‘African Time’: Whose invention, ideology?

One begins to wonder when did Africans start having a ‘time’ different from the rest of the world?

This bad attitude of African time has eaten deep into our lives that we all see no fault in arriving late at an event that is ought to have started long hours before then. I was at an event over the weekend and a Pakistani woman (Zara) popped the question “is there really an African time you people follow so that we can learn how to time myself when coming for an event next time?”. I was dumb founded but braced up to let her know there was no such thing as African time as it was just a creation occasioned by those who probably has penchant to arrive at events late. Her answer was short and brisk “then there is a need to arrest this bad attitude of your country as I always thought there was something actually called African time for real.”

“This has been a problem with us which developed over time that even at the presidential level you find that they never start anything at the designated time and people have to keep waiting for long hours before the event eventually kicks off. It is an attitude that we do on purpose when it comes to work, there is that tendency that we make sure that we arrive on time because at work there is a price to pay for tardiness towards your work,” said Adama Abdulaziz.

Time is very important in our lives likewise keeping to it at all times also is, but many have argued that it is better late than never which means “the African time mentality does not signify anything negative. It only shows that it is better to be late than never to be there at all for the event. That was what I guess the adage was initially meant for before it got to this level of starting events hours late and referring it to keeping the African time,” Biodun Suleman said.

‘’It is high time people realized that keeping to time does not only show respect but also tells a lot about a person’s integrity, but this attitude will take a long time to be phased out as many people who adhere to this African time syndrome feel very important if they know that people were still there hours waiting even after the appointed date.”

 We have this ‘don’t care attitude’ which has put a barrier between a lot of things in our lives. Also, African time is more of ego thing so it seems with our elite as they feel this air of importance, when sometimes they have significant role to play in an event.

Someone once said in his blog, “This time: ‘African time’ is evidently killing Africa – let’s face it. Time is time world over, it plays the same role and there should be no difference.’’

 Does the term ‘African time’ have any xenophobic undertone?  Africa especially in Nigeria has acquired this name because of our willingness and lukewarm attitude to take everything for granted.

Many Nigerians have a strangely perverted faculty about time, arising from the poor value they attach to time. Time is treated with levity mostly by everyone. If you singularly decide to be punctual, you will still end-up working with ‘African time’. From my experience, the ONLY time ‘African time’ is not applicable in Nigeria is when it’s time to share “some” MONEY! That is when “delay is dangerous”.

The first obstacle to the development of Nigeria and Africa is the low value place on time; we’re bright but with lukewarm attitude towards time, we take joy in dishonouring appointment, waste other people’s time, negative attitude in fixing appointment. Our comfort with ‘African time’ is now a disease eating the fabric of our development. A stitch in time saves nine, but our stitches only save one, maybe nothing. Opportunity lost cannot be regained; we should make hay while the sun shines as delay is always dangerous, not only in sharing money but in working for the money.

‘’It is my opinion that ‘African time’ is degrading and a racist term, whether we take it consciously or unconsciously. There should neither be white, red, yellow, Asian, or American time. Time is always time and should be accorded the same value worldwide” Adekunle Badmus said.

Time is money as they say and if we must rebrand we must first start from being time cautious and only then can we phase out this negative impression of ‘African time’ in our society.