SOCIAL STUDIES EDUCATION AS A PANACEA FOR SUSTAINABLE NATIONAL SECURITY IN NIGERIA

Nigeria as a nation is besieged with several national issues such as insecurity of life and property, kidnapping, robbery, assassination, etc. This problem has brought about retrogression and has contributed to the security challenges inherent in Nigeria. The resultant effect of this state of insecurity is that the country is left to drift about, suffering from a lot of brain drain of intellectuals to other more peaceful and secured countries. Section 14 (1) of chapter 2 of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria captures the importance of security when it states that security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of Government. Seen this way, security is a social contract between the state and its citizens, in which the former is expected to protect, defend and provide for the latter in the public area. Based on this prevailing condition the paper examined how the knowledge of social studies education could be a vehicle in solving the problem of national insecurity in Nigeria. The purpose of this paper, therefore, was to examine the role of social studies education in preparing the young people to be good citizens in a world that is becoming more and more complex. The study found that social studies places a premium on development and inculcation of right attitude, values, feelings and national consciousness on the youth. In conclusion, youths that are adequately informed, educated and have acquired basic social skills in the society cannot be a security threat to national existence. The paper recommended the need to adopt a more people and society-oriented syllabus in our public schools to enable the youths to be acquainted with the security implications of any action they take.