As Valentine’s Day celebration coincides with the up-coming Champions League round of 16 clashes on Feb.14, some Nigerians have expressed mixed views on the football matches scheduled for same day.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) spoke with a cross-section of enthusiasts in Lagos, who gave divergent opinions on the games.
Recall that UEFA Champions League, a pinnacle of club football in the world loved and followed by a large section of young andy old, will be played on Tuesday and coincides with Wednesday’s 2024 St Valentine’s Day.
Mrs Ifeyinwa Omowole, former President, Nigerian Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), said that she did not see the occasion as conflicting.
“If my partner loves to watch football on Valentine’s Day, I will wait until the end of the match, if we are to go out. I will allow him to watch it, and the next day we can go out after all. There is love in the air,” she said.
“Valentine is till the end of February, but something can be done. We may decide to go out before the match. It depends on an understanding between us. Lovers of football, especially Champions League adherents will never miss it for anything, after the loss of AFCON Super Eagle to the host Cote D’Ivoire, most Nigerians are now looking up to their own clubs at the Champions league”.
Omowole noted that most men would be concentrating on Champions league for now and advice the females to be understanding with and give in to their heartbrob.
”After all, it’s all about love and love is ‘give and take’, so let your man have his time with his football, then, later you’ll have time together”, she advised.
Similarly, Mr Monday Iremi, a football enthusiast, said that he and his wife always find it difficult to come to compromise since she knew he loves football so much.
“I can’t miss it for anything; we usually celebrate our Valentine’s Day before the match being a self-employed man. My gift always served as a bribe to avoid any misunderstanding and that settles it. After the match, we get together again from where we stopped,” he said.