Social Malaise and Joblessness in Liwhu Betiang’s The Rape of Hope: The Diary of a Wasted Generation.

Abstract

Many literary artists in Nigeria have deployed their creative imaginations to reflect on the issues of social malaise among the teeming Nigerian youth and how the social ills engender joblessness and youth restiveness. This study, therefore, examines the interconnectedness of social malaise among the Nigerian elitist class, joblessness, and youth restiveness in Nigeria as reflected in Liwhu Betiang’s The Rape of Hope: The Diary of a Wasted Generation. The study adopts the postcolonial theory in analysing the text, especially the aspects of class distinction and otherness. It is discovered that social malaise among the Nigerian elitist class engenders joblessness among Nigerian youth, which inhibits the realization of the Nigerian project. Youth joblessness is responsible for the high rate of crimes, insurgence, and restiveness across the various geographical areas in the country. The text is an indictment on the Nigerian elitist class who feed fat on the predicaments of the jobless youth by extorting money and material things from them before they are offered jobs, thereby creating generational hatred between the older and the younger generations. It is instructive, therefore, to address urgently the issue of youth joblessness among Nigerians in order to instill in them a sense of belonging and patriotism. If the issue of social malaise is addressed, it will ease the problem of youth joblessness and curb crimes as well as youth restiveness in the country. It will also foster unity between the older and younger generations as well as enhance national development.