Two gospel preachers on Wednesday urged youths not to see Valentine’s Day as a day for fornication and other immoral acts, but a day to show genuine love for God and humanity.
Pastor Williams Nmezi of Spoken World Ministry, Okokomaiko, Lagos State, and the President, Centre for Defence of Morality, Dr Nkem Chima, made the appeal in interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN.
Chima, whose organisation recently organised a concert for teenagers and youths to promote chastity, said the notion about Valentine’s Day had been largely wrong.
“What it means to the European originators is not what it means to us in Africa.
“Over there, it still revolves on exchange of pleasantries and symbolic gifts to mark the day unlike here where the day has erroneously become a celebration of immorality.
“The future of the girl-child is decimated, abortions increase, teenage pregnancies increase, ritual murders increase, hearts are broken and a lot more,” he said.
Chima called on Nigerians to celebrate the day appropriately and show true love for God and man.
Nmezi, a Youth Pastor, told NAN that ahead of the February 14 Valentine’s Day celebration, parents and guardians should properly guide youths to avoid getting into immorality.
“It is better we change the name to chastity day or goodness day to direct the attention of young people toward the desired goals and aspirations.
“By the time this is effected, the impact will become totally different.
“Social space agents must act to save our young people who are directly affected badly by the Valentine Day erroneous perception.
“Every decent society must arise to protect itself,” he said. NAN
