When 150 virgins stormed Lagos

Lagos recently witnessed a remarkable day.
Not many expected it but it came with its
flurry of activities. It was a day the youths –
boys and girls in their large numbers –
converged on the city to prove that in a sex-
soaked society, there were still a good
number of them, who were still virgins.
As part of the events lined up for the day, a
group of choreographers, Alien Nation , made
up of gospel hip hop artistes, performed:
"Don't mess with my body; my body is the
lord's sanctuary," one of the very instructive
works of the Trin-e-tee 5:7 . It was a
delightful performance that fittingly
captured the rhythm of the occasion, as
guests gathered for the celebration of 150
virgins.
The event, which was organised by
Virginspride Network (VPN), a non-
government organisation, was the fifth to be
held amid pomp and ceremony at the exotic
conference hall of the Renaissance Hotel,
Alausa, Ikeja. It featured girls draped in all
white gowns to showcase their purity,
maintaining that virginity still remained a
virtue.
Delighted by the proceeding, Mrs. Olaide
Bakare, mother of the day and wife of the
fiery pastor of the Latter Rain Assembly,
sprang to her feet to pour encomiums on the
girls. "You are all blessed; you're products of
envy; you'll not lose your virginity, I salute
your courage," she told the girls.
Speaking further, she stated: "I chose to grace
the event because I cherish chastity and
purity. A lot of girls, who are mothers today,
didn't have the opportunity to be sat down
and encouraged to keep their virginity.
Those who were not encouraged had nothing
to offer to their daughters. It is a privilege to
be known as virgins in the odd world where
there are pressures on the girl child."
She described virginity as a state of mind,
adding that virginity must be reflected both
physically and mentally by avoiding films
that arouse sexual urge and extolling dignity
of labour, integrity, self esteem, association
with peers that share similar virtues and
relying on God.
The event, which was witnessed by couples,
who testified to their virginity status before
they got married, had Mrs. Moji Awokoya,
representing Mrs. Rosemary Odukoya of the
Fountain of Life Church. She said on the
occasion: "I wish I were your age. This is not
taught in schools. A lot of girls lose their
virginity due to peer pressure and parents,
who are not there to instruct them on the
importance of purity and chastity. Truth is
that once it is lost, it's gone for ever."
She emphasised that sexual intercourse
outside marriage was akin to stealing from
the girl, adding that "research shows that
couples that had sex before marriage found
it difficult to trust each other and they
virtually had extra-marital affairs."
She urged the girls to always seek the face of
God, read and meditate on the word of God,
watch the company they keep, avoid porn
movies, be focused and lead a goal-oriented
life. "When a guy pressurises you for sex, he
is not for you," she added.
President, Virginspride Network, Mrs. Nkechi
Odebiyi, explained that her greatest joy was
seeing the girls adorned in their white
dresses, and standing before God singing
psalms, hymns and pledging to remain
chaste until they were married.
She revealed that virginity was core to her
because she lost hers very early in life. "I
wasn't happy when I realised its
importance. I wish I had the privilege of
being taught. But now that I know, I have
decided to carry the banner to every nook
and cranny of the society to raise girls, who
would carry their bodies in dignity. Every
young girl should appreciate the virtue of
carrying herself with candour."
She said her decision to embark on the
assignment was out of God-driven passion,
noting: "I'm on a rescue mission to save this
generation from destroying the virtues our
parents held in high esteem, which is in line
with God's command that we should keep
our body holy and acceptable to him. There
is no religion that condones immorality and
sex before marriage. The message is: 'No
wedding ring, no sex' and there is no
stopping us until the message is etched on
the minds and lips of every girl child."
On her expectations from the girls, she said:
"It is my wish to see the girls keep their
virginity until they get married, be wise in
their decisions, become honourable
members and leaders in the society, who
would work in integrity, transparency and
ensure that corruption takes the back seat in
the emerging new Nigeria."
Odebiyi informed that "to accomplish this,
we have established virginity clubs in
schools in Lagos State to nurture the girls.
Over 2,000 girls have so far been enlisted in
schools across the state.
"We are also planning to build a home for
capacity building where the girls can be
taught to be self-reliant. This is in addition
to acquiring a bus to help in evangelism and
movement to the schools. Being a virgin
makes a girl a woman of honour among her
peers. It also saves her sex-associated
worries, such as unwanted pregnancy and
abortion.
"We celebrated them in order to show them
that it is essential to remain chaste and pure
from sex outside marriage. I believe in
second rate virgins, a term which is used to
describe girls, who had had sex before but
chose not to continue until they got
married."
She, therefore, urged the girls to see virginity
as a pride, noting that "when one is a virgin
and later marries, that confers respect on her
and her husband. God also respects and
honours the family that marries pure and
undefiled."
In his comments, Mr. Sola Omonijo, a
participant whose son was part of the
celebration observed that "this is a vision
inspired by God to ensure that the society
regains the purity we lost several years ago.
To assist the children keep it, we must start
from the cradle to instill into them moral
virtues and the fear of God."
Speaking on behalf of the girls, 18- year-old
Funmilayo Bemehin said: "Some people
probably think there are no virgins around
anymore but looking around, one is sure to
find one, standing in the midst of others and
I'm the one amidst the guys being
celebrated."
"This gives me the confidence that I can still
find a man, who is a virgin, as a husband.
But if at the end of the day, he is not a virgin,
I'll still be grateful to God so long as he is
God-fearing and understanding."
She enjoined the girls to make God their
foundation and know that in the face of
temptation, God will make a way of escape.
"We face temptations on daily basis and one
of the ways I have managed it is never to
give attention to it. In fact, I just walk away,"
she added.