African Time:
Unraveling the Cultural Threads
Written by Alexander Ogunmola and Young Eta
Introduction: Our Tardiness
In African culture, one thread stands out prominently: African time.
A simple phone call paints a vivid picture —
12:00pm (Phone rings)
Femi: Tolu, where are you now?
Tolu: Oga, you should chill, I will be there in less than 5 minutes. I already left the house.
12:35pm (Phone rings AGAIN)
Femi: Tolu, it has been 35 minutes and I still haven’t seen you. I said, where are you? Didn’t you say you were only 5 mins away?
Tolu: Egbon, no vex! I'm just parking my car now. I will soon come in.
Tolu, perpetually "on the way" for what seems like an eternity. This common scenario highlights a phenomenon deeply embedded in our society, reflecting not just tardiness but a broader disregard for schedules.
When we talk about African time, we often frame it as a mere issue of lateness by choice. However, it goes beyond that—it's a cultural norm, a societal quirk, and a reflection of our collective perception of time. This habitual disregard extends to various facets of life; from celebrities that constantly show up late for shows (as a sign of prestige or importance which they coin into “being fashionably late”), to civil servants and government officials arriving late to work and often times spending their paid time callously without much regard to the various communities they ought to serve, and even down to the undervaluing of skilled professionals.
Understanding African Time through Mbiti's Lens: Time for Purpose
Mbiti's exploration of the African concept of time reveals a unique perspective. “For Africans as a collective, time is not a linear progression; it's a composition of past events, the present, and what is just about to occur. This contrasts sharply with the Western notion of time, which spans an indefinite past, the present, and an infinite future”.
Mbiti argues that the focus is not on when an event will occur but on the importance of the event itself. Africans reckon time for a concrete and specific monetary purpose, not for the sake of abstract mathematics. Numerical calendars stretching into the distant future are not part of the African timekeeping tradition.
The crux of the matter lies in our actions as a community and our cultural perception of time.
Are we inadvertently halting our collective progress through our current system of values?
Are we reinforcing the notion that success is measured solely by material wealth?
Selling the potential of individuals for meager gains reflects a deeper form of oppression—one that devalues the essence of hard work, skill, and grit.
As we unravel the complex threads of African time, it becomes evident that it's more than a punctuality problem; It's a cultural nuance and a reflection of cultural disparities. A cursory glance at Mbiti’s African idea of time as backward, very much explains why Africans are more concerned with how Europe, poor leadership, and the lack of economic means contribute to an underdeveloped Africa, rather than how they themselves are destroying the future of Africa through being Late.