No 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
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