FRSC Warns In opposition to Drunk Driving, Dashing As Nigerians Mark Valentine’s Day
From curated love notes and viral hashtags to instantaneous present deliveries on the faucet of a display, social media and e-commerce are remodeling Valentine’s Day right into a digital-first celebration of romance, connection, and commerce.
Nevertheless, as celebrants take to the roads and venues at present, the Federal Street Security Corps (FRSC), on Friday warned them to keep away from drunk driving and extreme pace, cautioning that reckless behaviour might flip a day of affection right into a day of tragedy.
Corps Marshal, FRSC, Shehu Mohammed, in a press release, mentioned that each one operational and academic instruments have been put in place to make sure the protection of highway customers through the celebrations.
In Nigeria, analysis agency SBM Intelligence had noticed a gentle development in Valentine’s spending, regardless of prevailing {economic} challenges. Producers and sellers more and more leverage the joy of the season to roll out inventive campaigns. Past conventional playing cards and restaurant dates, objects resembling perfumes, vogue equipment, smartphones, flowers and curated present containers are gaining momentum and obtainable at only a scroll and faucet away.
Analysts famous the regular rise in Valentine’s Day spending, with a big share of transactions now performed on-line and enabled by the digital finance and fintech growth. They hyperlink the surge in spending to the rising reputation of Valentine’s Day inside a technology-driven market that has made the celebration extra aggressive, accessible and extremely personalised.
Chief Govt Officer of PricePointe Wholesale Membership, Tayo Williams, mentioned the rising consideration drawn by on-line marketplaces and social media platforms was not solely reshaping the event, but additionally redefining its that means and function.
“The web market house and social media panorama have made Valentine’s Day extra trendy and visual, shifting it from what was as soon as largely non-public and restricted to card exchanges or quiet moments right into a extremely publicized affair,” Williams mentioned.
In response to him, expertise has democratised Valentine’s celebrations, whereas additionally commercialising them in unprecedented methods.
“With tech instruments comes a extremely publicised, industrial, and sometimes performative Valentine’s celebration. On-line sellers perceive this and have creatively rebranded the day as ‘Friendship Day’ or ‘Self-Love Day’ to promote extra merchandise. It’s now much less about intimacy and extra about visibility and consumption,” he famous.
Sharing related views, Founding father of Aggital Works, Oghoghozino Otefia, mentioned Valentine’s Day has developed from a single day of emotional/romantic expression right into a full digital gross sales season, with social media appearing because the ignition level.
Over time, he defined, the event has been reworked by platforms that amplify traits, form client expectations and lengthen the celebration past February 14.
Apparently, celebrants seem receptive to the eye and traits pushed by new media. More and more, Nigerians look to social media and e-commerce platforms to resolve what items to purchase and find out how to have a good time their family members.
Social Media Supervisor at Jiji Nigeria, Peace Iliyilade, mentioned the proliferation of digital platforms has considerably popularised Valentine’s Day, influencing spending patterns and present decisions 12 months after 12 months.
“With the expansion of e-commerce platforms and social media instruments, Valentine’s Day has develop into extra seen and trend-driven. These platforms form spending selections, open folks’s eyes to new present concepts that in the end assist foster bonds and expressions of affection,” Iliyilade mentioned.
She added that social media now offers clues on who to have a good time, the place to have a good time and find out how to have a good time the event.
“Many individuals get present concepts from what they see on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Fb and X. On-line marketplaces resembling Jiji, Amazon and Jumia have additionally develop into go-to locations for Valentine’s buying. Influencer content material more and more shapes what folks contemplate a ‘good’ Valentine’s present, shock or expertise,” she mentioned.
In the meantime, the FRSC has warned celebrants and different highway customers to desist from indulging in drunk driving, keep away from extreme pace, and resist the temptation to drive recklessly to mitigate all incidences of highway crashes at present.
Mohammed, said that each one operational and academic instruments have been put in place to make sure security of highway customers through the celebrations.
Mohammed, additionally directed Commanding Officers throughout board to double their efforts by guaranteeing huge deployment of Officers and Males for enhanced visibility, enough site visitors management, and most enforcement of all site visitors rules.
The Corps Marshal, within the assertion by the Assistant Corps Marshal, Corps Public Schooling Officer, FRSC, Olusegun Ogungbemide, famous that the operatives deployed ought to go all out with breathalysers, and radar weapons to make sure that suspected drunk drivers are examined and stopped from persevering with their journeys in order to keep away from pointless deaths, accidents and injury to properties.
He said: “Valentine is a day put aside everywhere in the world to have a good time love, trade items, and present that we look after each other, in reminiscence of Saint Valentine who exemplified love whereas he lived.
“As such, motorists who want to have a good time should be exemplary by complying with all highway site visitors rules, as a result of the Corps is not going to spare any driver caught violating established legal guidelines.”
He urged motorists to leverage the 122 toll free line of the FRSC to name for emergency intervention in case of any crash, obstruction or when reckless driving is sighted, for applicable actions.
Whereas reminding all celebrants to have a good time in strict compliance with all security pointers, the Corps Marshal referred to as on all highway customers to cooperate with FRSC operatives deployed to make sure the protection of lives and properties as a result of their presence on the highway is for the great of all.
He additional implored Dad and mom and Guardians to admonish their Wards to be of excellent conduct whereas celebrating as information present that youths are extra weak throughout this season
Omolabake Fasogbon and Kasim Sumaina
Times Nigeria