The hype and excitement that used to characterise the celebration of Valentine’s Day in Ghana has been dwindling with time and this year looks like the worst casualty.

Valentine appears to have been put into a fire to burn itself out.

Although many people blame the unusual quiet on the just ended Africa Cup of Nations football tournament, the reality on the ground is that the day is no longer benefitting from the attention and activity that it has been known to enjoy.

Pastors, parents, teachers and even some youth groups have over the last few years condemned the immoral practices that some young people have come to associate the day with and have thereby scuttled its celebration.

Many church groups now use the day for special youth events. When Showbiz took a trip around Accra city last Tuesday, two days away from Valentine’s Day, a day set aside for the expression of love through the exchange of gifts among loved ones, family members and colleagues, there was virtually no sign that the day was being awaited.

At a well-known greeting cards and gift shop Showbiz met only a handful of people who were glancing through the cards.

The shop attendant, Patience, said that business was not good, “It’s as if nothing is happening, people are just not coming in to buy.”

She was however hopeful that sales would pick up the next day and on the day itself. “Some people do their shopping at the last minute so we hope things get better.” she said.

The story was not different at another similarly popular shop which deals in gifts, cards, fresh and artificial flowers, balloons and decor for all occasions.

Afi, the CEO, told Showbiz that sales has been slow. She was optimistic, however, that sales will go up on the D-day.

The Chocolate Avenue on the Ring Road had a different story to tell. Supervisor Isaac Azong told Showbiz that a good number of people have been coming in to buy chocolates.

He said it was a good idea for the Ministry of Tourism to declare the Valentine’s Day as a National Chocolate Day because it will go a long way to promote the product. “Chocolate is in very high demand and we are glad about it, “ he said.

This year’s Valentine’s Day happens to be the first anniversary of Chocolate Avenue and according to Isaac, they will be celebrating the day in collaboration with the Cocoa Processing Company and Cadbury Ghana who will have their products available for sampling as well as for sale.

Showbiz bumped into Owusua, a banker at Chocolate Avenue and sought her impressions on this year’s Valentine celebration, “I haven’t seen anything to show that Valentine is here, I’m sure it’s because of the football season. Owusua said that she had not bought anything yet for her husband but will probably do that later.

A shopper, Kofi, said he had come to get a card and “something small” for his wife just to say “thank you” to her. “I don’t do this every year but I don’t want her to be left out of the fun that the young ones will be enjoying on Valentine’s Day,” he said.

Nii Armah is a journalist who will not be part of this year’s Val’s Day celebrations. His reason? “I don’t even know but I don’t have a girlfriend.”

Nii Armah said he used to be a big freak of Val’s Day, “I used to share in the celebration and bought so many cards and gifts for my dear ones but my interest is now dying.

For him, surprises does the trick so this whole idea of moving with the crowd is no longer a thing for him, “there are so many ways of expressing love instead of limiting it to Valentine, it’s not such a big deal,” he concluded.

Perhaps Nii is not the only one with this view. Shirley, a graphic designer will have nothing to do with Valentine, “I don’t celebrate it because I don’t believe in its significance, if you are in love with someone, you can show it everyday and not on a particular day, it’s not a thing for me,” she bluntly put it.