VALENTINE’S DAY: GRAND INDUCTION CEREMONY INTO THE WORLD OF AIDS As another Valentine’s Day is around the corner, the world would yet again witness a “Grand Induction Ceremony” of a great multitude of people into the world of AIDS and HIV, as illicit Sexual Immorality shall take place in an unprecedented number on that day all in the name of Valentine’s Day a.k.a “LOVER’S DAY”. Before explaining further, let us look at the genesis of the so-called Valentine’s Day.

HISTORY OF VALENTINE'S DAY Every February, across the country, candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. But who is this mysterious saint and why do we celebrate this holiday? The history of Valentine's Day -- and its patron saint -- is shrouded in mystery. But we do know that February has long been a month of Romance. St. Valentine's Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition. So, who was Saint Valentine and how did he become associated with this ancient rite? Today, the Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred.

One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men -- his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death. Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons where they were often beaten and tortured.

Valentine actually sent the first 'valentine' greeting himself. While in prison, it is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl -- who may have been his jailor's daughter -- who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed 'From your Valentine,' an expression that is still in use today. Although the truth behind the Valentine legends is murky, the stories certainly emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic, and, most importantly, romantic figure. It's no surprise that by the Middle Ages, Valentine was one of the most popular saints in England and France.

While some believe that Valentine's Day is celebrated in the middle of February to commemorate the anniversary of Valentine's death or burial -- which probably occurred around 270 A.D -- others claim that the Christian church may have decided to celebrate Valentine's feast day in the middle of February in an effort to 'christianize' celebrations of the pagan Lupercalia festival. In ancient Rome, February was the official beginning of spring and was considered a time for purification. Sweeping them out and then sprinkling salt and a type of wheat called spelt throughout their interiors ritually cleansed houses. Lupercalia, which began at the ides of February, February 15, was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus.

To begin the festival, members of the Luperci, an order of Roman priests, would gather at the sacred cave where the infants Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, were believed to have been cared for by a she-wolf or lupa. The priests would then sacrifice a goat, for fertility, and a dog, for purification. The boys then sliced the goat's hide into strips, dipped them in the sacrificial blood and took to the streets, gently slapping both women and fields of crops with the goat hide strips. Far from being fearful, Roman women welcomed being touched with the hides because it was believed the strips would make them more fertile in the coming year. Later in the day, according to legend, all the young women in the city would place their names in a big urn.

The city's bachelors would then each choose a name out of the urn and become paired for the year with his chosen woman. These matches often ended in marriage. Pope Gelasius declared February 14 St. Valentine's Day around 498 A.D. The Roman 'lottery' system for romantic pairing was deemed un-Christian and outlawed. Later, during the middle Ages, it was commonly believed in France and England that February 14 was the beginning of birds' mating season, which added to the idea that the middle of February -- Valentine's Day -- should be a day for romance.

The oldest known valentine still in existence today was a poem written by Charles, Duke of Orleans to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London following his capture at the Battle of Agincourt. The greeting, which was written in 1415, is part of the manuscript collection of the British Library in London, England. Several years later, it is believed that King Henry V hired a writer named John Lydgate to compose a valentine note to Catherine of Valois. “Courtesy of Corbis Special thanks to American Greetings.” American Greetings Having known the History of Valentine’s Day from the above, let us examine some other aspect.

BUTTERFLY NATURE OF MEN To young Girls and Ladies! Do not be deceived by the Sugar Coated mouth of men who like a typical Butterfly is out to suck your Nectar dry and as soon as he has exploited you and satisfied himself with you (in this case sexually), He discards and dumps you and goes out in search of a New Fresh Blossom flower (Victim) and the cycle begins all over again. For you to fall a prey, he is ready to be good to you, Takes you out for lunch or dinner in a nice restaurant, Buy you gifts, cards etc at periods such as Valentine’s day and says words of affection or rather deceit just to lure you to bed. This is followed up by several other rounds until he has had his fill then, like a butterfly, he flies away. Do not be deceived that this romance would end up in Marriage, How many of them have? May be 1 in every 50 but in the process you may fall into one of the consequences highlighted below.

