By Eberechi Obinagwam
Valentine’s day all over the world is celebrated on the 14th day of February every year.
It’s a time to show love, care and kindness to one another as it is written in scriptures, John 13: 35 that in this ‘loving one another’ shall all men know that you are my disciples.
The actual originator of this show is called St Valentine, believed to be a priest from Rome in the third century.
A short story of him was that Emperor Claudius II had banned marriage because he thought married men were bad soldiers.
But Valentine felt that the Emperor’s decision was unfair, so he broke the rules and arranged marriages in secret. When Claudius found out, Valentine was thrown in jail and sentenced to death. And there, he fell in love with the jailer’s daughter and when he was taken to be killed on 14th of February, he sent her a love letter signed “from your Valentine”.
Because the Romans have a festival called Lupercalia in the middle of February, which is officially the start of their springtime, the people took it as advantage.
It was recorded that boys drew names of girls from a box of those they would want to get married to.
As this continues, the church wanted to turn it to a Christian celebration, and they decided to use it to remember St Valentine too.
To this significant of love, people started using his name, St Valentine to express their feelings to those they loved. And that was how the name, Valentine reigned supreme, on the 14th of February.
Today, there are many perspectives of the show of Valentine which signifies love. To some, it’s a day to reach out to the less privileged, show love to their loved ones, reaffirm their love, friendship, reconcile with love ones, have a re-think, find love, and get engaged that same day.
An entrepreneur, Princess Mekemam Udogadi, said, Valentine according to history is a day set aside for lovers, couples to share and reaffirm their love for each other regardless of if they have been doing it before.
The vibrant entrepreneur of ‘Reiz Ropa’ courture explained that Valentine is a time for couples to reaffirm their love, and friendship. “It is a time to show love to people by giving, even to the less privilege”.
Talking of how she plans to spend this year’s Val as young married woman, she said: “I intend to celebrate this Val with my family, taking the kids to the less privileged so they can appreciate God and also appreciate what Love is,” she said.
She disclosed that before now, she had no values for Valentine’s day, but it became important to her when her fiancé, which is today her husband threw a surprise engagement get-together. “I have never even known what it means to celebrate Val’s day. But few days after Val my hubby chose to throw a surprise engagement get-together and from that day Val’s day became important to me. The memory is still fresh” she said.
From Godwin Odeh’s perspective, Valentine’s day is a day we demonstrate love to friends and family. “Celebrate love via kindness, well wishes through gift, pleasantries, show of kindness to the have and have not etc,” he said.
While Public civil servant, Onyeaka Henry Ifeanyi disclosed that Valentine’s day is solely for the church to show love to each other, especially to their household and not the carnal way the world is celebrating it now.
And for some people who feel they haven’t anyone to celebrate with, they say they will hang out on their own, in honour of the day, watch lovers flaunt around the street, bars, exciting places or stay home, eat, and wish they meet one.
Making suggestions for singles, ICT personnel, Kingsley Agbor, said; “you can celebrate being hot and single, and enjoy some time to mingle.
“Express with a rose, remind your first date, make a romantic date, make sweets for sweet, dress up in your finest and make a homemade card for someone as it is a feast day of Saint Valentine; the celebration of love and affection,”
Joy S Amadi said she does not have anyone to celebrate with yet but she has planned cooking well, have enough rest, and come out later to a joint, buy herself drink and watch people celebrate.
Engineer Prime Victor Egele said; “I am open to it. But I am always alone. I am not a social person, so I will be indoors all alone, but I pray to find someone to come celebrate with me.”
The fact still remains that love is a beautiful thing, and it is a beautiful to fall in love, be loved, share, and express love. Even Jesus, admonished us to love one another. He said on this hangs all the commandments..
And what a beautiful thing that this year’s Valentine’s day fall on a Sunday, giving the busy ones time to express themselves.
For those on a date here are some shades of love for the day…
*Red: I love you.
*Pink: I appreciate you.
*Orange: I am passionate about you..
*Purple: I am enchanted by you..
*White: we are young and in love..
*Yellow: I love being friends with you.
*Peach: Let’s make this a memorable Valentines day.
*Red and white together: we are a great match.
