Why People Reduce or Increase their Age: A New Twist from an African Context

“…She looks a 13 year old…but I gave birth to her...she is only 8 years old…”-(Informant)

Ageing in Ghana is perceived to be a double-barrelled issue with seeming benefits and challenges. There appear to be some inconsistencies in research findings regarding perceptions of ageing. This milieu explains why very few researchers veer into age-related study on their own. Accurate records on chronological age determination are difficult to verify because birth registration is not compulsory in Ghana and many other African countries. Literature is replete with athletes, especially footballers, manipulating their age. The present study principally explored the rationale for reducing or increasing one’s age from the Ghanaian context. Using in-depth interviews, data was explored from age manipulation victims (‘football agers’), age non-manipulators and retirement planning consultants. Preliminary results of the study show some incongruous findings even though African seniority syndrome and societal inclusivity has been found to add support and prestige to the aged. The study revealed that apart from athletes, age manipulation is conspicuous among academics, public office holders, some emigrants, passengers, and security service personnel in their quest to harness all possible advantages that accompany age manipulation. Again, the paper identifies recruitment considerations, “power enjoyment” continuity, lack of confidence in retirement-related support system, social redundancy and exclusion, and intergenerational change in caring for the aged as some reasons why many apparently reduce or increase their age. The study findings are discussed in line with literature and socio-contextual practices in Ghana. A framework is thus suggested to mitigate the effects of age manipulation on sustainable work performance.