•Actor Jide Awobona
Actor Jide Awobona has said he does not subscribe to the idea of celebrating love on a single day, insisting that for him, every day presents an opportunity to show affection.
Speaking in an interview with our correspondent, Awobona revealed that he is “not really a Valentine’s Day person,” recalling a past Valentine’s Day experience during his university days that ended on a sour note, reports Saturday PUNCH.
According to him, he had taken his then-girlfriend out to a restaurant, but the outing was overshadowed by a prolonged phone call with a family member.
“We went out one day and it ended horribly because throughout the day, I was on a call with one of my family members for hours. We actually went out to a restaurant to have a nice time, but at the end of the day, we fought and argued. It was not a good day.”
Despite the unpleasant memory, the actor noted that the experience did not significantly alter his approach to love.
“I don’t want to have a special day before I can show love. Every day is like Valentine’s Day for me. It depends on the vibe and the mood. I show love every day,” he explained.
Awobona added that love, in his view, goes beyond romantic relationships.
“You need to learn to show love to everybody — friends, family, people you don’t know, people you know. Love supersedes intimacy or someone you’re dating. In my daily life, I try as much as possible to express love,” he said.
While he does not actively celebrate Valentine’s Day, the actor clarified that it is not out of disbelief, but rather due to the nature of his work.
“As I’m speaking with you, I’m at work. If it’s not Valentine’s Day, I’ll still be at work entertaining people. That’s what I do,” he said, adding that creating expectations around the date could lead to unnecessary pressure.
For this year’s celebration, Awobona disclosed that he would be spreading love through his craft rather than focusing on one individual.
“How I’m spending my Valentine’s Day is to show love to other people by blessing them with my craft and talent. Not just one person having it,” he said.
On whether genuine love can survive in a relationship where money is unstable, the actor offered a perspective shaped by his experiences. He maintained that true relationships should not be built solely on financial expectations.
“It’s always a two-way thing. I give, you give. When I have, I give. When I don’t have…” he said, emphasising that his relationships have never been tied strictly to material considerations.
However, he observed that some young people, particularly within Gen Z circles, appear to attach significant importance to material benefits in relationships.
“A lot of them feel like, ‘If my boyfriend cannot do this for me, we can’t be together.’ That means you rate material things over how you feel for the person,” he said, describing it as a troubling trend.
Beyond romance, the actor addressed misconceptions about relationships in the entertainment industry. He explained that audiences often mistake on-screen chemistry for real-life romance.
“There are some actresses I’ve acted love scenes with that I don’t even know. People will say, ‘You can’t tell me you’re not dating.’ But that’s my job. I’m supposed to make it look real,” he said.
