It’s a special day. Romance will mix with passion. Roses
and other gifts will mix too and surely the bars will be filled tonight
being a weekend. Adeola Akinremi writes that while some Nigerians may be
indifferent to the celebration of Valentine’s Day, others take it
seriouslyNo doubt this Valentine’s Day falls on a work day, but that won’t stop the flowing passion of lovers that will reach its crescendo at nightfall. Lavish dinner at high-class hotels like Intercontinental Lagos, getaways for great romance at Obudu Cattle ranch in Cross Rivers State and fabulous chocolate buying at upscale city malls are all possible. Nigerians are big spenders, especially when it has to do with gifts buying to express love. So Valentine’s Day spending on gifts is expected to rise this year as Nigerians open their wallets at shopping malls today.
Already, Valentine’s Day specials are on offer everywhere across the
country in urban and semi-urban cities where everyone is catching the
bug of romance in a special way. In Lagos, Eko Hotel and Suites is
playing host to partygoers tonight as MTN organises its Valentine Rave
Party.
According to Josephine Stevens of Marketing Mix,“All is set for the
widely anticipated MTN Valentine Rave Party. Leading ICT and
telecommunications company, MTN is set to treat young Nigerians to a
night of love and music. The event promises to be a blast as it boasts a
slew of Nigeria’s best artistes have been lined up to delight fans.
Acts scheduled to perform at the event include Tiwa Savage, Wizkid,
KCEEE, Chidinma and others. The event would also feature the best and
finest of Nigerian DJ’s like DJ Jimmy Jatt, DJ Caise, DJ Neptune, D.J
Big N amongst others.”
She adds: “Indeed, the Valentine season has become a grand occasion
where love is given and received. Lovers and friends express love for
each other in different ways and brands, like MTN, take the opportunity
to reward their customers.
With this event, the telecommunications giant is once again providing a
platform where young Nigerian youth can express friendship and share
love in the midst of good music and entertainment. Indeed the Valentine
season is a perfect time to share and give love to those around us and
obviously, that is what MTN has set out to do- reward its teeming young
customers to an exquisite night of good music and fun.
“MTN, has consistently been in the forefront of providing consumers with entertaining experiences at concerts and entertainment aficionados note that this is an event that is worth to looking forward to.”
“MTN, has consistently been in the forefront of providing consumers with entertaining experiences at concerts and entertainment aficionados note that this is an event that is worth to looking forward to.”
Of course, places like Silverbird Galleria is expected to witness a
mammoth crowd because of what it has on offer from cinema to a beautiful
and romantic environment that is always inviting. And lovers will hang
out in other choice locations such as Ice Lounge located on Adeniran
Ogunsanya, Surulere, Lagos. At Gloryland Cultural Centre, Yenagoa,
Bayelsa State, Bayelsa Valentine Rave Encyclotainment Ltd in
collaboration with Royal FM will take over the city today in an event
that will feature performances by local artistes like Wizboyy, Rhymzo,
Splash, Vanpee, Mr Moi, JayStuntz, Xtreme Baby, Jaymoni, Jah Wondah,
Raph B and Maxi. Comedians including MC Aproko, MC Kerewa, Barrack
Pikin, ND Funny and MC Dady Saint, will equally entertain with jokes.
So February 14th has come to stand out from any other day of the year
and this is in acknowledgment of its attractions and the fact that
Valentine does not indeed mean an outward expression of romantic love as
it is perhaps being done now but also an opportunity to extend
unconditional virtue of devotion to people.
Overtime, the celebration has also led to improved commercial benefits
to the society, like increased sales in flower shops, chocolate shops,
and of course, the hospitality industry which encourage devotees to take
advantage of their promotional offers for the celebration.
In Abuja, the hospitality industry from all indications has mostly
benefitted from the commercial success that the Valentine Day
celebration brings especially with juicy offers that often characterise
the celebration every year.
Gorgeous romantic Valentine celebration offers are up for takes at
various hotels in Abuja, starting with Sheraton’s “perfect together”
package for Valentine devotees but it is not only these hotels that are
punching to make the most of the day, social clubs like the Rotary Club
of Abuja, Gwarinpa District also hosted an elaborate Valentine themed
‘fellowship’ to expansively talk about love and sharing within the real
context of the celebration.
Historically, the origin of St. Valentine’s Day has always been told
with certain mysteries; some stories of its origin have come in the form
of legend, while others vouch of their authenticity with the facts,
what is however known is that Valentine’s Day was in 1969 officially
dropped from the liturgical calendar of the Roman Catholic Church,
perhaps from the uncertainty of the history.
A version of history indicate that St. Valentine who was a Priest was
martyred in 269 at Rome and buried on the Flaminian Way is known to be
the patron saint of affianced couples, bee keepers, engaged couples,
epilepsy, fainting, greetings, happy marriages, love, lovers, plague,
travelers, and indeed young people.
Often represented in pictures with birds and roses, records also
indicate that the celebration was originally recognised by the church as
a feast day in recognition of Valentine.
Valentine was said to have served under Emperor Claudius II. When
Claudius outlawed marriage for young men, believing that single men made
better soldiers than married men, Valentine performed secret marriages
and when his defiance of the emperor was discovered, he was put to
death.
Like many other holidays, the imagery and traditions that make up
celebration of Valentine’s Day are a fusion of several belief systems.
Cupid, the Roman god of affection, desire, and erotic love is always
common while the date, February 14 coincides with ancient pagan
celebrations of Lupercalia, a fertility god often associated with the
Greek god Pan, known for his sexual powers.
The tradition of sending red roses harkens back to the Victorian era, when flowers were sent to convey specific messages and in the ‘language of flowers,’ a red rose represents true love.
The tradition of sending red roses harkens back to the Victorian era, when flowers were sent to convey specific messages and in the ‘language of flowers,’ a red rose represents true love.
While taking into consideration possible abuse of what the celebration
should represent, Rotary Club Gwarinpa District in its Valentine
fellowship explained that romantic love is indeed wonderful and deserves
celebration but that the day will become a lot more meaningful when
people take stock of all the ways that love comes into their lives as
well as the ways people share love with others.
Their expression comes from the spiritual understanding that love, in all its forms and expressions means life while God from whom all life flows from represents pure love which should signify every aspects of Valentine.
Their expression comes from the spiritual understanding that love, in all its forms and expressions means life while God from whom all life flows from represents pure love which should signify every aspects of Valentine.
Rotarian Keziah Okonofua who led the discussion at the fellowship
identified that there are five different kinds of love; security,
friendship, romantic, selfish and agape love. She however advocated for
the adoption of agape love which is in line with the Rotary’s four way
test of: is it the truth, is it fair to all concerned, will it build
goodwill and better friendship and will it be beneficial to all
concerned.
She added that the only form of love that is enduring is that given unconditional to people, adding: “This is the Rotary kind of love. This love shares, gives and does not hold back.”
She added that the only form of love that is enduring is that given unconditional to people, adding: “This is the Rotary kind of love. This love shares, gives and does not hold back.”
Also, in addition to the stance of Rotary, most Christian faith
organisations in the city have in their programmes to celebrate
Valentine posited that Jesus Christ in his commandment to his disciples
said, “Love one another as I have loved you,” thus, the mission of the
human race is to love unconditionally.
To them, the love that matters at Valentine is not sexual immoral love,
partying and erotic activities in club and disco houses around town but
the love that God demonstrated in Jesus. Their message is simply that
with all the red hearts, candy and flowers intact, the origin of
Valentine really isn't romantic at all, at least not in the traditional
sense