The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Valentine

  • Nigerians are ‘most romantic’

    Nigerians are ‘most romantic’

    Nigerians are the most romantic people in Africa, beating out other online customers in global money transfer leader Transfast’s Valentine’s Day survey.

    An impressive 80 percent of Nigerian respondents say they plan to celebrate Valentine’s Day, with 75 percent calling the holiday “Sweet – I like the sentiment behind it.” Of those less enamoured, thirteen percent say it’s “silly, but I put up with it ” and nine percent call it “a ridiculous money-making scheme.” Still, only three percent of Nigerians say Valentine’s Day is “stressful: I wish it would go away!”

    Most respondents, who are Transfast customers based in the U.S. or Canada, say their loved one is in the U.S. (54 percent), while 36 percent say their loved one is in Nigeria. A majority (53 percent) says they will send money home for Valentine’s Day, in amounts ranging from $50 to $2,000.

    Transfast, the global money transfer company, is used by millions to send money home to more than 120 countries around the globe. For Nigeria, customers can send money from a mobile device or desktop, direct to a recipient’s bank account, or for cash pick-up. In many cases, the transfer is made instantly or within 24 hours.

    Nigerian respondents plan to express their love on Valentine’s Day by communicating with their loved one via a phone call (46 percent), Skype (11 percent), Whatsapp (11 percent), Facebook message (eight percent) or Facetime (five percent).

    Nigerian respondents agreed that Nigerians are by nature romantic, with 67 percent saying this was the case. A total of 46 percent say they believe in love at first sight, and twelve percent say that love at first sight has happened to them.

    Most respondents say they are married (53 percent), 14 percent are dating, 12 percent are engaged and 21 percent are single. But you may not know that from their Facebook pages, because of all respondents, most say they do NOT share their relationship status on social media (53%).

  • Southern Sun Ikoyi marks Valentine

    This Valentine, Southern Sun  Ikoyi, Lagos  is offering  Valentine’s package for lovers. From next Monday, February  8 to 14 February,  the hotel is offering discount on rooms  with breakfast inclusive..

    With the finest cuisine to impress your loved one, the hotel is also celebrating the Head Chef’s carefully selected menu accompanied by choice wine for lovers and couples to savour.

    The hotel said it offering great deal of synergy in its design, quality, service and commitment to delivering the finest lodging and dining experience, also providing a relaxing ambience for loved ones this Valentine’s day accompanied with the subtle tones of romantic tunes.

  • Wakanow announces Valentine Day packages

    Wakanow announces Valentine Day packages

    Wakanow, Africa’s leading full-service, online travel company has announced a three day Valentine’s Day deals. The three-day events kick off from February 11-14th.

    Valentine’s Day is that special day of the year to go all out in expressing love to that special someone.

    Justifying the need for the package, the management of Wakanow said its planned, “staycation” packages is geared towards providing a perfect getaway experience for couples and loved ones.

    Speaking on the essence of ‘staycation’ the management said a number of packages are in the offing, including: Valentine’s Gifts, Valentine’s Day in a Hotel, Valentine’s Trip and Valentine’s Day Getaway.

  • MUSON Alumni celebrate valentine with concert

    MUSON Alumni celebrate valentine with concert

    THE Agip Recital Hall, Onikan, Lagos, was alive last weekend with celebratory tunes that set the mood for the last St. Valentine’s Day.

    The festival had provided opportunity for music scholars who benefited from the MTN Foundation sponsored MUSON Scholars programme, under the aegis of MUSON Alumni, to once again, showcase their talents, which many agreed upheld the virtue of the school.

    In her congratulatory message to the group, Director of the MUSON School of Music, Mrs. Marion Akpata described the show as one that could be compared to any concert outside the country. She praised the ingenuity of the music artistes for maintaining the high standard of the school, adding that the ultimate goal of the school was to bring back good music to the society.

    “We are proud of our students who have come of age. They have become self-sufficient, improved on what we taught them and exceeded our expectations. We hope that someday, some of them will return to become executives of the MUSON School of Music. We are also grateful to the MTN Foundation for partnering with us to make this possible.

    Impressed by the performances, Executive Secretary of the MTN Foundation, Ms. Nonny Ugboma, added her voice to the encomiums. She noted that the display of talents at the show was a testament to the faith the Foundation has in the talents of the students.

