The Ethical and Social Implications of Age-Cheating in Africa

Abstract

This paper examines the ethical and social implications of a particular form of corruption in Africa—age-cheating. Although age-cheating is a global issue, it has received very little academic attention from social philosophers. In this paper I argue that there exists an inextricable link between bad governance, economic hardship, and the collapse of moral values in most African countries. Using Cameroon as an example, I maintain that age-cheating is one of the several corrupt ways citizens in most post-colonial African states use as a way out of unemployment, chronic poverty, and political and economic deprivation. Also, age-cheating is common in African countries where the civil registration system is either archaic or completely inexistent. I argue for the view that a vibrant democratic culture would help to promote values like accountability, transparency, and the rule of law which may enhance governance and economic development as democracy promotes political and economic rights and freedoms. In this direction, I suggest that, in tandem with democracy, the new information and communication technologies (ICTs) may be helpful in improving transparency in the domain of civil registration in particular and state governance in general.