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By Jude Chinedu
Residents of some cities in the South East have expressed mixed feelings over this year’s Valentine’s Day celebration as it coincided with the Monday sit-at-home practice usually observed across the South East.
Saturday Sun went into town to gauge the level of anticipation and how residents plan to mark the day amidst the lockdown.
Mr and Mrs Ejike Udeh who acknowledged that the sit-at-home order would affect the general outlook of the day, said that this year’s event being the first they are marking as a married couple would give them the opportunity to express their love towards each other.
“Valentine’s Day is a day of love. So nothing will stop the celebration. I don’t think the Sit-at-home is enough to stop the celebration. Some people may decide to stay at home in the morning, but later in the evening I’m sure people will come out to celebrate.
“For me, I will take my wife out in the evening. It’s our first Valentine’s Day as a married couple. We had our wedding just two months ago, so it’s going to be a memorable celebration. I’m sure my wife knows how much I love her but I will seize the opportunity to spoil her with love.
Another respondent, Collins Ebube, said he plans to spend the day in his house with his girlfriend. He said since movement will be restricted, most men would like their girls to sleep over and then have a nice time on Valentine’s Day proper.
For Robert Agbo-Anike, Valentine’s Day is a day to show love to the less privileged. To beat the restriction of movement on Monday, Robert plans to visit the needy on Sunday.
“I will go out, but not on Monday. What I will do is to meet people who are needy and show them love on Sunday,” he said.
Another respondent, a student and a Crypto currency trader, Jesse Nwakamma, said he has no choice but to forgo an elaborate Valentine’s Day this year. He would rather mark the event quietly in his house.
“Since there is a general lockdown in the South-East, we don’t have any other choice but to probably stay inside and celebrate,” he stated. “If my girlfriend insists on going out, I let her go but for me, I will respect the lockdown. It doesn’t mean I don’t love her but I don’t want unnecessary harassment that day.”
For Emeka Eze, a trader, having a lockdown on Valentine’s Day is good. He said it was the best Valentine he could ever wish for since it provided him the opportunity to organise himself properly. “It is not a must that you go out. You can do Valentine on a low key in your house,” he noted.
Another student, Victoria Okoye, said that no matter the level of restriction on that day, many people would still go out to have fun and show love to others. But for her, the day would be spent indoors.
Despite the challenges, some relaxation outlets in Enugu are making the most of the season. Some hotels are slashing their lodging rates and offering discounts to attract customers.
Some hotels as well as other relaxation spots are also slashing their prices to allow for maximum fun for couples on Valentine’s Day.
