The world is designed in a way that the time you came into it is recorded for future reference.
A man born a minute earlier than another is considered elder to the person. Every minute and seconds counts.
In case you doubt that, you will agree with me that government celebrate child born at exactly 12am on new year ahead of those born 11:59 pm.
While this is true about how we take this time serious, i don't seem to agree with the hierarchy we place on human beings.
Among the Whites, John is John and Peter is Peter irrespective of their age. They can refer to grandpa as grandpa but a typical White boy calls his grandpa by name.
You will hear them say 'Max'! The only time you wont be surprised hearing that as Africans is when they added 'grandpa' to the Max.
In Africa, it is different. We place much emphasis on this hierarchy which follow natural order of when we were born.
A child born earlier than you is considered your brother or sister in Africa. While this is true for the White, they do not add the word brother or sister' to names as signs of respect.
Africa on the other hand celebrate this idea. Your brother or sister must have their 'birth name' of 'brother' or 'sister' before their names or they will feel very angry that you've disrespected them.
While the bother or sister appears to be a sign of respect, it is not in reality. The reason is people say brother or sister and still drag you to the mud. You hear them say 'brother Tobi' are you mad?
You will wonder if the 'brother' is needed since the person is being dragged in mud.
I feel this hierarchy has no relation with respect and doesn't in fact mean respect when brother or sister is added to name.
Why is it that a person, by virtue of being born first is regarded as my elder when in reality, there is nothing to suggest he's elder whether in physique or wealth or anything.
I feel we over flog things here in Africa. When a child is born, he or she is given name which is Titi, Tolu, Ajoke or whatever. These are their names without brother or sister before them.
This same hierarchy is what is limiting many youths from participating in politics in Nigeria.
The elders which we call brothers and sisters are there seeing us as little kids that shouldn't near power and should be controlled.
While respect is important for reciprocity, 'brother' and 'sister' add no such respect to a person when the name is called. It simply connoted being born first and nothing more.
Thanks for your time.