From time immemorial, age has always been a factor for determining the mental ability of an individual. From infant to toddler to adolescence, age has always being the yardstick to determine an individual's growth.
In Nigeria, the standard age of adulthhood is 18 years and above. So if you want to vote, get married, enter into the university, hold any position, or live on your own, you have to be 18 years of age and above.Now there are certain individuals who don't act their age, due to congenital abnormalities or past trauma.Some individuals are not knowledgeable for their age and still need guidance. These set of individuals can not make decisions on their own and would need assistance for life. They are not the main focus for this article.
In the world today, age isn't just number, it's a determinant and therefore the appropriate age to classify one to be an adult should no longer be eighteen years.
Most teenagers in Nigeria at eighteen years still have not figured out their life. They are still confused and living in the euphoria of graduating from high school.
Most of them are still financially dependent on their parents and relatives. Most of them have never even travelled out of their place of habitation.
Most of them don't have skills to survive on if things get out of hand in their lives. Their choices are based on what their parents want and decide for them. High level of peer pressure is felt at this age, where they do things just to keep associating with a particular clique. They are more Interested in the latest trend and social media challenges than they are of their future in the near future.
In my opinion, the appropriate age for adulthhood in Nigeria should be twenty years. Individuals within such age group should have learnt a skill, travelled within the country and experienced life out of their comfort zone. This will enable them make decisions, especially during elections and won't be biased about it. They would forgo their ideology on tribalism and nepotism and strongly advocate for unity and oneness.
At this age, the female reproductive organs would have fully matured and therefore cause a decrease in Maternal mortality and morbidity rate in the country. With the knowledge they would have garnered from various cultures having travelled and visited several states in the country, they can make decisions on the best location for them to thrive in, which state best suits them and of which they can adapt well in. This information would also help they decide on which university to continue their education in.
Also, with the level of exposure and experience, they would know how to behave like well mannered individuals, who are not just socially responsible but educationally sound.
For the ladies, they would get to meet different guys from different tribes, with different cultures, ideologies, experiences, and make better choices of life partners.
In all, this is just my opinion on the subject matter. I can't decide for the whole population as I believe everyone has different opinions on the matter as well.
Images used are mine