AIDS or HIV Statistics show the rate of fresh victims is alarming as high as 40% of fresh University in- take; a more comprehensive figure can be obtained from Agencies such as NACA, USAID, and UNICEF etc. Do not be deceived that the use of Condom can make you 100% safe, as there is still a Great Controversy on it effectiveness. This is why the new Campaign Strategy is now “ZIP-UP” i.e. Abstinence and Fidelity. If anyone thinks otherwise, that condom is safe and is HIV negative, he or she should be ready to volunteer to have sexual intercourse using condom with a HIV positive and full Bloom victim. I doubt if we would ever find such willing volunteer!

SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES (S.T.D) There are several types of S.T.D, some are contracted through Skin contact of the private area, or contact with the sweat or the discharge from the private part where the used of a condom would have been proven ineffective. To have a view and insight of some of the S.T.D’s, one needs to just look at the gory sight of the photographs of various victims being displayed at major Bus stop by those claiming to sell drugs that can cure this S.T.D.

TEENAGE PREGNANCY Examples abound everywhere for all to see, in every street, every neighborhood and every family, where Teenage girls of secondary school age and sometimes below the 25yrs have been exploited and Dumped by the Typical Butterfly Macho Man. He would most often deny the paternity or responsibility claiming not to be the only one who might have explored that once blossom and attractive flower (victim) or blames the girl or lady for not having protected herself.

ABORTION AND MATERNAL MORTALITY This is the most likely option a Teenage pregnant girl would tread after being dumped and deserted by the male culprit. Or at best he could like an Old friend of mine said to the elder sister of his girlfriend that “I pitied her (his girlfriend) and gave her money to perform abortion” on her being pregnant. Countless of young girls have dead while trying to commit abortion. Just like the case of a Young lady and her male friends who were denied attention at Ayinka House, Ikeja General Hospital. She had been bleeding all day and I was accosted to help convey them to a hospital at Shyllon Street at Palm grove in my car. It was there that I got to know that she had earlier performed abortion, only God know if she survived from the bleeding.

DEFORMITY AND MAL-FORMATION As a result of various drugs and substances ladies take to commit abortion, this most often result in the Deformity and Mal-formation of the fetus into a Monster with many complication just like “ Little Princess” shown on NTA News line who just dead about some months ago in 2005.

INFERTILITY: A RESULT OF DAMAGED WOMBS INFERTILITY: A RESULT OF DAMAGED WOMBS This is a common result of a complication as a result in the course of abortion. The uterus or the womb is often times damaged that the lady in future, when properly married and settled down is unable to have children due to her damaged womb. This would eventually lead to breakup of the home and marriage. This leaves the lady in misery and sadness for the rest of her life.

INFANTICIDE In the case the child was not successful aborted most often it is killed after delivery an act known as Infanticide. I have seen several cases of such as below. A baby whose neck was slit (cut) and burnt after been thrown to a Dumpsite at my Secondary school in Kaduna around Another case is that of a baby that was dressed up and laid on a Dumpsite in the early hours of the morning some times around 2001 near my place of Work along Suru- Alaba, Lagos Badagry. By the time the general public would get to know in the morning, the baby was already dead with red soldier ants coming out of its nose and mouth. Another was that of a baby thrown into the bush by a wooden footbridge in Palm-grove area of Lagos. Various other experience abound which you reader can also testified to have witnessed.

ABANDON BABIES On this, to have first hand information of the prevalent of the crude manner in which these children are abandoned by their mothers, just pay a visit to the nearest Motherless Baby’s Home And ask how each of these children got there or was picked up. You would shock and surprised at how callous some women are.

SOCIETY’S VIEW ON ILLEGITMATE SEX Hardly would you see any decent society in the world that does not abhor or frown against illegitimate sexual relationships except the Animal Kingdom and perverted and immoral societies such as today in the name of Modernization or Civilization. Below are some of the views of various Cultures as regards to illicit sexual affairs.

