Demographic Shifts, Political Stability and Youth Attitudes in Osun State, Nigeria

Abstract

In many developing societies, rapid demographic changes have continued to reshape political processes and influence young people’s orientation toward governance. This study examined the connection among demographic shifts, youth political attitudes, and political stability in Osun State, Nigeria. A descriptive correlational research design was adopted. Multistage sampling technique was used to select a sample of 420 youths which ensure adequate representation. A structured questionnaire titled Demographic Shifts, Political Stability and Youth Attitudes Questionnaire (DSPSYAQ) was used to collect data which was validated by experts for face and content adequacy, while its reliability was established using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.84, indicating high internal consistency.Pearson Product Moment Correlation and simple linear regression were used to test three hypotheses formulated for the study at the 0.05 level of significance. The findings showed a statistically significant moderate positive linkage between demographic shifts such as changes in population structure, urbanisation, and youth population and political stability (r = 0.462, p < 0.01). Political stabilitysignificantly predicted youth attitudes toward governance, explaining 26.4% of the variance (β = 0.514, p < 0.001). Furthermore, a significant moderate positive relationship was found between demographic shifts and youth attitudes toward governance (r = 0.389, p < 0.01).The study concludes that demographic dynamics significantly shape political stability and youth engagement in governance. It recommends the integration of demographic considerations into policy planning and the execution of targeted political education programmes to strengthen democratic stability.