and challenges of post-conflict life in the oil-rich Niger Delta of Nigeria,” Journal of Contemporary African Studies, vol. 42, no. 4, pp. 581–595, 2024, doi: 10.1080/02589001.2024.2390390.

[43] M. E. Ibanga, “Youth restiveness in the Niger Delta: An empirical analysis of unemployment, education, and economic empowerment as predictive factors,” IRE Journals, vol. 9, no. 5, pp. 1278–1289, 2025, doi: 10.64388/IREV9I5-1711993.

[44] American Psychological Association, Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th ed. Washington, DC, USA: American Psychological Association, 2023.

[45] O. O. Agbaraeke and O. Alikor, “The effects of functional education on youth restiveness in Nigeria,” Asian Journal of Education and Social Studies, vol. 51, no. 7, pp. 202–209, 2025.

[46] A. Garba, “Psychological strategies for minimizing youth restiveness: Implications for national security,” Journal of Guidance and Counselling Studies, vol. 8, no. 2, pp. 15–28, 2024.

[47] B. Checkoway, “Youth participation and community change,” Journal of Community Practice, vol. 20, nos. 1–2, pp. 1–9, 2012.

[48] F. Ramos, A. F. Tavares, and N. F. da Cruz, “Between promise and practice: A scoping review of the democratic outcomes of youth participation in local governance,” Children and Youth Services Review, vol. 181, Art. no. 108738, 2026.

[49] C. Imoh, “Peace education and the efficacy-trust paradox: Cultivating democratic citizenship in Nigerian youth,” Frontiers in Political Science, vol. 8, Art. no. 1782317, 2026.

[50] T. R. Tyler, Why People Obey the Law, 2nd ed. Princeton, NJ, USA: Princeton University Press, 2021.

[51] O. M. Aikomo, A. A. Isola, and C. A. Nwaodike, “Collaborative governance and sustainable youth empowerment in Lagos and Osun States, Nigeria,” International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, vol. 10, no. 3, pp. 1350–1370, 2026.

[52] A. B. Carroll, Corporate Social Responsibility: Perspectives on Business and Society. London, U.K.: Routledge, 2021.

[53] G. W. Allport, The Nature of Prejudice. Reading, MA, USA: Addison-Wesley, 1954.

[54] T. F. Pettigrew and L. R. Tropp, “A meta-analytic test of intergroup contact theory,” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, vol. 90, no. 5, pp. 751–783, 2006.

[55] F. O. Oparinde, O. O. Ajogbeje, and C. K. Oloidi, “Mitigating youth restiveness through Social Studies education: Implications for institutional stability, civic responsibility, and student empowerment in Nigeria,” International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation, vol. 12, no. 12, pp. 1773–1782, 2026

[56] UNICEF, The State of the World’s Children 2024: The Future of Childhood in a Changing World. Florence, Italy: UNICEF Innocenti—Global Office of Research and Foresight, 2024, ISBN 978-92-806-5614-5.

Downloads

Published

2026-09-11

How to Cite

Wori, E. O. . (2026). Youth Restiveness in Rural Communities: Social Psychological and Teaching-Learning Dimensions on NLNG and Greenville Experiences in Rumuji. Excellencia: International Multi-Disciplinary Journal of Education (2994-9521), 4(9), 1-30. https://doi.org/10.5281/