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In Nigeria and some other countries, an individual is considered a minor until they reach the age of 18, though some persons reach the age of 21 years to be out of minor. While it is said that when minors commit a grievous offence, let's say murder, they are given special protection rather than allowing them to face the law, because they see them as a child who do such acts unintentionally, whereas, some countries make sure they face the law.
For instance, 14-year-old George Stinney Jr., an African American boy was electrocuted in the United States for murdering two white girls in South Carolina in 1944. It was said that the young boy was wrongfully convicted because of a lack of evidence and coerced confession.
You can read about it here
This is not where I am going but to buttress the point that some countries, whether minor or not give punishment to anyone who goes against the law of such country.
At age 18 or 21 years, whether this age is too soon or too late to be considered an ideal adult age depends greatly on the societal and cultural factors, as well as the circumstances surrounding such individual.
Some people argue that it might be too soon to grant the full adult rights and responsibilities to an individual at the age of 18 because such a person is still in the process of growing up and developing some crucial skills of life and may lack the experience needed to make wise decisions, to this people, extending the age a little more should be considered to move out of the minor stage.
In another way, some people believe that age 18 is the most appropriate age for legal adulthood as it aligns with when an individual completes high school education in many countries and as a sign that such an individual has reached a level of cognitive development and independence.
If left to me to think whether such age is enough for an individual to move past being a minor, I would say yes because trying to prolong the period of being a minor could delay a young individual in the ability to pursue higher education, enter the workforce, or become a full participant in society.
Does Age Determine Maturity?
Age is just one factor used to determine one's maturity, whereas other major factors make an individual mature enough and ready to take up responsibilities and make informed decisions in the stage of adulthood.
Some individuals exhibit maturity beyond their years and one would be left surprised and wondering, "How come?" while there are those individuals whom, it takes longer to develop the necessary skills and judgments.
When talking about age being a determinant of maturity, it is necessary to consider some factors before saying whether an individual is mature or not irrespective of their age.
Emotional Intelligence: If an individual even at age 18 can recognize and manage his or her emotions, as well as show empathy to other people, this can mean he or she is mature enough. A young individual can be more experienced in this aspect than an individual who has grown up to, let's say 30 years.
There are people, in their 30's who can still not manage their emotions as they react quickly to whatever situation surrounding them, and there we have young individuals below such age who act boldly and confidently to address any issues of life without making a big deal out of it.
Critical Development: When an individual can think critically, solve problems quickly, and make wise decisions, such a person is said to be mature irrespective of age.
Life Experiences: For some young individuals, life has dealt with them early in their stage and are already exposed to diverse situations which have challenged them to face life and accept whatever responsibilities that come their way, this influences their maturity levels and never to succumb but to do their best.
There we have people who come from rich backgrounds and are not exposed to challenging situations, for these kinds of people, when faced with life's harsh moments, they wouldn't be able to cope or navigate through.
Adaptability: When an individual can adapt or adjust to change, handle adversity and also learn from past experiences, this indicates maturity.
Independence: For an individual who functions autonomously, and makes wise choices without depending on other people or waiting to be supervised or monitored, we can say that a person, irrespective of age is mature enough.
In conclusion, it is important to take a holistic approach which is necessary when assessing maturity rather than focusing or relying solely on age.