YORUBA LAND In the olden days, there was march- making between the would-be Suitor and the Bride. Also only the Groom is permitted to go and visit the would-be Bride. On the night of the Wedding day, some entourage from the Bride’s family waits behind to witness the Blood- stained white Cloth or handkerchief signifying her losing her virginity that night. If this is the case, there would be joy and celebration and exchange of gift between the families. If not, these would signify shame and disgrace brought about because of the waywardness of the lady. In the case of Adultery, the Culprit (male) if caught is taken to the Baale’s (head of Community) Palace where he is rebuked and Fined as the Community deems fit. For the woman, she is heavily Chastises. Another way to prevent such wayward practice is the use of “Maajun” (a native spell that may lead to the instant death of either or both illicit lovers) which is also practice among the Yoruba Tribe.

IGBO LAND The Ibo people also detest fornication or Adultery. The punishment for any one who commits this sin is that the culprit both male and female if caught would be made to walk around the market place nakedly in Broad day light. This shame and Public disgrace would live with such victim till the end of his or her life. However, today such is no more in practice.

IGBIRA LAND (KOGI STATE) There are various ways in which this problem is tackled. One of them is that the accused woman would have to buy or do some things to appease and purify the husband. This may be in the form of a cork, goat, cola-nut, oil etc or any thing being demanded.

HAUSA LAND Among the Hausas this act is greatly frowned against and any one cut committing such an offence is taken to the customary court where he or she is flogged a specific number of lashes publicly. If however they are married, they are imprisoned for a certain number of months ranging from six months to one year of more as the case may be.

CHRISTINITY Here, it is a great sin before God and God said in several verses particularly in Deuteronomy in the Ten Commandment, God said “thou shall not commit Adultery or Fornication”. Here fornication means the sex between unmarried couples and Adultery is the act between two married couples who are not married to each other. The judgment according to the Old Testament is Stoning to Death for Adultery as was sighted in the case of the woman accused for Adultery and was brought before Jesus Christ (peace and blessing of God be upon him). Knowing fully well that her accusers were guilty of the same sin and were hypocrites, he said, “He amongst you who is not guilty of the same sin, let him cast the first stone”. Again when confronted whether he had come to change the law, He said “Not an iota of the law have I come to change but to fulfill it”.

ISLAM In Islam, Allah (God) has commanded that “Do not come near fornication and Adultery, for they are ways leading to great evil” such as the ones enumerated above. When a young man once asked permission from the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) to commit fornication since he was not married, the prophet asked him, if he would be happy if his mother, wife, daughter or sister was involved in such an acted. He replied, “No” to which the prophet said, “No woman dropped from Heaven, she is a mother, wife daughter or sister to another person”. This invariably means according to Jesus Christ: “Do onto others what you want to be done unto you.” The punishment for fornication in Islam is similar to the above mention which is 100 stroke of the cane publicly and in the case of Adultery: Stoning to death just as it is in the Old Testament to serve as a deterrent to others.

Worldwide HIV & AIDS Statistics Global HIV/AIDS estimates, end of 2007 The latest statistics on the world epidemic of AIDS & HIV were published by UNAIDS/WHO in July 2008, and refer to the end of 2007.AIDS & HIV More than 25 million people have died of AIDS since Africa has 11.6 million AIDS orphans. At the end of 2007, women accounted for 50% of all adults living with HIV worldwide, and for 59% in sub- Saharan Africa. Young people (under 25 years old) account for half of all new HIV infections worldwide. In developing and transitional countries, 9.7 million people are in immediate need of life-saving AIDS drugs; of these, only 2.99 million (31%) are receiving the drugs.

