Why People Falsify Age

The rate at which people engage in falsification of
age and other important documents and records is alarming, and this is one of the problems that Nigeria is facing as a country.
It is unfortunate that in our country today, everyone falsifies his/her age in order to meet the demand and the economy of this nation.
Falsification of age occurs when an individual deliberately misrepresent his/her true age. This is usually done with the intent to get privileges or status that would not otherwise be available to the individual. It may be done through the use of oral or written statement or through altering or forging of vital records.
On some occasions, age is increased so as to make cut-offs for minimum legal or employable  age show business or professional sports. Sometimes, it is not the people themselves who lower their public age, but others around them such as parents and other handlers. Most cases involve taking or adding one or two years to their ages.
Although, it is possible for an individual not to know his or her exact date of birth, such an individual may arbitrarily choose a date of birth which after later research is found to be false. This situation should not be considered age falsification as there is no obvious intent to deceive on the part of the individual.
There are many reasons or factors why people engage themselves in age falsification, and this can be seen in the following areas  of human endeavours, in the civil service, in sports field, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), job, to gain favour, in entertainment industry, and armed forces to mention but a few.
In civil service, many people falsify their ages to avoid early retirement. For instance, a man that is up to 70 and above who is suppose to have been retired will still be in an active service and thereby contributing to the problem of unemployment in the country.
National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) is one of the major reasons why people falsify their ages especially young graduates who are anxious to serve. I know of someone who graduated from the University of Port Harcourt and was eager, fully prepared and ready for National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) but to his greatest surprise, his name was shortlisted in the exemption list because he was 30 that same year. Such an individual can falsify his age in order to meet the demand of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).
Entertainment industry is another major factor that contributed to age falsification in the sense that many actors and actresses subtract at least one or two years from their actual age so that the producers and casting directors will be more likely to hire them for roles or publicity purposes.
Also, in sports, people falsify their ages to make themselves appear younger thus enabling them compete in world level junior events.
In gymnastics, diving and figure skating competitors claim to be older in order to bring  themselves over the minimum age for senior competition or below   an age limit for junior competition. Also, a female pair stator may be aged down to allow them compete together. In some cases, they may feel pressure to change their ages as these fabrications have an effect upon a person’s performances.
Another reason why a lot of people keep falsifying their ages and other vital information is to get one thing  or the other.
There are many stories of men lying about their age to join the armed forces.
Just as the issue of Nigerian footballers who  reduce their ages to suit the age group competitions. It does not apply to footballers or sports men alone, more than seventy (70%) of Nigerians reduced their ages to suit the various job applications.
Another major reason is the demand for young people for certain jobs by employers of labour. Going by this age limitation, it means that a  lot of people who qualify for jobs but are limited by their ages will never get employment unless they falsify their ages.
It is a shameful thing but you cannot blame those who do it, because things are really hard in this country. There are no jobs, and for the few ones available, the employers want only young people. If people play by such rules, it will triple the number of unemployment people in the country.
In our country today, it is difficult to ascertain who is speaking the truth amongst us, that is why most people swear affidavit, not that they actually lost their original certificates or not recorded for them as at when given birth to but that they swear it falsifying their ages. Believe it or not, most affidavit cases are age falsification in order to stay longer in active service or to attain one position or the other.
Many Nigerians easily take to age falsification without weighing the legal and social implications of their actions. Like every bad habit, age falsification is gradually becoming a popular trend in Nigerian, even though, it may appear harmless to many of those involved in it, age falsification does have some legal implications.
Ujile is an intern with The Tide

Florence Ujile