If you grew up in Africa during the 1990s, there is a good chance your childhood came with a familiar set of experiences. The details changed from one country to another, but the rhythm was often similar. Afternoons were spent outside, music came on cassettes, television was a family affair, and a little pocket money could turn a trip to the neighbourhood shop into an important event.
Before smartphones, streaming platforms and children having their own screens, there were plenty of ways to have fun. Here are five things that will probably take an African 90s kid straight back to childhood.
1. You Played Outside Until Somebody Called Your Full Name
The street was the playground, and going outside usually meant finding other children ready for a game.
In Nigeria and Ghana, games such as Suwe, Ten-Ten and Chaskele could keep children occupied for hours. Across East and Southern Africa, children had their own favourites, including Kati and skipping games. The materials were usually whatever could be found around the house or neighbourhood.
The important thing was that nobody wanted to be the first person to go home.
Eventually, though, somebody’s mother would call their full name from the gate, balcony or across the street. That was the real end of playtime.
Read: Popular Nigerian TV Shows From The 90s
2. You Knew How to Rewind a Cassette Without a Machine
Music in the 90s came with a little manual labour.
If you owned a cassette, you probably knew that a pen could become a useful tool when you needed to rewind the tape. A Bic pen fitted perfectly into the cassette wheel, allowing you to turn it manually without draining the batteries of your Walkman or music player.
Then there was the dreaded moment when the tape got caught in the machine.
You carefully pulled it out, straightened the ribbon and hoped you had not destroyed your favourite song. African music from artists such as Awilo Longomba, Brenda Fassie and Daddy Showkey provided plenty of reasons to keep those cassettes alive.
3. The House With the Best Television Became the Gathering Point
Having a colour television in the 90s could make your house very popular.
If yours had a reliable antenna or satellite connection, children from the neighbourhood could somehow find their way into the living room. People squeezed onto floors, chairs and any available space to watch their favourite programmes.
Then came the antenna adjustment.
One person stood outside moving the antenna while everyone inside shouted directions: “Go left!” “Come back!” “It’s clear!” Getting the perfect picture sometimes required an entire neighbourhood operation.
And when the adults took the remote, you already knew who was in charge.
4. A Small Amount of Pocket Money Could Buy a Lot
The local kiosk or tuck shop was a childhood treasure chest.
A little money could get you biscuits, sweets, bubblegum, frozen juice or other affordable snacks that felt like a treat. The exact brands differed across countries, but the excitement was universal.
There was also the matter of change. If your parents sent you to buy something, you knew the change belonged to them. If they decided to let you keep a little, that could be enough for one extra sweet or mint. Sometimes, that tiny treat made the errand worthwhile.
Read: 10 Nigerian Songs That Ruled Our Airwaves in 2016
5. The TV Remote Belonged to the Adults
Children in the 90s rarely controlled what played on television.
When the evening news came on, the house became noticeably quieter. You watched whatever the adults wanted, which could mean local dramas, football, news or telenovelas before someone eventually announced that it was bedtime.
There was no streaming service to pause and continue later. If you missed a programme, you simply missed it.
That was part of the fun of growing up then. Childhood entertainment was shared, improvised and often happened with the whole family or neighbourhood watching together.
Every African country has its own version of these memories, but the feeling remains familiar. From street games to cassette tapes and television battles, the 90s gave a generation plenty of stories to tell.
Which one takes you straight back to your childhood? Share this with another 90s kid and see how many memories you both remember. Follow RefinedNG for more throwback stories celebrating the experiences that shaped us.