General Superintendent of the Holy Spirit Mission, Ikeja in Lagos, Bishop Charles Ighele, has called for a Valentine’s Day celebration ban in Nigeria.

Mr Ighele made the call in an interview in Lagos against the backdrop of immorality associated with Valentine’s Day.

He said the day had been misconstrued as promoting romantic relationships rather than its original promotion of aid to the needy and humanitarian works.

The bishop described Valentine’s Day as a deception from the devil to impose a universal day of immorality on earth.

According to him, unfortunately, many boys, girls and married people have bought into this lie about love in disregard to the agape love described in the Bible.

”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 roots 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 sexual feelings on people and spread sexual entertainment in order to further institutionalise sex,” the bishop explained.

The cleric claimed that Cupid influenced humans to set aside February 14, as a special day for people to do whatever they want to do with sex and the perversion of true love.

“The Bible tells us that ‘God is love’, and it is very certain that God will not want His type of love celebrated this way,’’ he said.

Mr Ighele, therefore urged authorities to proscribe the celebration of the day because of its bad influence on youths.

He noted that it was the duty of the government and other non-state actors, such as the church, school and family, to unite to promote cultures of social redeeming values.

He added that the ban on the celebration would redeem people from destruction.

(NAN)