I Found Love Beneath The Stars

Don't judge me after this long read, please.

Mar 30, 2025

They say love is for those that have finished eating. But you can call me olounje iya on this day.

You see, love is a beautiful thing, and I can’t debate it. There’s nothing more special than having one person who brightens your day at the sound of their voice or the glimpse of their smile. To love and be loved is to find yourself dancing in a garden kissed by the sun's rays or the childlike feeling when you dance in the rain. Having someone to always look forward to sharing moments of your day is pure bliss.

Then, spending time with each other; the smiles, the heartbeats when you first set your eyes on them, the smiles that ensue after, the teases and infinity conversations that settle after the hugs is one in a million irreplaceable feelings.

Listening to Love Birds by The DIY Collective.

As a lover of love (don’t shout, please. It’s a love-hate relationship), I looked forward to having an unforgettable night on February 14th(or Valentine’s Day, as the kids call it). So, I decided to lay aside my hate for relationship people and their shenanigans.

However, there was no other way I could be covered in the mist of love, as my single ass would rather stay indoors while crushing on the myriads of beautiful women I come across on social media (perhaps Tems, Korty, and Beverly Naya might just agree to marry me altogether).

Only one event could make this work—Beneath The Stars 4.0, organized by the creative Revo Community in Abeokuta, Ogun state.

Let me give you a quick intro to what BTS entails. Beneath The Stars(BTS) is a one-of-a-kind outdoor event that celebrates love, romance, and connection. Think of a night filled with love birds and friends immersed in the sensation of love under the bright lights of the stars as they wine, dine, and dance in the unending bond of love. That’s magical, I know, right? That’s what Beneath The Stars meant.

But you see, aside from being a one-time attendee, I happened to be a member of the Revo community and a content strategist for the event. This meant that a single pringle like me had to plan strategies alongside the team and create engaging content for relationship people to buy tickets and come and do rubbish. Sorry, get tickets to have a memorable night. But dem dey always call me GOAT, so I turned up for my single geng too. And even created trendy content for ‘it’s complicated’ and situationships people.

But beyond the visual content generated, it was another moment for the team to deliver a night of unforgettable memories. This meant a lot to the convener, Dimeji, and I really looked forward to the history my friends and I would make again. So, while my hate for relationship people will forever stand—plus I didn’t have a date—I had to put in the work. But hey, who needs a relationship when you have solid friendships?

I went on a solo date from Lagos to Abeokuta. Because BTS on Valentine’s Day wasn’t just for couples but everyone who cherished the moments beneath the stars.

Before D-day, the team hosted a “Paint & Bake” session as a pre-event activity while the performing artists serenaded them with rehearsals for the big day.

Credit: @trb_visuals_

I missed out on this, but fear not homeboys and girlies, Picasso is my spirit brother. So I didn’t miss out. Then Friday came for the main event, and I found myself away from the madness of Lagos. Even though my account balance was nothing to write about, I needed a getaway. Only you needed to see my disgust at the hike in fare, but a good time was my focus.

A Night to Remember

Now playing Remember by Asake

In the open field of Old Trafford, FUNAAB, I saw an entirely lit space, refurbished to immerse the audience in the enchanting atmosphere. If you didn’t believe in love at first sight, you wouldn’t resist this one. Right from the branded entrance, the red carpet, the love wall, and the central space branded by BTS decors, It was the perfect ambiance for such a night. I would have written something for my ex or lover on the love wall.

But where do I want to start from? Let’s pretend I did, yeah? The live band had arrived on time, serenading us with Nigerian love songs, alongside the performing artists giving a warm-up. Even the guest artiste, Runda, had arrived earlier, freestyling for his fan girls.

The event opened with the MCs Osas and Chris Phenomenal taking us through various aspects: we sang the childhood Barney “I Love You, You Love Me” song, which we were asked to sing to our loved ones. But no ololufe for me, and I was standing by myself, so I sang to myself. ‘cause if I don’t, who will? I also watched energetic performances from the guest artist and locals, the live band, a comedian, a magician, and the blazing DJ accompanied by the hypeman Dirego and a popular Hollywood movie displayed on the big screen.

My highlights however, were the live drama from TASS Production. They performed a very captivating play on the complexities of love. While all the love birds were all cuddled up on the mattresses watching the play, me I was just thinking of food as I watched. Anyway, I will spare the plot details, but it involved a love pentagon between two men and three women. Tell you guys something: women are the finest of God’s creation. Very beautiful. But they’re wicked! Fear women. And to the men, may God have mercy on us.

But what’s BTS without loud, chest-thumping, classic hit songs from Nigerian artists? After all the frivolity of love finished, it was time for normal people to enjoy themselves. Thankfully, the hypeman and hypewoman on standby gave us the time of our lives.

You needed to see me shouting “ozeba ozeba ozeba ozeba” like a madman when the DJ played it. I don’t know what Rema put in that song, but I was gone.

Even Poco Lee had nothing on me. We also had back-to-back hits from Wizkid and Davido. It didn’t matter if you were FC or 30BG; we all danced like there was nothing like stan wars. From old hits to new, I danced like I was drunk. I’m not sure why exactly; perhaps because I had used my last card to travel down or salary week was still far, and since I didn’t die before, I wouldn’t again. Or because a single man like me has no problem other than food and bills. Whichever it was, it was blissful watching about 200 young Nigerians rave-up, regardless of the economy or their relationship. Everyone had a good time!

In all these, it reminds me that community is everything. It took a community of creative minds to deliver yet another unforgettable night of lasting memories. And there’s power in resilience and vision. Despite the shortcomings and challenges, the BTS team had one mission: to create the most memorable night for people. It’s only the beginning of the year, and they pulled the best outdoor event straight from Abeokuta.

Credit: @e_lens_shot_it_

Some people have questioned why I went single and came back single, but they have refused to mind their own business. So when they asked me rubbish questions, I asked them why they’re not rich yet.

All in all, I had the time of my life. I didn’t come back with a lover, but I found love beneath the stars—the love that exists among friends who share the same interests and are willing to go to lengths for each other. This was just another event; it was an unforgettable moment. I hope I can always experience it.

Till another time beneath the stars…

Love and puff-puff,

Damdam.

PS: I didn’t take pictures of myself as I was busy enjoying the moments.

Catch clips of Beneath The Stars 4.0 on IG and TikTok @beneaththestars.revo