    “To say that what we witnessed here today was mind-blowing is an understatement. This is why the MTN Foundation is proud to be partnering with the MUSON School of Music to sponsor students who have talent and flair for music but are unable to finance their education in the school. The Alumni has justified MTN’s investment in the initiative and gives us fillip to do more,” Ugboma said. MTN Foundation entered into a partnership with MUSON in 2007 to assist brilliant but indigent students fulfil their dreams of pursuing a career in music. As part of the partnership, the Foundation took full responsibility of sponsoring 220 students in the music school. In addition to tuition, MTNF covered book allowance and transportation stipend to facilitate movement of the students throughout the duration of the programme.

    “MTN believes in adding value and impacting the lives of people living in our communities on a sustainable basis,” said MTN’s Corporate Services Executive, Akinwale Goodluck. He said that MTN, through its corporate social investment arm, is investing in people and communities across Nigeria because it is by so doing that the well being of the society can be sustained into the future. The Foundation has sponsored over 200 students from inception, and is said to have expended over $10b dollars in the last decade on over 34 project sites in Nigeria.

  • Gifts’ prices skyrocket ahead of Valentine’s Day

    Gifts’ prices skyrocket ahead of Valentine’s Day

    Valentine’s Day is tomorrow, and a number of retailers are offering  bouquets of roses as well as other gifts items to customers looking to mark the occasion but at substantial prices.

    Cecilia Agu is the Public Relations Officer of  an online store in Lagos , she said Valentine’s Day is her busiest day of the year.

    “So far it’s not too bad. Mostly the day before and that day, I have a lot of last minute pick-ups,” said Agu, adding that purchasing them last minute costs more. Agu said prices for Valentine items can be five times higher around Valentine’s Day than at other times of the year.

    Normally, the price for a dozen roses in a pack is about N4,500 according to Agu but it goes up as much as N22,500 in some top shops because of the season.

    Those looking for other affordable options can try  their neighbourhood supermarkets or grocery stores; they will get what they pay for. “Grocery stores tend to have them all bunched in a piece of cellophane sitting in baskets and on shelves,” he said.

    Not all gifts’ prices go up during the season, said Tomiwa Oladele of Kaymu.com, another  online store. She said for instance, chocolate is priced the same year-round. The only difference this time is that they are hardly placed in rectangle boxes, they come mainly in heart shapes.

  • Shoppers in Valentine frenzy

    Shoppers in Valentine frenzy

    Most Nigerians had concluded that February 14, commemorated worldwide as St. Valentine’s Day or Lovers’ Day would be uneventful because of the presidential election. But the last-minute decision to shift the election will see Nigerians joining the world to mark the day tomorrow–amidst mixed feelings, reports TONIA ‘DIYAN.

    The retail atmosphere around the Lagos metropolis has become more intense and inviting, with shopping malls busier. It is the Valentine shopping rush. A day set aside to share love amongst people, the lovers’ day would have fallen on the presidential election day, but the election has been shifted to March 28.

    If there is anything that has caused an unprecedented rush in this year’s Valentine shopping, it  is the postponment of the presidential election to March 28th. The postponement has given room for sales of love items  to thrive.

    The initial gloom of  non-participation in the festivities that attend the lovers’ day, has transformed into excitement as retailers of love items and shoppers are having a field day.

    Before now, traders of Valentine items had lamented poor sales, complaining of low patronage as people were unprepared for valentine in view of the initial arrangement to hold elections on that day.

    As it is the tradition for majority of retailers to see the need for early stocking from early January, this year’s case wasn’t an exception notwithstanding.

    When The Nation Shopping visited a cross-section of shopping malls and supermarkets last week, some of them had very few items for lovers’ day because they had thought after February 14th, they would be needed by shoppers as they are seasonal.

    A supervisor in one of the upscale shopping malls, Addide, who asked not to be named, told The Nation Shopping that in the last three weeks, he wasn’t keen on stocking his store with associated Valentine items for fear that they won’t be bought off the shelves as all their shops will be shutout to prospective customers due to the presidential elections now postponed.

