Ahead of the Feb. 14 St. Valentine’s Day celebration, a cleric, Mr. Chidi Udo, has advised teenagers to practise abstinence, uphold moral values, avoid sexual immorality and live disciplined lives.
Udo, the Teens Pastor of Assemblies of God Church (AGC), House of Transformation (HOT), Surulere, made the call at the 2026 Chastity Edition organised in the build-up to Valentine’s Day.
Speaking on the theme, “Chastity, My Life of Freedom,” he said a disciplined lifestyle promotes personal growth, dignity, healthy decision-making and lifelong faithfulness.
the AGC Chastity Programme is an annual initiative designed to promote purity and moral values among teenagers and youths, especially ahead of Valentine’s Day, which is often associated with moral excesses.
The 2026 edition, themed “Where the Spirit of God Is, There Is Freedom,” attracted hundreds of teenagers from various AGC districts, as well as youths from other churches and communities.
Udo explained that the programme was necessary because Valentine’s Day often puts pressure on teenagers, leading some to engage in sexual activities under the guise of love.
According to him, the forum allows teenagers to publicly affirm their commitment to chastity by placing their palm prints on a banner and declaring, “I stand for chastity,” while the church continues to support them through prayers and guidance.
He warned that early sexual activity exposed youths to immorality, diseases and unwanted pregnancies, adding that keeping one’s virginity until marriage enhanced self-worth and encouraged faithfulness in marriage.
Udo called on schools, churches and families to work together in promoting sexual purity, stressing that the conversation must go beyond Valentine’s Day.
Also speaking, the guest speaker, Mr. Victor Alukoju, urged the teenagers to become ambassadors of sexual purity in their schools and communities. He said true love reflected God’s holiness and should be expressed in purity, righteousness and obedience to God.
Alukoju noted that while Valentine’s Day celebrated love, such love must honour God and not encourage immorality, adding that sexual purity strengthened character, relationships and faith.
In his remarks, the Senior Pastor of AGC, Mr. Bright Anuane, emphasised the role of proper upbringing in shaping children’s values. He urged parents to take responsibility for guiding their children amid growing moral challenges fueled by the internet and emerging technologies.
Anuane encouraged parents to teach their children right from wrong and instil godly values that would help them grow into disciplined and responsible adults.
One of the participants, Miss Favour Edem, said the programme had positively shaped her values, describing chastity as standing for Christ, truth and freedom, even in the face of peer pressure.