The Infantilization of African Youth
By Amory Lumumba
Have you ever been accused of lacking politeness while voicing your opinion? Or maybe had one of your suggestions dismissed by the sole argument of your youth? Have you ever felt like your voice, as a young person, wasn't heard enough in your family or community? If these questions apply to you, you may be a victim of infantilization.
The infantilization of African youths puts in jeopardy our ability to bring out young and innovative leaders who would be fully equipped to face the challenges of our continent. The infantiliser strips the infantilised of their mental capacity, responsibility or ability to perform tasks. Women and elderly people are familiar with this sentiment. Young Africans too.
The infantilization of black people in general and Africans in particular, has its roots in the colonial era.
The conceptualization of the colonized as children was connected to the European notion that the colonies represented (…) “an earlier stage of Europe, the childhood of Europe itself, which European colonialism would shepherd to adult maturity”
This toxic heritage can easily be connected to our daily lives as this system of domination has been fully adopted by our countries' elites. It maintains the status quo and prevents the emergence of new leaders, especially from the youth.
From African traditions of socialisation to the current difficulties young people face in being seen and treated as legitimate adults, let us explore how the infantilization of young people hinders the emergence of new leaders.
BECOMING AN ADULT: FROM TRADITIONS TO MODERNITY
Rites of passage
The passage from childhood to adulthood is an important step in young adults' development. From Ukwaluka (Xhosa people, South Africa) to Ingomba (Mongo people, DRC) or Sharo (Fulani people, Nigeria), many rites of passage symbolize adult life's access in several African cultures.
The transition to adult life is a key moment where young adults and their communities mutually accept each other. The process reflects the values of the community so that young adults and their communities have a common understanding of each other's roles. They learn how to be respectful subjects of the community by acquiring a package of gender-roles, social dynamics and historical knowledge. Passing the rites proves to their community that they will fit in, and that they know the rules. By creating the conditions of intergenerational understanding, rites of passage make the acceptance of the younger ones by the adults more fluid.
However, let's not be blinded by nostalgia when it comes to rites of passage. Reasonable arguments can be raised against them for instance, the damages caused by female genital mutilation and the mental health issues associated with it. But as we are abandoning these rites, we also have to draw the consequences that come with our failure to replace them. These rites have their own particularities, but a common function remains: when the rite of passage is over, you are an adult, a legitimate member of the community. A status that can't be contested by other members of the community.
MODERN SOCIETIES
Africa is slowly pushing away rites of passage from its customs and traditions even though they remain prevalent in certain regions. Factors like urbanization, the changing influence of religious institutions and social modernization explain this evolution.
In most countries, children become adults at 18 years old. The transition into adult life is mainly administrative but it's also attached to new rights (voting) as well as new responsibilities (respecting the law). However, adulthood isn't automatically recognized as such by the community when an individual reaches the age of 18. The reason is that the community doesn't play its transmission role as they do during rites of passage. This lack of ownership has deepened the gap between generations and made it more difficult for adults to perceive young people as legitimate adults.
As mentioned earlier, some rites of passage come with serious violations of children's rights according to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and other major UN treaties (Save The Children UK, 2003). Nevertheless, despite the legitimate concerns that can be raised, they remain a powerful social cohesion tool. We have to recognize that the erasure of some rights of passage practices has left a vacancy in our socialization processes.
THE EMERGENCE OF YOUNG LEADERS
Redefining our leadership models
As Africans, we like to define ourselves as the continent where knowledge, culture and history is passed on from generations to generations. Today, the truth is that we are raised within the framework of authority, obedience and, to a certain extent, silence. Intergenerational dialogue has been damaged and young people are either perceived as worthless or threats to the status quo.
This situation dangerously affects our ability to create leaders. As a matter of fact, what is observed in households is reproduced in political parties, companies as well as other types of organizations. Just as the head of the family decides alone, African leaders are content with being the sole decision makers.
This vertical, top-down model prevalent in our public and private spaces, is not adapted for the emancipation of the youth. There is an urgent need for horizontal dynamics in Africa. We must strive for a model that favors contributions of every type instead of maintaining actors that reproduce the weaknesses of a model that has shown its limits.
5 LEADERSHIP-ORIENTED ATTITUDES TO ADOPT
Here are some tips to address infantilization and take your rightful place.
Combat the “just enough” mentality
Colonization required workers/employees to have “just enough” education to serve the colonialist’s exploitation effort. They were required to just do what they were told. Nothing less, nothing more. Instead, go the extra mile! Outwork your colleagues and classmates! Leave the “just enough” comfort zone!
2. “For each door closed, there's a window opened"
In order to make the world benefit from your brilliant, young and innovative minds, you need to be heard. This means doing something probably counter-intuitive for you: challenging power dynamics (often based on age). Stop silencing yourself during brain-storming sessions at work. Give yourself a voice!
3. Express your ambitions
Tackling infantilization requires expressing your ambitions out loud. As a young woman, you have grown up being told to be humble. As a young man, you have grown up being told that working hard would be enough to reach your goals. Humility and hard-work are indispensable leadership qualities but it's not enough. The more people know about your ambitions, the more help you can get.
4. "Stay sharp"
As part of the flexibility generation, stay aware of the developments in your field of expertise and keep yourself up-to-date. You will be expected (sometimes unfairly) to master the innovations that pop up in your domain. Make yourself indispensable by never stopping to acquire knowledge.
5. "Don't shy away from responsibilities"
Self-censorship is the most powerful domination tool. Don't let yourself be poisoned by the lack of confidence instilled by years of infantilization. You are readier than you may think. Embrace responsibilities at ALL levels:In your family, in your friends' circles, at school, in your sport's team, at work etc.
You are not arrogant, ungrateful or impolite. You will gain the respect of some, probably irritate others, but you will take your rightful place.
You are more.
NB: It is worth noting that even though the gender aspect is not tackled in this article, it is reasonable to believe that it is highly relevant as it considerably amplifies women's difficulties to reach positions of power through the oppressing dynamic of intersectionality.
Amory Lumumba is a Co-founder of intelcongo.com