As the world marked Valentine’s Day on Friday, Nigerians celebrated the event paying less attention to rose flowers, a symbol of the day, ‘Nonye Ben-Nwankwo writes
Twenty-four-year-old Uju Ahanotu returned to Nigeria last August after completing her university education in the United States. She was born and bred in America. In other words, she is conversant with the socio-cultural orientation of the western world. Since her return to Nigeria, she has been trying to do things her own way and in some cases, adjusting to certain behavioural standards back home.
Uju, who appreciates the energy and resilience of her country people, has also in the last six months, observed some ‘oddities’ in their social behaviour.
For instance, she particularly frowns on the manner Nigerian motorists behave. In her thinking, anything goes; there is no decency or discipline on Nigerian roads, she told Saturday PUNCH.
The celebration of St. Valentine’s Day on Friday (yesterday) again brought out another “strange” way, in her thinking, of how Nigerians celebrate the lovers’ day. Uju, who was witnessing the celebration in Nigeria for the first time, expressed surprise that the major tonic of love was conspicuously missing in the celebration.
According to her, the place of flowers, especially the rose, which is the ultimate in a love relationship, received little or no attention in the psyche of Nigerians.
She told our correspondent, “I wonder what Valentine’s Day is without flowers. I visited so many places, including markets within the week to feel the pulse of the people in preparation for Valentine’s Day but I was disappointed with what I saw. In truth, only a few people had flower in their agenda. The young and old who were enthusiastic about the day were interested in buying costly items for their well-wishers and lovers without giving any consideration for flower gifts.
“Even the young man who is trying to work out a relationship with me came to see me without rose. “Though he came with other gift items, I must admit that I received him with reservation. For me, a bouquet of flower does the love magic. Rose is the tranquiliser that soothes the love wound.
“In the US, days preceding Valentine’s Day are usually a beehive of activities for florists and florists shops.”
Uju’s observation concerning the use of the rose flower is not out of place.
In the US for example, statistics have it that more than 150 million stems of roses are sold every Valentine’s Day.
All over the world, roses have come to symbolise love and romance, especially during Valentine’s Day. It is customary to exchange gifts on this very special day. It is usually believed that flowers supersede all other gifts during the day set aside for the celebration of love. Since love is abstract, people believe that a gift of flowers best conveys the special message of love to one’s lover.
Tracing the history of rose on Valentine’s Day, ehow.com said red roses have been a popular flower since the age of Rome, when it was said to be the favourite bloom of Venus, the goddess of love and beauty. Roses became popular Valentine’s Day gifts in the 17th Century, particularly in Victorian England when young lovers were so well-versed in the secret language of flowers that they could carry on entire conversations through the exchange of solitary blooms or full bouquets.
Single red roses and bouquets alike represent eternal love, caring and enduring passion. Blooms of other shades convey different meanings. For example, coral roses express a strong desire for the recipient and lilac roses signify the sender has been enchanted and has fallen in love at first sight.
Valentine’s Day would hardly exist without this bold and dramatic bloom. Popularly seen as an ultimate symbol of romance and sweet passion, the red rose also expresses respect and the creative spirit of love. Representing true love that is stronger than thorns, the red rose is known universally as the lover’s rose.
However, it appears many Nigerians do not see the rose flower as an epitome of true love.
Besides, red rose flower is not even common in the country.
Many horticulturists visited by our correspondent in Lagos said they hardly cultivated red rose due to low patronage. They said they were not also encouraged by the unfriendly nature of the soil to grow the variety.
One of them, James Okechukwu of God’s Own Garden, GRA, Ikeja, said he would rather grow pink and white roses than red rose.
According to him, red roses are expensive to import and since people don’t ask for them, there is no reason to grow them.
“The plant is very expensive and it is not common. If people ask for it, of course, we might have been importing it. There is no need to buy expensive plants which you might not even sell at the end of the day,” he said.
But for Mrs. Isha Ikhayere, another horticulturist in Ikeja, Lagos soil wouldn’t be able to grow red roses.
“That is just the truth. It is not as if we have not tried it. But our soil in Lagos cannot grow it. It is not like some other plants that can be grown with top soil. You need to study flowers and know the kind of sand on which they can survive,” she said.
Even as our correspondent intimated her on how other countries make fortune from red rose, especially during Valentine’s Day, Ikhayere said that nothing could be done since Nigerian soil is not okay for such plant.
But whether roses grow in Nigeria or not, many Nigerians are not willing to patronise the sellers on Valentine’s Day. Findings also revealed that besides the fact that the marketing of rose flower is almost not fashionable in the country, only a few Nigerian lovers consider it as the symbol of love.
Our correspondent reports that Nigerian lovers pay little attention to flowers in consummating a relationship.
Ngozi Nkamuo, a clothier in Egbeda Lagos, said she would be angry if her husband would give her a rose as Valentine’s Day present.
“The last time he gave me a rose was two or three years ago and I was even angry with him. What would I need a rose for? There are so many other things I would appreciate as a woman and certainly not a rose flower. I don’t think I would like it if he gives me one,” she said.
Nkamuo’s views weren’t any different from that of Victor Akinjide who said he had never and would likely not give a rose flower or any other kind of flower to his wife.
“Instead of giving her a flower, I might as well buy ugwu (pumpkin leaves) and I would know that what is remaining would be salt and pepper for her to make a pot of soup,” he said.
Oyekanmi Oyebade, a businessman based in Lagos, said he would rather buy another kind of gift for his wife, Doris, instead of buying flowers.
“Women don’t even appreciate such things again these days. Gone are those days when a woman would read any romantic meaning to a flower gift. They would prefer ‘better’ gifts. I doubt if I could give my wife a rose flower as a gift during Valentine’s Day,” he said.
Funsho Arogundade, a Lagos based journalist wondered why he would give a rose flower to his woman, saying it was a waste of money.
“Rose ke? I should give her a rose and then pay LAWMA extra money to pack the rose when it withers? I would rather give her another good gift,” he said.
Incidentally, most shops in Lagos were flooded with artificial rose flowers, greeting cards and frames.
Some shops visited by our correspondents were mainly patronised by secondary school students who even bought more of frames and cards than the flowers.
One of the students, who said her name was Mary, said the artificial rose flower and frames were for her school ‘mother.’
“It is not for any boyfriend. I am buying it for my school mother,” she said.
A retail shop owner at Ojuelegba Bus Stop who identified himself as Chidi, said sales had been very low this year.
“As you can see, it is mainly students who patronise us these days. People no longer buy flowers like they used to. But we still sell them, after all, a handful of people still come here,” he said.
But Demi Raji of Quial Florist, Ikeja, Lagos said her regular customers who had been buying roses from her over the years still patronised her this year.
“Some of our clients booked in advance. We order our roses and we book extra for some other people who might come for the last-minute shopping.”
Raji said that those who recognised the significance of the rose still appreciated it as a Valentine’s Day gift.
“We cater for the top notch in the society. It depends on the level of people’s thinking. Some people would really appreciate just a rose as a gift. Some others would prefer just a dinner. The higher you go in life, the more your mentality changes.
“We sell a stem for between N1, 000 and N1, 500 and we get our roses from Jos. They might not be of great quality as those imported. But you know that importation of flowers in Nigeria is illegal. We would rather sell what we can get in Nigeria than get involved in illegality,” she said.
Chinyere Iwuagwu, a businesswoman agreed with the florist, saying she would appreciate if her husband gives her a rose for Valentine.
“I may need money but if my husband gives me a rose flower, I would appreciate it. There are certain gifts that touch the heart and rose is one of them. It shows love, true love,” Iwuagwu said.
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