EstimateRange People living with HIV/AIDS in million million Adults living with HIV/AIDS in million million Women living with HIV/AIDS in million million Children living with HIV/AIDS in million million People newly infected with HIV in million million Children newly infected with HIV in million million AIDS deaths in million million Child AIDS deaths in million million

Global trends The number of people living with HIV has risen from around 8 million in 1990 to 33 million today, and is still growing. Around 67% of people living with HIV are in sub-Saharan Africa.

Regional statistics for HIV & AIDS, end of 2007 Region Adults & children living with HIV/AIDS Adults & children newly infected Adult prevalence* Deaths of adults & children Sub-Saharan Africa22.0 million1.9 million5.0%1.5 million North Africa & Middle East 380,00040,0000.3%27,000 Asia5 million380,0000.3%380,000 Oceania74,00013,0000.4%1,000 Latin America1.7 million140,0000.5%63,000 Caribbean230,00020,0001.1%14,000 Eastern Europe & Central Asia 1.5 million110,0000.8%58,000 North America, Western & Central Europe 2.0 million81,0000.4%31,000 Global Total33.0 million2.7 million0.8%2.0 million

* Proportion of adults aged who were living with HIV/AIDS During 2007 more than two and a half million adults and children became infected with HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), the virus that causes AIDS. By the end of the year, an estimated 33 million people worldwide were living with HIV/AIDS. The year also saw two million deaths from AIDS, despite recent improvements in access to antiretroviral treatment. Notes Adults are defined as men and women aged 15 or above, unless specified otherwise. Children orphaned by AIDS are defined as people aged under 18 who are alive and have lost one or both parents to AIDS. All the statistics on this page should be interpreted with caution because they are estimates.

HIV and AIDS in Nigeria UNAIDS estimates that in Nigeria, around 3.1 percent of adults between ages are living with HIV and AIDS. Although the HIV prevalence is much lower in Nigeria than in other African countries such as South Africa and Zambia, the size of Nigeria’s population (around 138 million) meant that by the end of 2007, there were an estimated 2,600,000 people infected with HIV. 1HIV Approximately 170,000 people died from AIDS in 2007 alone 2. With AIDS claiming so many people's lives, Nigeria’s life expectancy has declined. In 1991 the average life expectancy was 53.8 years for women and 52.6 years for men 3. In 2007 these figures had fallen to 46 for women and 47 for men. Despite being the largest oil producer in Africa and the 12th largest in the world 4, Nigeria is ranked 158 out of 177 on the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Human Poverty Index 5. This poor economic position has meant that Nigeria is faced with huge challenges in fighting its HIV/AIDS epidemic.

How is HIV transmitted in Nigeria? Some 80% of HIV infections in Nigeria are transmitted through heterosexual sex (between Male & Female). Factors contributing to this include a lack of information about sexual health and HIV, low levels of condom use and high levels of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) such as chlamydia and gonorrhoea, which make it easier for the virus to be transmitted.chlamydiagonorrhoea It has been reported that blood transfusions account for up to 10 percent of new HIV infections in Nigeria 11. There is a high demand for blood because of blood loss from surgery and childbirth, road-traffic accidents and anaemia and malaria. Not all Nigerian hospitals have the technology to effectively screen blood and therefore contaminated blood is often used. The Nigerian Federal Ministry of Health have responded by backing legislation that requires hospitals to only use blood from the National Blood Transfusion Service, which has far more advanced blood- screening technology 12. The other main transmission route is mother-to-child transmission. In 2005 it was estimated that 220,000 children were living with HIV, most of whom became infected from their mothers 13.mother-to-child transmission

So, my fellow reader you have seen for the above write up that all Religion and communities all abhor fornication and Adultery. We all believe also that God Almighty is an Omnipotent and Omnipresent God who sees and knows all that we do and our recording angels are writing every account and action that we do. We shall all be held accountable for all our actions both in this world and the hereafter. The Ball is in your Court, So be watchful of your action and deeds this Valentine’s Day as God and His Angels are watching and recording.

The Gents Club, Lagos Nigeria. Motto: Service and Sacrifice Tel: /