Umbrella Schools Students Mark Valentine’s Day in a Happy Mood

Umbrella Schools Students Mark Valentine’s Day in a Happy Mood

Valentine’s Day Celebration will Help Children to Discover Love and Kindness – Dr. Emeka Esogbue 

Story By Kayode Iyande

There was an atmosphere of love as students of Umbrella Schools in Lagos on Wednesday marked the Valentine’s Day celebration in a grand social program organized by the school. The students who wore the traditional red and white St. Valentine’s Day outfit engaged in several enlightening programs in the playground inside the secondary school arm of the school.

Part of the program was a speech delivered by prominent Historian, Journalist, and Author, Dr. Emeka Esogbue. The Speech, titled “The Negative Effects of Valentine’s Day Celebration on the Academic/Social Wellbeing of Children,” was broken down by the Speaker to touch on several aspects of the Valentine’s Day celebration including the history and the essence of the celebration. The Speaker noted that it was a day celebrated by lovers all over the world and Nigerians as seen in the students of Umbrella School were not left out.

The Editor-at-Large of the Integrity Watchdog International Magazine said that Valentine’s Day celebration could help children discover love, “we may begin by asking an ideal question on whether students or children should join in the celebration of Valentine’s Day. Well, Valentine’s Day can be celebrated by children because it will give them an opportunity for a wonderful holiday. If well celebrated, it will allow them to love and be loved and also to be creative,” Esogbue advised.

“If celebrated right, it can assist in highlighting the importance of friendship, kindness, and gratitude in children.”

“It may well enable them to be friendly to their classmates. Since Valentine’s Day is about love, care, understanding, favour, and friendship, children as we see in Umbrella Schools, Lagos, will today benefit from the ideals of Valentine’s Day through this program.

“Despite this, the Valentine must be celebrated responsibly to avoid the negative effects that it may result,” he said.

The Historian gave a historical account of the origin of the feast which he said was a holiday because it is a religious celebration. St. Valentine, he said was a Priest who was imprisoned and later martyred by Claudius Gethicus II for preaching to Christians persecuted in the Roman Empire to convert and follow Christ. Nevertheless, the martyr found time to restore the sight of his jailer’s daughter through prayer.

This is the aspect of the love essentially celebrated in Valentine. Dr. Esogbue, in the speech, advised the students and pupils of Umbrella Schools to show love, care, and concern to all. The world according to him is established on love and kindness and Nigerian children must grow to understand it as a factor of life.

There were questions and answers series in which the students asked and sought answers from the Speaker. The Principal of the School, Mr. M. D. Uzoma then thanked the Speaker and the students of the school.

The Umbrella High School, located in Olodi-Apapa, Lagos is a citadel of knowledge that for decades has been providing students adequate educational training to value their uniqueness and grow to contribute their quotas to global development and several former students of the institution are doing well in their respective endeavours.