    He stated that the store is not expecting as much sales as its yearly experience during Valentine period. “We are not expecting much this year. It is true that our Valentine sales started early because we thought elections will hold. We planned to sell all we have for Valentine before the Deal day, to be a compensation for the Valentine day sales which is the attraction for this season.”

    Mrs. Modupe Shopeju, who sells gifts items at Gbagada, also in Lagos, stated that the essence of Valentine sales is to experience huge patronage on Valentine’s Day, not necessarily before or after the day.

    “As a retailer, if you make sales before Valentine’s day it is okay. But the rush is on Valentine’s day itself.  That is when lovers walk into the store together and the lady is asked to pick her choice of gift. gifts ideas can also be suggested to the man to buy for himself and he wouldn’t hesitate to spend money, which is our interest as retailers. “

    “This is why most of us felt bad  when we found that the election would obstruct our businesses,” she said.

    For Chukwuemeka Ejiofor, a retailer at Mushin market, the elections would have been a barrier to his business if it was still scheduled to hold tomorrow being Valentine’s Day. “I am pleased with the election date’s postponment. It would have been a big disaster to my business. I sell seasonal items and Valentine is one season I look forward to for bountiful sales. And I am optimistic that I will make sales as usual because I have stocks of very colourful and attractive items. I have also started welcoming customers, I hope for the very best this Valentine,” he added.

    On the other hand, online stores across the country said they have not and would not have been affected by the earlier election plans for 14th as most of them have opened their valentine stores since December last year, immediately after the Christmas celebration.

    Jumia came up with its clearance fashion sale with items of 80 percent discount sales mainly on display. They also recently came up with their last minute gifts instant delivery.

    Like Jumia, DealDey, online shopping portal, specifically stocked up wares for the Valentine season just as it offered all-kinds of freebies for prospective customers.

    But why the frenzy for Valentine sales?

    Norman Sander, Centre Manager, Ikeja City Mall, offers plausible explanation.

    According to him, “Valentine’s Day is a memorable event all over the world where old and young people are expected to storm shopping places around them to pick one unique item or the other for their loved ones.”

    He said while some shoppers will make purchases online, others will visit the big shopping malls to unwind.  Assuring people of cheap bargains, Norman said, retailers have stocked their stores with wares and have promised good pricing as well.

  • Konga announces fashion sale for Valentine

    Konga announces fashion sale for Valentine

    Valentine’s Day is around the corner; it is a day several people are eagerly looking forward to.

    However, the world renowned day of love also accounts for an enormous portion of the money spent on gifts every year.

    In the United States, it is extimated that shoppers would spend as much as $19billion on Val’s day gifts this year, at an average of $142 per person (that is about N27, 000). Some people estimate that Nigeria alone  may spend about N350 million on gifts for Val’s day this year.

    As this season of love approaches, Nigeria’s Largest Online Mall, Konga.com has announced that in celebration of Valentine’s Day it would be delighting its customers across Nigeria with a special Fashion Sale called Konga ‘Love Boom’.

    The Konga ‘Love Boom’ Sales was opened yesterday, February 5, with massive discounts of up to 50 per cent on top fashion labels on the online store.Several brands are included in the sale from both the male and female fashion stores. Some of the participating brands include Dainty Sole, Spotted, 24/7, Qupid, Le Rouge, Quest, among others.

    According to Konga.com’s Head of Public Relations, Olatomiwa Akande, “Valentine’s Day is all about love, and at Konga.com we know how much the Nigerian shopper loves to be able to get the trendiest fashion items and styles at a great price. And with the Konga ‘Love Boom’ Sales, we want our customers to let go of their Valentine budget worries and feel free to express how much they love the special people in their lives.

    The online retail company has other packages up for grabs in its 2015 Valentine Store, from romantic getaways to fashion discounts and much more.

  • Love turns money spinner at Valentine

    Love turns money spinner at Valentine

    Valentine’s Day is a memorable event all over the world.  Today, a lot of  people, both old and young, will ‘storm’all the shopping places around them to pick one unique item or the other for their loved ones. While some will make  purchases online, others will visit the big  shopping malls.  TONIA ‘DIYAN  writes that in  preparation for  today’s celebration, open market shop owners and big malls have stocked their stores with wares and promised good pricing .

    Are you looking for gifts that are cheap but unique? Are you searching for a gift that will outlive the rush of this season? If your answer is in the affirmative, then take a trip to both the virtual and physical shopping stores. Operators of these shopping centres have, over the last two weeks, been paying hosts to people who are prepared to mark the Valentine day.

    Retailers, particularly in Lagos, have succeeded in turning the occasion to a huge cash cow.

    One strange thing about this year’s celebration is that the open markets have taken the lead as they commenced stock-piling gift items earlier than the malls and online stores.

    According to them, the malls and high street stores have prompted them to start sales early. They said this is one of their strategies for making sales this year.

    One open shop owner in Lagos, Alhaja Bashirat Abeni said open shop owners are taking the right steps to get a bite of the season’s market share.

    She said: “We are only taking the bull by the horn, catching our competitors unaware. Ordinarily, no one would have thought we will stock valentine items earlier than the big stores and malls. They tend to look down on us most of the time, but we are stepping up our game, re-enforcing and re-packaging. It is simply one of our strategies.”

    They have all promised to make today’s shopping more convenient and exciting. They have also promised good prices for their customers.

    Proprietor of Delightsome Gift Concept, Gbagada-Lagos, Mrs Modupe Shopeju said valentine has graduated from being an event for lovers to being an event for people to take advantage of its business side.

    She said: “Valentine’s Day is less about love and more about the business of love for retailers, particularly those in Lagos.

    “ Shopping, spending, giving gifts and more is the tradition for many people on Valentine’s Day, as such, retailers will always take advantage of the celebrations.”

    According to her, the spending, shopping provide a light-hearted view of all the common Valentine’s Day traditions.

    Retailers say Valentine’s Day is among the top three holidays in terms of sales as each year, they put in their best to make it worthwhile.

    A greeting card seller in Ikeja, Mr Kelechukwu Maduka, agrees with Shopeju. According to him, the occasion usually provides an opportunity for traders to make money after the Yuletide. “Valentine’s Day may mean flowers, dinner, a sentimental card or a special date night to some people, but to us, it means an opportunity to get busy again following the lull of post-Christmas rush.”

    Shopeju is particularly excited that this year, Valentine’s Day falls on a Friday because it will allow offers to be extended into the weekend.

    “Valentine this year falls on a weekend. For us, this is perfect because it gives lovers time to plan the whole romantic package and we are ready for them,” she added.

    According to her, there are more offers for women as they are the biggest shoppers always. “Women tend to buy for their husbands, kids, their mothers and everybody around them. I know today is specially for them and I am looking forawrd to an exciting time,” she said.

    Branch Manager at Shoprite, Mr Linus Okon, said he is expecting a huge crowd, adding that he has made provision for twice the number of customers he receives on ordinary days.

    He said: “At Shoprite, there is going to be an overflow tomorrow of the people who could not make it here today after work. Our offer still extends till after valentine.”

    Valentine is the shortest holiday season because it lasts for only one day. Men are notorious for shopping at the last minute and stores are prepared for this.

    For this reason, retailers are eager to help people find something special for their loved ones today and they look forward to seeing people come out in the spirit of the season. For them, each Valentine’s Day brings a little uptick in sales.

    Therefore, while you are frantically searching for the perfect gift to give to a special someone; don’t forget to check your neighbourhood stores to make sure your search doesn’t go too far because what you are searching for may just be right there at the back of your compound.

    A rose seller, Mrs Babajide Sumbo said shoppers buy roses on occasions like this. She is optimistic that today’s will not be an exception. “Roses always will be our show stopper. We sell a lot more roses on Valentine’s Day than any other day of the year,” she said.

    Today’s offers

    Jumia.com.ng top five Valentine’s Day gifts for him & her

    For him

    Men’s gifts are more difficult to pick especially these days when they are more fashion forward and tech savvy. However, nothing says ‘I love you’ more for a man like the latest Samsung Smartphone, a dolce & Gabbana perfume, the latest PlayStation 4 game console, Rotary wristwatch and a bottle of the finest Veuve clicquot la Grande dame brut champagne.

    For Her

    Women’s Valentine’s gifts are different from everyday gifts. They have to make her feel unique and special. Gifts like; Handmade Jewelry from Le Reve pieces for the elegant and stylish woman or Coco Chanel perfume to spray love all over her is not a bad idea. She can be coloured in a red-hot dress to make dinner look complete. She should be allowed to walk in style in killer shoes, pro-founding her new found self with her love.

    For Couple

    For those who have found the right one, they can seal their love with the diamond engagement ring Jumia is giving away this valentine to one lucky couple.

    However, with every valentine item bought on Jumia.com.ng with a Paga account, there is 10 per cent cash back in the ‘Paga Give love get love promotion’, there will also be free shipping within Lagos.

    Konga.com.ng

    Konga.com.ng has opened its Valentines store with plenty of special treats for everyone. From sweet daily timed deals to discount codes to help people enjoy amazing discounts to E-Gift vouchers, people can pick gifts for them and loved ones.

    Gifts for Him

    Fragrances, Apparel, Shoes & lovely men’s suits.

    Gifts for Her

    Fragrances, Jewellery, Watches & Accessories, Lingerie, Shoes & Bags and Beauty Products.

    Gifts for His & Hers

    Teddy Bears, Chocolate, Wine , Love Baskets ,Gadgets ,Home Essentials ,Intimate Gifts ,Books ,Music & Movies ,Gifts for Kids.

    BuyolOgy.com.ng is giving out Blackberry Bold 7 for N20, 100, Techno Phantom A+ for N20, 700, Samsung Galaxy S4 for N52, 800, Sony Play Station 4 console for N64.800 , Iphone 5c 16gigabyte (GB) for N94,995.

    For Valentine, the store is also offering amazing Blackberry deals under N25,000, Curve 6 for N 18,200 and curve 7 for N24,700 and a Samsung Galaxy Grand Duos Touch Screen phone for N44,495 .

  • Valentine’s election at Ekiti varsity

    While their colleagues in other campuses will be marking Valentine’s Day tomorrow, students of the Ekiti State University (EKSU) will be electing their leaders to occupy the vacant seats of the Students’ Union Government (SUG).

    The union had just been reinstated after three years of proscription, following a violent protest by students.

    Do students have choice not to participate in election? Emmanuel Olatoun, a 300-Level Plant Science student, said: “We have waited for three years for the union to be reinstated and we are happy that finally, we would elect our union leaders on Valentine’s Day.”

    The management announced the lifting of the ban on students’ union activities recently, releasing election plan to be midwived by lecturers and students. The development was greeted with mixed reactions by students.

    A student, Wale Ijigbami said: “It is good that management has released timetable for SUG polls. But do students have assurance about the management’s sincerity? Remember that the same thing happened in the past when an electoral committee was set up to conduct the election. And the elections were not held. Some of the contestants seem to me as stooges of the management.”

    Olakunle Olajide, a 400-Level Public Administration, said: “For the part-time students, we don’t think we want to be actively involved in the election because they have reserved the role or offices “assistants” and “Vice President 2” to us in the central executive cabinet and I think we deserve more than that . That’s why you would see that those positions zoned to part time students do not have candidates running for them.”

    Chairman of the Electoral Commission, Dr Omirin from the Faculty of Education, urged them to have faith in the coming election as they were putting all logistics in place to make it a free and fair process. He added that the election was going to take a different shape unlike what obtained in the past.

    “The election, this time around,won’t be conducted at the popular Faculty of Arts as it has been done in the past. Rather, we would have polling units across all the faculties to ensure orderliness and fairness,” he stated.

    During the manifestoes at Liberty Estate Student Residential Area, one of the candidates, Babajide Kolawole, 400-Level Economics, said: “We thank the management for reinstating the student union.”

  • Valentine’s Day; No Indian visa on arrival; ‘Operation Record Uniform and Official Corruption’

    Valentine’s Day; No Indian visa on arrival; ‘Operation Record Uniform and Official Corruption’

    Two days to Valentine’s Day. Be nice to everybody and not just your lover. Do things right. Stop taking bribes. Stop using your uniform or position to intimidate or deprive others and then say a deceitful ‘Happy Valentine’s Day to your poor wife or girlfriend when you have fraudulently deprived so many of happiness by abusing the trust of your position, your uniform and your connections? How many Nigerians would genuinely send a Happy Valentine’s Day card to anyone you have ever encountered in uniform?

    Commiserations to Nigeria for being one of only eight countries not to be granted ‘an Indian visas on arrival’ in India, a privilege given by India to 180 other countries. Nigeria, your reputation is in tatters.

    The long overdue change of Mbu, the questionable, biased Commissioner of Police (CP) offers Jonathan the chance to extricate himself from the quagmire of Rivers State which threated to drag him into the unpresidential mud. What Rivers State needs, and what all states deserve, is an unbiased police service protecting all life and all property and not interfering in the primacy of the political organs except where they break the law. In Oyo State we also had such huge problems and various supporting CPs and party strongmen. It took a natural death and a change of police and political leadership to usher in a welcome avalanche of ‘Ajimobi peace’. We pray this will be the lot of Rivers State. Nigeria does not deserve violence. Someone should study Oyo State and Ajimobi’s methodology and spread it around the country.

    Across the country, why is that the ‘uniform in Nigeria’ continues to disgrace itself even as so many police and military lay down their lives fighting crime and terrorism and making orphans of their children, widows of their wives and paupers of their families?

    What is it in Nigeria and indeed in most of Africa and even developed countries that mutates a uniform wearer into a monster terrorising the very people the uniform is to service? But we must face our own malignant demons and not bother with the uniform demons of other countries until we have to visit them when crossing the border. Nigeria and Nigeria’s NGOS and professional bodies and indeed every Nigerian must never remain mute about this ‘uniform terrorism’. We must stand against this deeply ingrained ‘Nigerian Uniform Terrorism’ which has unfortunately received the full support of the organisations that those uniforms are acting on behalf of. Where are the police and supervisors? Tell every Nigerian you know, old and young, sitting at windows above the road, sitting in shops, sitting in public and private transport or walking down the road that they can and must record anything and everything that involves officialdom. The mobile phone can be the ‘Weapon of Mass Destruction Of Corruption’ WMDC? We must record on mobile phone every encounter with every official from secretariat to road until a change, a movement against uniform corruption, comes over Nigeria. ‘Operation Record Uniform and Official Corruption’. The sooner we start on this course the better. Be assured that it will happen as frustration at the brazenness of uniformed corrupt practices on the streets, in traffic, on the highways and in government offices where the ‘uniform’ is a title from Director General down to the filing clerk and gateman and is embarrassing the children and the nation.

    Nigeria must discuss, dissect and deal with the massive and apparently insurmountable corruption of the Nigerian uniform of any and every colour –black, grey, camouflage, yellow, white, maroon, light brown, navy blue, army green, airforce blue or whatever. Who smiles at a uniform? It is corruption to kill a citizen without cause, but the list of needless killings gets longer by the day. Road uniforms known for entrapping drivers and demanding needless items like fire-extinguishers and stupid unrealistic particulars. You may be the best and brightest professional in Nigeria dispensing life with each handshake and nod. But you are still subject to the myopia of governance, administration and the all-pervasive power of mediocrity and the Nigerian ‘Uniform’ police, FRSC, on your way home. Once a uniform is worn, even the uniform of political or government office –the agbada and babanriga and the civil servant, Tax consultant- its wearer mutates into a ‘legally illegally’ extortion monster, automatically and irreversibly.

    Continuous voters registration is the norm, as a person becomes 18 years old that person goes and registered as a right and responsibility. Such a voters card can be used for transactions and ID purposes.

    Surely ‘performance, planned and executed’, are supposedly key elements in the reason for the establishment and existence and desire of all politicians and political parties. If not they were fraudulently set up, fraudulently run and fraudulently in power. Unfortunately it seems that political parties are ‘strategizing’ to recover ‘lost’ states and ‘win’ more in the coming election perhaps ‘by any means necessary’. However some parties are strategizing even as they haemorrhage governors, senators, representatives, council chairmen and thousands of their personal faithful political cohorts.

    Unfortunately the political parties always forget that the first rule of successful politics as judged by the people, the citizens, the voting majority is ‘performance’. PDP and other parties must commit to maximum developmental performance as a ‘political strategy’. They must also be willing to subject that performance to public, not publicity, critical scrutiny. They will lose all honest elections unless they resort to rigging and cheating.