Julius OkorieThey had turned out on red outfits of different shapes and shades for what they dubbed Valentine party. For them, tonight is the night.
I bet it will be suicidal for anyone trying to stop them from coming to this party, after all love is in the air.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThey are young, energetic, single and of course ready to mingle. They know all the lyrics of the songs that will be played and even the ones that are about to be released.
You need not talk about body exposure courtesy of the different styles of the dresses worn, especially by the ladies. It is what is in vogue and like they say, it is ‘their time, allow them to catch their fun.
Twenty four hours after the all-night party, cleaners of the event centre venue of the show had stories to reveal.
They had gathered all manner of evidence , enough to tell anyone who cares to know that the night indeed was full of activities.
Condoms of different sizes and shapes, empty sachets of hot drinks ranging from common gin to popular bitters, viz Action Bitters, Gbefun, Erujeje, Jekomo to mention just a few. The date was February 14.
Two months later complaints began to emerge about stomach ache, about vomiting and fatigue. Expectedly everyone blames it on fever until a test is run and the Doctor’s ” I am afraid you are Pregnant’ is heard.
This scenario plays out at every edition of Valentine, but because many or better still none makes the Headlines, it is taken for granted that all has gone well and life goes on.
The general believe is that Valentine is a time to show love, time to exchange gifts of appreciation and more recently a time to propose.
Properly known as Saint Valentine’s Day and celebrated on the 14 of February every year, it was originally celebrated as a Christian feast day honouring a martyr named Valentine.
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Aside from other accounts, the most prominent which resonate with the original intention of the feast, was that of saint Valentine of Rome, a priest who was martyred in 269 and was buried on the Via Flaminia.
The relics of Saint Valentine were kept in the Church and Catacombs of San Valentino in Rome, which “remained an important pilgrim site throughout the Middle Ages until the relics of Saint Valentine were transferred to the church of Santa Prassede during the pontificate of Nicholas IV [1288–1292]”. The flower-crowned skull of Saint Valentine is exhibited in the Basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin, Rome. This underscores the importance of the feast to the Church. A show of love, for the oppressed and the deprived.
One of the unique acts of Saint Valentine was not only restoring the sight of his jailer Asterius’ daughter, but also penning a letter to her a night before his execution and signing off with the “From your Valentine” which became an instant hit for lovers of the festival. Another unique act was the wedding of soldiers who had been forbidden to marry by the Roman Government.
Notice that his officiating marriages in prison were to also uphold that marriage is the only approved union under which intimate cum sexual relationship can take place. It was also a moral lesson taught even while in prison that marriage is vocation to be respected and honoured.
Though later day additions to Valentine celebration appear to have overshadowed the original intention of agape love, here are Five things that Valentine is definitely not:
Sexual Escapades:
Valentine was never intended as license for sexual escapade especially among the unmarried. Experience over the years has shown that many especially the youths zero it to this and relationships have broken overnight just because a partner has refused to ‘submit’
Drinking Competition:
Valentine was never intended to be a day of drinking competition where people get drunk and fall into gutters, drink and drive all in the name of gyration with a claim that Valentine is being celebrated.
Visit To Unknown ‘Friends’
Valentine is not the time to visit a just met on Facebook and social media:
With the increasing cases of crime, ranging from kidnapping for ransom, ritual killings among other criminal acts, Valentine cannot be used as umbrella to visit a just met on social media to avoid stories that touch.
Self-Kidnap And Expensive Joke:
Valentine is not the time to play expensive tricks on parents and guardians. Not a time to stage self-kidnap, with intent to extorting money from them. A crime is a crime not matter who commits it under whatever guise.
Taking Loans That Cannot Be Paid:
Valentine is not a time to take loan that you cannot pay, just to belong or show off, only to go into hiding a day after because of unpaid debt. Block those you owe, to avoid contact or begin unnecessary hide and seek game.
Celebration of real Valentine is not always about money. Expression and show of concern can have same effect. Wouldn’t be a bad idea to Re-visit the chorus of Steve Wonder’s song:
I just called to say I love you
I just called to say how much I care
I just called to say I love you
And I mean it from the bottom of my heart
There is absolutely nothing wrong with showing affection and exchange of gifts.
Absolutely nothing wrong with celebrating but it may interest you to know that it may be more honorable and more pleasing to God, judging from the intention and action of the originator to pay a visit to the motherless babies home and identify with them as such moments, visit to the prisons to identify with inmates as such moments and even preaching the message of love without conditions at moments like this.
Happy Valentine!
Julius Okorie is Chief Sports and Entertainment Correspondent for Prime Business Africa. He began his journalism career with the Champion Newspaper and Sporting Champion and later moved on to Daily Independent and the Nation Newspapers. Okorie joined Prime Business Africa in 2024 bringing on board 20 years of experience in writing investigative news on Sports and Entertainment. His well researched and highly informative articles on Sports Business and general entertainment are followed by a wide range of audience.
