Entertainment
St Valentine’s Day: PH Are You Ready?
Miss Earth 2009, Nkechi Okendu (3rd right) with Ibinabo Fiberesima and other contestants
So much love is already in
the air as residents of Port Harcourt City and its environs are leaving no stone unturned as they look forward to celebrating this year’s St Valentine in grand style come Sunday, February 14, the day is set aside to celebrate the true essence of Love all over the world which St Valentine’s day represents.
To ensure a successful, funfilled celebration, most families have mapped out strategies to pamper their loved ones with gifts, affection, eating and drinking at their various entertainment outfits within and outside the oil rich city.
Our investigations have shown that show biz personalities and operators of various entertainment outfits in the city have made serious preparation to give lovers, fun seekers, families and friends a swell time.
It was discovered that most of the popular outfits have been refurbished and well equipped with exotic drinks of all brands, mesmerising lightening systems and other state of the art facilities, ambience and enabling environment to give their customers maximum fun and relaxation.
The side attractions in most of the popular joints include professional dancers, artistes comedians and Disc Jockies ( DJs) who play both the old and new school songs to create an all round satisfaction for all classes of customers.
Among the popular joints, night clubs, Restaurants, eateries, ice cream stores and cinemas include: Chinese restaurant. Aba road, Jevenick place GRA, Kilimanjaro Aba road, Sammies, Mr Biggs etc, the cinema houses are Silver Bird, Genesis Deluxe and the film house cinemas, while the night clubs include Casablanca, Boomerang, Oxygen among other popular entertainment enclaves and hospitality out lets.
In an interview with some of the residents and operators of entertainment hangouts, it was found out that they are all excited and want to celebrate the valentine’s days in grand style.
According to the Group General Manager Night Clubs, Afrique Hotels Limited Port Harcourt, Prince Victor Ifeanyi Mini, Valentine is like any other day in the sense that every day is a celebration of life.
He however, noted that St. Valentine’s day is special because young couples, families friends and well wishers see the celebration as an opportunity to share love and affection as well as thank God for his mercies and blessings. He disclosed that in the spirit of this year’s Valentines, his night clubs located at various parts of the city now wear new looks as they have been refurbished to create a conducive environment for their numerous customers to relax, listen and dance to good music as well as wine and dine.
While maximum security has also been provided”. It is going to be fun all through the celebration without moment, he said.
Also speaking, a Port Harcourt based popular comedian, Mr Ubi Emmanuel, popularly known as Rugged Pastor, observed that Valentine day is a time we celebrate, appreciate our loved ones and he would be cracking jokes at a comedy show free of charge as a way of giving back to the society that has made him. “Just like I always do every festive period whether Christmas, Easter, Valentine or new year celebrations.
I always organise a show to make people happy, so this Valentine I am putting up something which is going to be free as usual, he said.
He disclosed that two events have been slated for the celebration, the first show is tagged” Valentine Friday Nite Bash” on February 12, at the Pentagon for soldiers who were forbidden to marry and for ministering to Christians who were persecuted under the Roman Empire during his imprisonment.
He was also said to have healed the daughter of his Jailer Asterius. It was stated that before his execution he wrote, “From your Val” as a farewell to her.A
Spotify yesterday revealed a significant surge in heartbreak song streams in Nigeria during the Valentine’s Day season, with a 626 percent increase between 2022 and 2024.
This was disclosed in a statement issued in Lagos, Nigeria by Spotify’s Head of Music, Sub-Saharan Africa Phiona Okumu.
Okumu said, “Spotify data reveals a surprising trend, a massive surge in heartbreak song streams.
“Nigerians are turning to their playlists to express their emotions, with a staggering 626 per cent overall growth in heartbreak streams from 2022 to 2024.
“This Valentine, the sound of love is accompanied by the sound of heartbreak, and the data shows it’s louder than ever before.”
She said on Valentine’s Day, most surprisingly, male listeners streamed heartbreak songs at a significantly higher rate than female listeners, with a 362 per cent increase compared to 169 per cent among women.
“This could suggest that men resonate with the feeling of heartbreak more and turn to music as a private outlet for processing emotions.
“Whatever the reason, one thing is clear, when love is in the air, so is heartbreak and Nigerian men are pressing play on their pain more than expected.
“While Valentine’s Day is often celebrated with grand gestures, heartbreak is a common theme on Valentine’s Day -more than what’s publicly shown,” she said.
Nigerians will join their counterparts across the world to mark the 2025 Valentine’s today.
Grammy-winning Nigerian singer Temilade Openiyi, popularly known as Tems, has joined MLS side San Diego FC’s ownership group as a club partner.
SDFC announced today that Tems joined the ownership group through her company, The Leading Vibe.
In the process, Tems became the first African woman to be involved in MLS ownership.
“We are delighted that Tems has joined San Diego FC as a club partner,” SDFC chairman Sir Mohamed Mansour said in a statement.
“Tems is a globally significant artist who will help us reach new audiences and spread the word about our unique project, which, of course, has its foundations in sub-Saharan Africa through the unique Right to Dream organisation.”
Reacting to her addition as the latest partner in SDFC’s ownership group, the singer said: “I am thrilled to join San Diego FC’s ownership group and to be part of a club that celebrates creativity, culture, and the power of community.
“Football has a unique way of bringing people together, and I am excited to help build something special in San Diego, a city that thrives on diversity and innovation.”
Fashion and beauty entrepreneur, Toyin Lawani, has claimed she is enduring back pain and that her spine is degenerating.
Lawani revealed this in a video posted on social media last Tuesday.
In the clip, she opened up about her experience with epidural anesthesia, an injection administered to pregnant women in the spine to reduce pain during childbirth.
The mother of three claimed that since receiving the injection, she has not felt like herself.
She accused doctors of not fully informing women about the long-term side effects of epidurals.
According to Lawani, she received the anesthetic injection during the birth of her last two children.
She said, “When you hear ‘epidural,’ run. Doctors tell you about the side effects but do not tell you about the long-term effects on your body. I have about three friends having the same issues that I am having.
“Like, I am just 42, how did I end up with spine issues? I have a degenerating spine. I have implants in my spine. I go paralyzed. I can’t stand for a long time. I can’t even breathe properly sometimes because it affected so many things in my body when I had the surgery.
“They will not tell you because you just want the pain to go away. I have had two epidurals. I had my first as natural birth. The last two were epidural. The last one I had epidural because I had to undergo a surgery and I had no choice.
“See, the pain does not stop. My back is killing me and my spine is degenerating.”