SCRIBBLES: WHAT TIME IS IT? IT’S AFRICAN TIME!

Have you ever been invited to an event only to be there on time and to find the place empty as if rapture had just taken place? In this part of the world this is a usual occurrence. Many times the host him/herself is late to the event. This is the African Time tale.

It is rather unwelcoming that in a world where men ought to be time-conscious, Africans (not all though) are being nonchalant and indifferent about the obvious need of Africans to be time-managers.

It should be pointed that Africans have become too engulfed in the African time orientation that people who are unusually punctual to events are tagged ‘over-serious’, ‘over-zealous’ or ‘FFOs’ (For Food Only). It should also be noted that no event is spared of the menace of African time; be it wedding programmes, executive board meetings, church programmes, appointments, lectures or classes, you just name it. The thing is, people hide under the protection of this orientation to cover up their habitual abuse of time. It’s bad that people arrive late to events, what’s worse is that they leave early and just around the time food is being served. Of course they do not leave until they have eaten. Maybe this is also part of the African time orientation.

It’s terrible to find the African time orientation in the Academic environment also; I speak with confidence when I say that both lecturers and students are guilty with an exception to a very few lot of them. In many institutions just like in Unibadan one finds a lecturer appearing late to teach his ‘over-serious minded’ students or one finds some students appearing when the class has begun or when it is half-way ended.

This disorienting mentality seems harmless but it has done innumerable harms to our lives as individuals and as a country. A lot of people have lost opportunities because they didn’t arrive on time for an interview or appointment. Many students have missed vital information, tests and even examinations because of the menace African time. Isn’t it time this indiscipline stopped?

According to Victor Hugo “he who every morning plans the transactions of his day and follows his plan, carries a thread that will carry him through the labyrinth of the most busy of life”. This statement perfectly explains the importance of time management.

To not manage time is an act of gross indiscipline and a violation of personal morals. We have enjoyed enough under the protection of African time; it is high time we embraced discipline. A time-conscious person is a plus to the society; It is one down and more to go in the take-down of the African time mentality shield. It starts with you!

    FOLBee

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *