Written by Emelie Oguaghamba
February always comes with a different kind of energy, it’s the love month! The season of sweet messages, surprise gifts, date nights, matching outfits, and Valentine plans everywhere you turn. Everyone is outside catching cruise, dressing up, and locking in time with their favourite person.
But while you’re locking in plans for Valentine’s… Have you locked in your safety too?
We all know how Valentine can go. One date becomes two, feelings get deeper, things get… closer. And sometimes, right in the middle of the moment, many young people forget to lock in their safety. In the excitement, it’s easy to say “it will be fine” or “nothing will happen jare.”
Yet sexually transmitted infections and unplanned pregnancies continue to increase, and they certainly don’t take breaks because it’s Valentine. Playing safe isn’t boring or unromantic, it’s being responsible. In fact, choosing protection shows care for yourself and your partner. Safer is actually sexy, so clock it guys!🤏
That’s why February 13, International Condom Day, comes just one day before Valentine’s Day. The timing is intentional. It’s a reminder that love and protection go hand in hand. Before the dates, the flowers, and the late-night hangouts, young people are encouraged to make informed choices and prioritise their health.
Using condoms correctly helps prevent STIs including HIV, reduces the risk of unplanned pregnancy, and gives you peace of mind. It allows you to enjoy the moment without fear or regret later.
Take Jumoke, for example. She never really prioritised condom use, it always felt like something that could wait. “It won’t happen to me,” she would say. Then one day, after a routine campus health talk, she decided to go for an STI test with her friends, just to be sure.
As a 100-level Law student who had just gained admission, she suddenly found herself panicking, worried, overwhelmed, and full of questions. What if something was wrong? What if she had exposed herself to an STI without even knowing? What started as a casual decision to test quickly became a life-changing moment when her results showed she had contracted an STI, something she never imagined would happen to her.
The fear was intense. How was she going to explain this to her parents? As a fresher? In her very first semester? Thankfully, Jumoke accessed treatment early and is doing well today. But the experience completely changed her mindset. She learned that protection, testing, and timely care are not things to postpone, they are essential.
Simply put, protection is part of self-love too.
“No hoodie, no honey.” Clock it! 🤏
So this love season, don’t just lock in your outfit or your plans. Lock in your protection. Carry condoms and use them correctly. Don’t leave things to chance or vibes, and as we like to say:
And if you ever feel unsure about what to do, how to use a condom properly, or just need honest answers about your sexual reproductive health, you’re not alone. We share fun, relatable, and youth-friendly content across Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok., from short tutorial videos to real conversations that make learning about SRH easy, relatable and not preachy.
At the end of the day, Valentine is about love, connection, and good memories. However, staying safe simply makes those memories better.
So, enjoy the dates.
Enjoy the vibes.
Enjoy the season.
But first lock in, and play safe! 💖🛡️