Abuja – As the celebration of the 2016 Valentine’s Day approaches, an NGO, `So ti gbo’ (have you heard?) Initiative’, on Friday in Abuja cautioned students of Government Secondary School, Kubwa (GSSK), to refrain from indulging in sexual activities.
Speaking at a sensitisation programme organised for the students, Mr Ademola Adewunmi, the National Coordinator of the organisation, told the students that the true essence of Valentine’s Day marked every year on Feb. 14, had nothing to do with sex.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the programme was ‘Love is not Sex’.
Adewunmi explained that Valentine was a priest who was jailed for performing marriage rites for young couples against the injunction of a Roman Emperor.
According to him, Valentine wrote a letter to the daughter on one of his jailers, whom he had healed of blindness and addressed the letter `from your Valentine’.
He told the students to be wary of those who would offer them gifts on Valentine’s Day only to ask for sex.
“Valentine’s Day is a day normally misused to perpetuate sexual immorality among our young adults.
“Our main message is to expose the adolescents to the dangers inherent in indiscriminate sexual adventures undertaken on Valentine’s Day or any other day.
“We use this to re-orientate you and help you to guard against sexual predators who exploit your ignorance.’’
According to him, love is faithful respectful, interactive, encouraging, natural, decent, sharing, helpful, important and patient.
On his part, Dr Michael Nwosu, a medical practitioner, advised the students to constantly wash their hands once they came in contact anything in order to avoid micro-organisms.
He urged the students to maintain a high level of personal hygiene and wash their underwears daily.
Responding, Mrs Rikay Iya, the school Principal, said she was very happy that the school hosted the programme.
She commended the organisers and expressed optimism that the students would gain a lot from it.
“The students are learning what they previously did not know and if the government can partner with the organisers, it will help young ones a lot.
“We will monitor them afterwards; we will ask them questions to know how they have benefitted from the exercise,” she said.
In his reaction, a student, Master Samuel John, said that he and his colleagues had learnt a lot, especially on what Valentine truly stood for and how to behave themselves.
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“We have also learnt something in terms of hygiene and some unhealthy things we do that harm our lives.
“I will share my experience with my friends and tell them love is not sex,’’ John said.
Another student, Miss Vincent Peace, said she had learnt that love was not sex and would spread the message among her folks.
“With this, nobody can deceive us either in this Valentine season or after,’’ she said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that no fewer than 1,000 students participated in the programme. (NAN)