St. Valentine's Day: A Coin With Two Sides

By UbongAbasi Ise

14^th February of every year, known as St. Valentine Day, is not all about popular craze with fashion draped in red and white colours, but it is about a day that has a theme built around love. A lot of people the world over see St. Valentine day as time to celebrate relationships and to demonstrate their affection for their loves ones. Most people share gifts with their love ones, some embark on exciting trips, others visit beaches, cinema; spend time in pubs and eateries. There’s never an end to ways of observing St. Valentine Day.

 In Akwa Ibom State, apart from a lot of hangouts bracing up to host teeming love celebrants,   some Akwa Ibomites do not lack where to go on Val day. Some prefer to spend their time at the beach in Ibeno or Oron. Also the popular Unity Park, Tropicana Galleria, and Pyramid Lounge at Udo Udoma Avenue, including Discovery Park, and Maitama all in Uyo, as well as the Tilapia in Abak, are also some of the numerous hot spots in the state that are ready to add spice and warmth to the hearts of Val day celebrants.

As a predominantly Christian State, it is very common in Akwa Ibom  to have churches holding valentine day event the Christian way.  Both young and old also troop to places of worship to express their love for God, including their brothers and sisters in Christ. They share gifts, entertain themselves, and ensure they miss nothing on this special day.

                But Valentine day could be a bad trap for those who fix themselves in love triangle or keeping multiple romantic partners. There are many cases of brawls arising from suspicion of infidelity. And in most cases, people end up either in the police custody or the hospitals. Violence becomes one albatross that renders beautiful Val day a curse rather than blessing.

 Of course 14^th February could be termed, a day of heartbreaks. According to study, some singles are mostly skeptical when it comes to Valentine’s Day. Study also shows that 15% of men and 11% of women admitted to totally ignoring Valentine’s Day, this is not because they want to, but to avert the fear of the unknown. One illusion about Val Day is the deceptive thinking that there is love among people that actually do not love themselves. There are cases of people dumping their supposed lovers on Valentine for those their hearts yearns for, and all hell breaks loose at the end of the day, making 14^th February a day to despite rather than desire.

What Does Valentine Day Means To You? Let’s hear the opinion of the young people.

"To me is just like every other day. It supposed to be a season of love, but we young folks see it as a big deal which is not supposed to be like that. On my own perspective, I think Valentine is meant for married ones because those are the ones that really know something about love, but for us young people, we are still coming up. This year’s Val is on everybody’s lips but to me, it is a very ordinary day.

Goodness Effiong, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, University of Uyo

Valentine day is for celebration of love, showing love to people, and caring for them, giving to the needy. To me, I no longer have any fear for St, Valentine’s day

Faith Unawu, Sociology and Anthropology

According to what I am hearing, it is about love. It is a day one shows love to others. It is not all about bad love, but it is also about giving to who you cherish. They could be your father, mother, brother or sister. So that is what I think valentine means to me. But some people have turned it to be a worldly day, and some people are not observing it correctly as they supposed to. Some things like breaking of hearts mostly occur on the 14^th of February.

Moses Udo, History Education, University of Uyo

Valentine day is a day of affection, especially romantic affection. It is usually done through giving of cards, giving of gifts and so on. To me I see Valentine as just a day. I can sit at home and celebrate it; I don’t necessarily have to go out clubbing and do those secular things. I can sit in my house and send greeting cards and messages to people. I know it is a special day but I celebrate mine in a special way. Anything that has to do with emotions and affection, one has to be really careful because the world today sees things in different ways. I can see it as a day to catch fun and nothing else. But other people might see it as a day to do something that is not generally acceptable. So instead of being a victim, I prefer to celebrate Val day on my own way, sit at home, relax and if I have to send a valentine greeting, I do it with my mobile phone or post it on social media.

Gift Monday, Curriculum Studies, University of Uyo

To me, Valentine Day is insignificant because I don’t see any point trying to celebrate someone that didn’t do any significant thing for the world. Every year we keep on celebrating and remembering him. Even when the world tries to make a memorial of him, people still engage in so many wrong activities to celebrate him. So to me, it means nothing.

Edidiong Atainyang, Curriculum Studies, University of Uyo

St. Valentine Day, also called Val day is a feast of celebrating love. It is celebrated annually on every 14^th of February. It is actually a day to display acts of love, affection, good morals towards people, especially less privilege. My only fear about St. Valentine’s Day is actually the ugly experience the young people have been passing through because being a love day that you exchange gifts, people take it as a day to go out and misbehave, messing up their lives.

Julie Pius, English Education, University of Uyo

©The Sensor Weekend Magazine

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