Globally, Valentine’s Day is celebrated on February 14 every year. In Nigeria, the Day is celebrated with fanfare; lovers are seen sticking together displaying love. But is the Day for love or lust; TOPE SUNDAY asks in this report.
The majority of Nigerians, particularly the youth celebrate Valentine’s Day and on February 14, the major streets where the celebration look; and eateries, cinemas, and other fun places play hosts to the lover birds, who would be all out to show and appreciate love given to one another.
Valentine’s Day
Some of the people celebrating Valentine’s Day do not know how the day came into existence. An article ‘Valentine’s Day 14 February’ sourced from https://www.rosesonly.com.au/, says Valentine’s Day is named after Saint Valentine, a Catholic priest who lived in Rome in the 3rd Century. There are many stories about St. Valentine and over time these stories grew into the legend we know today.
It notes further that at the time of Valentine’s life, many Romans were converting to Christianity, but the Emperor Claudius II was a pagan and created strict laws about what Christians were allowed to do.
“Claudius believed that Roman soldiers should be completely devoted to Rome and therefore passed a law preventing them from marrying. St Valentine began to marry these soldiers in secret Christian ceremonies and this was the beginning of his reputation for believing in the importance of love.
“Eventually, Valentine was found out and jailed for his crimes against Claudius. While imprisoned, Valentine cared for his fellow prisoners and also his jailor’s blind daughter. Legend has it that Valentine cured the girl’s blindness and that his final act before being executed was to write her a love message signed ‘from your Valentine.’ Valentine was executed on 14 February in the year 270,” the article read.
The proclamation
It continues: “It wasn’t until more than 200 years later that February 14 was proclaimed St Valentine’s Day. By this time Rome had become Christian and the Catholic Church was determined to stamp out any remaining paganism. A pagan fertility ritual was held in February each year and the Pope abolished this festival and proclaimed 14 February Saint Valentine’s Day, thus establishing this feast day on the Catholic Calendar of Saints.
“The poet Chaucer in the Middle Ages was the first to link St Valentine with romantic love. This was the beginning of the tradition of courtly love, a ritual of expressing love and admiration, usually in secret. This custom spread throughout Europe and stories grew about a High Court of Love where female judges would rule on issues related to love on 14 February each year. Historians believe that these meetings were in fact gatherings where people read love poetry and played games of flirtation.”
Ugly incidents
Despite the recorded positivity about the Day, there are also some reported cases of rapes and other violations while celebrating the day. Blueprint Weekend recalls that a 27-year-old graduate of the Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, Soladoye Ige, was arrested in March 2015 by the disbanded Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Ondo state Police command for allegedly raping an 18-year old lady on Valentine’s Day.
Ige, who claimed to be a member of the Eiye secret cult group, was living in Owo, where he was also studying at the time of the incident. He paraded by the then state Police Commissioner, Mr. Isaac Eke, and reportedly confessed to have raped his girl friend to enjoy the last Valentine’s Day, after his victim refused to be persuaded to go to bed with him.
Also, in 2017, Valentine’s Day celebration left two young men dead in Obi town of Obi local government area of Nasarawa state. According to a report, the incident occurred when one of the lovers trailed his rival, whose name was given as Aliyu, and stabbed him in the stomach. The unsuspecting Aliyu had offered his killer a handshake not knowing his rival was armed and wanted him dead.
Reports had it that the culprit attempted to run to safety but could not evade the rampaging irate youths who caught up with him, poured petrol on him and set him ablaze.
A family member of the late Aliyu who simply gave her name as Aisha, recalled how her brother was rushed to the Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital in Lafia, where he gave up the ghost.
Mixed feelings
Despite the ugly incidents ascribed to its celebration, a businessman, Mr. Rex John, told Blueprint Weekend that Valentine’s Day is meant to show and express love, adding that it is supposed to be a day when people show love by sharing gifts.
He said: “Valentine’s Day is a day to show love, and it is a day when people show love by sharing gifts, to appreciate human’s existence and appreciate people around you. It is a day to let people around you know that they are loved
However, a civil servant, Mr. Abdulrasak Alapoti, described the Day as the celebration of immorality, adding that as a Muslim, he does not believe in its celebration.
“The Word ‘Valentine’ came from many beliefs that Valentine’s Day is named after Saint Valentine of Rome, a beloved martyr who was executed on February 14 in the 3rd century A.D. However, there were several men known as St. Valentine who were executed during the reign of Roman Emperor Claudius Gothicus. During a time when Christians were persecuted often, the execution of religious advocates known as martyrs grew.
“The stories of religious heroism by St. Valentine were honoured by the Catholic Church with the celebration of St. Valentine’s Day. Every February 14, millions across the globe send their loved ones heart-shaped cards and Valentine’s chocolates to express their love and affection.
“This doesn’t apply to Muslims. Muslims don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day. According to Islam, it’s not permissible for a Muslim to celebrate any of the festivals of the Kuffar, because festivals come under the heading of sharing issues which are to be based on sound texts.
“Muslims say Valentine’s Day is a jahili because of the Roman festival, which continued to be celebrated until after the Romans became Christian. This festival became connected with the Saint known as Valentine who was sentenced to death on February 14, 270 CE. The Kuffar still celebrates this festival, during which immorality and evil are practiced widely,” Alapoti said.
A Catholic, Ms. Somtochuckwu Cynthia, who told this medium that though she celebrates the Day, youths have misunderstood the purpose of the celebration.
She said: “I’m a Catholic and I believe in the celebration of St. Valentine’s Day. Valentine’s Day is actually a day to show love, and to be shown love. Yes, but over time, the youth have decided to misunderstand the purpose of the whole celebration. A lot of people think it is a day to sleep with women, a day to commit fornication and all that.
“But it’s totally different. You can go to the Motherless homes, and you can surprise somebody in need. You can even show love as little to your security man; that’s what it is supposed to be. My message to those who are still playing on the blind bicycle is that if you like to continue showing love; that is your own (issue). I don’t have any motivational speech for anybody, anything you want to do, do it. But stay awake, and be very careful.”
