Social Impediments to Development

Like any other society, there are many unwritten rules, norms or social behavioral codes borne out of culture in Africa – especially in my country Nigeria, for which I can speak out of experience. One of those norms is that a youth does not talk where his elders are talking, he can only watch, listen and observe – even if s/he has better or more innovative ideas on the issue being discussed.

Essentially, in this context, young people are only to be seen but not heard. Asides this, there are many other social codes – some hilarious, some reasonable and some plainly pathetic. Some common examples are: a young person does not look an elder in the eye, s/he must always cede his/her position to an elder, and the ridiculously derisible code that asserts that “a young person never says an elder is lying”, even when it is glaring to all involved that a blatant lie had been told.

In short, in any interaction between an elder and a youth – in the African context – the elder wins – head or tail, irrespective of the youth being in the right or not. (The issue is even more complicated when the youth has more than one elder, with divergent interests, personalities and demands, to satisfy).

Now, the social codes are not the problem in themselves as they have their benefits. The problem lies with the humans who operate the codes and hide under it to conceal their faults and weaknesses. The problem is that the codes, which are meant to be restricted to social circles and dealings, have been transposed and brought into professional and official dealings.

This is not only restricting young people in the workplace but is seriously stifling creativity and innovation and is killing the drives of young professionals for development in Africa. Paradoxically, Africa is the continent with the most need of utmost productivity from this large segment of its demography – currently over seventy percent of its people.

And, this is one of the fundamental structures of African societies that will need to be revisited and restructured for any sustainable development to occur, i.e. laying firm foundations and making structural adjustments that enable both elders and youth to dialogue without one category deriding or imposing its will on the other, and bringing different ideas and perspectives to the board to solve Africa’s many intractable problems.

In truth, the older generation’s ideas and ways have been unable to solve our problems – and this is not to indict their ways or to belittle their contributions but to make the argument that there is need for a radical shift in their past approach to issues. A radical shift that allows diverse ideas and viewpoints to be brought forward to discourses and in decision making – especially from the youth who have the tendency to bring fresher, more innovative and daring ideas and have the energies to push them.

Having grown up in a different and more complex world – as a result of a combination of factors like globalization and the intense competition it brings among nations, advances in technology and its huge impact on everyday life including faster communications and ideas-sharing etc –, these youth, especially the more educated, exposed and enlightened ones, have had to grapple with and solve more complex problems, different from what their fathers had to contend with growing up. Thus, ignoring them as inexperienced and naïve – though they may sometimes be – as the elders are more inclined to do will not do the continent any good.

However, this argument is not to advocate that the elders should step aside for the youth to take their place – as opinions like this are usually misconstrued to mean/say on both extremes of the two groups. No! That will only foster another disaster. The main thrust of this piece, therefore, is to persuade the older generation of Africans to involve or integrate the youth more into processes geared towards addressing critical issues, and to be more tolerant and accommodating of youth perspectives on problems for the greater good and for the purpose of development.

That way, the youth can build on the experience of the elders and stand on their shoulders to sharpen their views, perspectives and projections, while the elders can harness the energies of the youth and rein in their excesses in a way that overcome the social impediments to the development and progress of our lagging continent.

Picture: intergenerational relationship : making the best of youth and seniors' best assets!