African Time
In Nigeria or perhaps Africa as a whole, we tend to disregard time have a low regard for time. When an event is expected to hold at 8am and end at 2pm, people start coming in an hour or a few hours after. Also, when people come exactly at 8am, the event most times has not started.
It is probably at that time that the mic is being tested or the place is being organized for the event and of course, all that is in the programme for the event has to be done and it will definitely extend closing time from 2pm to 4pm. I sometimes wonder how all these started and there’s no doubt I myself am guilty of “African time”.
Now what is African Time?
African time according to Wikipedia “is the perceived cultural tendency, in parts of Africa and the Caribbean toward a more relaxed attitude to time”.
I can’t exactly speak for the Caribbean because I’ve never been there, neither can I speak for the whole of Africa but I can speak for my country Nigeria and we (not all Nigerians but majority) don’t appreciate time.
Can we say that African time is a natural thing for us? Well, I don’t think so. You see, in the olden days, during the time of our fore-fathers, they respected time. Although they didn’t have the clock or phone to tell time like we do, they used the sun and shadow to tell time. When a village meeting was called, people would be present at the said time, even during festivals and traditional rites. So how is it that we don’t respect or appreciate time in Nigeria? How did it all originate?
Frankly, I have no idea but I can give a few reasons as to why there is “African time” in Nigeria.
Firstly, Nigerians don’t exactly monetize time the way the white man does. In Europe or America, people are mostly paid based on the number of hours they work and so every hour is precious to them. I have come to notice that time is money (just like the popular Nigerian song, ‘time na money eh, time na money’) and the business men know this, including those in Nigeria and abroad and so they don’t play with time and are strict to it. They have schedules that have each hour occupied, whether it is 1 hour golf or 30mins dinner with someone. That is why when they have a meeting for 1pm that is to end at 2pm and the meeting happens to start 1:45pm, once its 2pm, they leave because the next hour is probably booked for something else that is important, maybe s/he has to catch a flight to another city for an important meeting that will bring them a lot of cash.
However, in Nigeria, we are mostly paid on a monthly basis. What we know is that after the month, we are getting paid. In most private organizations, they take the issue of coming late seriously and it could cause some money to be deducted from your salary. In governmental organization, it is usually not so (but it all depends on the organization per se). That is the reason why some civil servants will come late to work and still get paid fully, it is the reason why someone can afford to be gone for 3 hours during work hours or not come to work for a few days and still get paid. It’s the incompetence of the people and the government but that is a story for another time. You see where I’m going with this? Basically, we just don’t appreciate time and neither is it monetised.
Secondly, most Nigerians don’t just keep to time. Like I mentioned earlier, you go for an event that is supposed to start by 8am and it starts 9am or 10am. I’ve experienced this a lot. People know this and I guess that’s the reason they choose to come late. For example, if I’m told a meeting is for 1pm and I think it won’t start exactly 1pm, I’ll definitely be there but not by 1pm, probably 30 minutes or 1 hour after. There are times when a meeting is said to start 1pm and exactly 1pm it starts. In that case, if I choose to come some minutes after due to African time, then I have come late and probably missed important discussions. Another example is when a programme is expected to end 3pm and even at 4:30pm, the programme is yet to end. This can be so annoying because one might have plans to do other things. The funny thing is that most times, no one apologizes for these things and somehow, we have come to accept it as a ‘normal thing’. We also see this in universities where a lecture is to end 2pm but the lecturer just ignores that and can lecture for an hour extra. It’s quite sad. Let’s not forget some of our politicians that are invited as guest speakers but choose to come late to an event, and so it keeps people waiting just because oga politician decided to come late which is very wrong.
In my opinion, African time is an excuse for coming late and misusing other people’s time and at the same time, make it feel it’s a normal thing around. It is also as a result of bad planning and management of time.
Nigeria has a long way to go in development and economy. One way that will surely help is if we respect and manage our time. An event is said to start 8:15am, then it should start exactly 8:15am. You are told to come for a meeting at 6pm, then 6pm, you should be there and not just about to leave for the meeting. The impact of this might not be tremendous or gigantic but “combination of small impacts leaves a large one in totality”. It all begins with you.
True so. We even got a metaphor for it, the nigerian time. That's how rooted the custom is.Reminds me of my time at NYSC camp, the swearing in ceremony. The special guest, the governor of the state, was scheduled to arrive at 9am to kick start the event . That was not to be, as we waited for this man of honor till the hot hours of 2 in the afternoon, only for his vice to arrive in his place. And thats when the swearing in, earlier arranged for 9am began its proceeding
Wow, you guys had to wait 5 hours because of governor that did not show up eventually. It's so sad. Once a lecture was to hold 7am. The lecture started 12pm o. I was just waiting for apology, I heard none. Instead he told us stories. I kept telling my friend, I've not heard an apology o but it seemed funny. It's so sad.
Ha! Apology ke. You take every insult and swallow it. With Nigerians, once you are in a position of power you can do no wrong, much less apologise to those below you. Ha! So that his agbada would shrink? No o
😂 😂 asin eh
The mentality is evolving for corporate meetings at least... As for events, that might still take some years of discipline to get accustomed to.
Yeah, for corporate meetings, it is and that's because they realize the importance of time. As for events, if only the organizers will be true to the time and if only we the individuals would come on time, things will change. I think if an event is 3hrs, let it be done within 3hrs, so those who come late will realize that they are almost done. Next time, they won't come late.
Very true... One thing i have observed about my fellow Nigerian who suffers from that ailment called african time is that as much as he or she would confortably play the african card with others by showing up late to an event or for an appointment, yet they loathe it when you do it them. So, an average Nigerian doesn't mind wasting your time but they hate to have theirs wasted. Great post...
Thanks dear.
Yeah people can waste your time but once it comes to theirs, their patient level is zero. Discipline also is greatly involved in keeping time.
that one is true; they hate it when you waste their own time.
this habit is a painfully bad one but people tend to laughb and not pay attention to. i think the reason why a person might have this habit is solely based on whats important to him or her..... we are just too negligent of somethings and focus on others ...... no one will take an african time mentality to a job interview ....my opinions ...
The World is yours
You know, that's true. It's solely based on what's important to him or her. If it's so important, we can't afford to be late, just like a job interview.
Yeah. . . But the point is every Damn thing is important, whatever is worth doing is worth doing well...
Haha I've been in Nigeria for close to a month now and I know this too well. It happens in Kenya too but it largely depends on who you're dealing with. Personally, I like keeping time and get very offended when someone gets late and ends up wasting my time in the process. Time is definitely money.
Truly, it largely depends on who you are dealing with because some people are known to be early. Thanks.
Nigerians are so fond of the word African time. But if you go around from government offices today especially in some part of the country you will notice this has being changing
When we value our time then we will know how precious it is to always be time conscious.
That's true, recently it's been changing in offices. Time is indeed money and Nigerians have got to pay attention to it.
This is so very true. I believe if each Nigerian begins to stand against the African time concept and arrive promptly for occasions and leave as soon as time is up,we'll gradually begin to create the awareness of how bad and misleading the concept is!
Yes. People should do that. Before you know it, everyone will start to understand that being late and African time is not a thing. Thanks.
You're right. I think our problem is from the government cos if government organizations take coming late serious like private firms, I think alot must have changed by now.
And we all know government organizations have a higher population than private firms so if penalty for late coming is started there, it'll have a great effect on the population.
Also we should start fighting it individually, being disciplined and time conscious
That's an idea there. We have got to do something about it individually too.
I believe the pre colonial Africa era had their ways of keeping track of time and they were efficient about it.The question is; where did they get it all wrong ?Even with westernization we are still struggling to find a place globally.
This African time legacy is creeping into this generation by creating decadence within our Africa world.
This generation needs to teach the next generation how to value time because, time gives her dividend to those who values it.
You have spoken well. This generation truly needs to teach the next generation the value of time, if not, we might just miss it. Thanks.
This is a wonderful post,,,its now so common in Nigeria here ,,,give example,,job interviews thats meant to start by 9am turns out to start by 1pm,,,thats absurd,,same applies to weddings too and other functions,,,i believe this should be worked on ,,and every individual has to be time conscious and eraze the idea of African time..once again,,good post..
I agree. Thank you.
you welcome