Bishop Charles Ighele, General Superintendent of the Holy Spirit Mission, has called for a ban on Valentine’s Day celebrations in Nigeria.
Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), he expressed concerns that the celebration has strayed from its original intent of promoting charity and humanitarian work.
According to him, Valentine’s Day now encourages illicit sexual activities and fosters romantic relationships that negatively impact society.
He expressed his belief that the holiday’s connection to Cupid, the Roman deity of love, fuels sexual desires and encourages sexual entertainment.
Bishop Ighele described Valentine’s Day as a “universal day of immorality” and a “deception from the devil.”
He called on authorities to ban the celebration, emphasizing its harmful influence on the youth.
He emphasized the need for collaboration between the government, religious institutions, schools, and families to uphold positive social values.
He said; “The day is associated with a romantic demon known as Cupid. This demon is one of the rulers of the darkness of this world as found in Ephesians 6 verses 11 and 12.
“Cupid is the Roman name for the Greek god of love known as Eros. The English word erotic has its root in Eros.
“The dictionary defines the word erotic as relating to or tendency to arouse sexual desire or excitement.
”The celebration of the day inspires s3xual feelings on people and spread s3xual entertainment in order to further institutionalise s3x”.