Of Celebrities And Valentines
Source : Kutlwano
Author : Pako Lebanna
Location : Gaborone
Event : Valentine\'s Day
Treasure and Thato
“For me, Valentine’s is one of those very special days in the calendar, just like you have Christmas, Easter, or someone’s birthday,” says Treasure Tishy Mothobi, Botswana Television (Btv) personality. “It is a day that is set aside for people to express their love for each other, not that they shouldn’t do it every other day of theyear.” Like William Shakespeare’s epic narrative, “Romeo and Juliet” as well as other artistic works inspired by love, most life’s social and emotional treasures revolve around love and romance.
Treasure could not agree more. Together with his fiancée, Thato Pearl Gakelebotse, the television personality planned to turn this year’s Valentines’Day into yet another treasure – a harbinger to their impending marriage. They reveal this while ensconced enthusiastically on a couch in the Kutlwano office at the Mass Media Complex. The radiant looking couple says they have been engaged since April 2011. They are eager to make good of their promise to tie the knot.
“We cannot divulge the date because we want it to be a private occasion with a select few invited friends and family,” Thato chips in. However, like in the fictional, gold-seeking pirates in ‘Treasure Island,’ Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic novel, Mothobi has had his fair share of adventure before landing at Thato’s doorstep to discover the ‘Pearl’ and treasure trove behind the door. “I’ve had some experiences before, good and bad. My worst Valentine’s incident was some eight years ago at varsity. I was dating someone and had put so much effort into buying candles, red wine, lingerie, and went all out to create a romantic mood.” “However, she spoiled the day by failing to appreciate the effort I put in. She felt I should have spent the money directly on gifts,” recalls Treasure.
Notwithstanding, Treasure is cautious not to betray any emotion, not even a slightest hint of bitterness in his tone. All he cares about now is carving a happy future for himself and hispartner. That is what will make this year’s Valentine’s Day special. While some couples say Valentine is basically a feminine affair, during which women put pressure on their partners to take it seriously, the opposite obtains for Treasure and Thato. “I was not really a Valentine’s Day person before I met Treasure.
He got me hooked. He insisted that we celebrate it every year, and we now do that under different themes,” says Thato. This year will be their sixth Valentine’s Day together, made all the more special by the fact that they are preparing to tie the knot. How they met was the stuff of fairytales. As if their taking turns had been rehearsed, Treasure chips in.
“I stayed for sometime without dating,” says the man whose varsity love affair ended acrimoniously. “A friend of mine, Duke Molebatsi, who grew up with Thato in Mahalapye came over to my place and said he wanted me to meet someone. I just took one look at Thato and fell head over heels with what I saw.” Like the fabled Prince Charming character of fairytales such as Snow White, Cinderella and Sleeping
I was not really a Valentine’s Day person before I met Treasure. He got me hooked. Heinsisted that we celebrate it every year, and
we now do that under different themes,
“I am not really a sports person, but I’ve slowly got into it a bit because of Treasure. For him, it is not just his passion but a job,” she says, revealing that she just bought him the FIFA 12 Sony PlayStation football computer game.
“That was a ploy to keep me indoors,” quips Treasure and the two laugh out loud. Thato has even started attending some football games and she was with her partner at the 2010 FIFA World Cup games in South Africa, besides going to the odd Zebras matches.
So, for Thato, how does dating someone in the public limelight feel like? “To be honest, initially I did not know the extent to which Treasure was a public figure here. I did my high school and varsity in South Africa. So when I met him five years ago, I didn’t watch Btv or listen to Radio Botswana much. I was more exposed to South African celebrities through their media,” she says.
Thato says after some time, she realised “how big Treasure is,” but her love remained the one she initially developed for the private person, not the public figure. The fact that Treasure is focused on their relationship has made things easy for her, as all the public attention has not affected their life. As the couple prepares to enjoy Valentine’s together and in the near future exchanging wedding vows, how will other Batswana public figures commemorate Lover’s Day?
Vivante and Gaone
“To me, Valentine’s was initially just another day,” radio and television personality, Thobo Tlhasana says. “I think one should express love and affection to their partner any day. There shouldn’t be a day reserved for this,” he opines. Thobo says when he was still a young and impressionable teenager, he was always worried about the hype that surrounded Valentine.
“Some of my friends already had partners, and they would spend and put in all the effort and I thought they were going overboard.” However, the age-old European tradition of Valentine has become a permanent feature of life in Africa and Botswana have not been spared the craze that goes with it.
Even initial skeptics like Thobo join in on the festivities. “It is mostly taken seriously by the women, and if your partner believes in the myth, you have to go all out,” he says. “You can buy flowers, prepare dinner, celebrate love and give affection. That is what I normally do but you should not give 99 percent.
“I usually spend Valentine’s Day indoors. People are always curious when they see you with your partner, and they begin making insinuations and casting aspersions.” “I do go out with my partner but as intimate companions, we love our privacy,” cent affection on Valentine’s Day, and then give 60 per cent all other times,” charges Thobo. Thobo believes that giving affection to his partner becomes slightly difficult because of being in the public eye, he says.
Notwithstanding, Thobo is far from complaining. Fully conscious that a job in the public eye “eliminates some privacy,” he says he does his best to focus more on his lovedone without any distractions.
However, Thobo says being focused on his one partner has made things easy for him and reckons that whatever they get up to on Valentine’s Day is special. Gaone Dintwe, RB2 deejay, who also presents Btv morning programme, says being in the spotlight makes people perceive celebrities as more fallible than anyone else. “Relationships work or they don’t.
There are many people “However, because his life There are many peo don’t. There are many people who are not celebrities who are as don’t. There are many people she sthis sp don’t. There are many people who are not celebrities who are aspromiscuous as Tiger Woods was reported to be.
“However, because his life was all over television, radio, newspapers, magazines and the internet, people tend to think that he is worse,” charges Gaone. Meanwhile, there are those who feel Valentine’s Day is too commercial. Consequently, Gaone holds the view that people who put pressure on their partners to spend on Valentine’s Day are those who are not serious about their relationship.
“If you have someone who is truly committed, they will know their partners’ financial position. When he is broke, you know that is the case, and you will accept, and then become creative, work within a small budget to create a good romantic mood and celebrate your love for one another,” says Gaone.
She acknowledges though, that Valentine’s Day is “an excuse for people to get gifts,” and says for her this is a very special day in the calendar. “I believe in Valentine’s Day. I celebrate it and always put an effort to make it special,” she says.
Gaone, just like Thato, also radiates a glow. She cuts a figure of someone happy. “I believe what makes things easy is being friends with your partner. Before I dated my partner, we were close friends and this has helped us a lot as it has made maintaining our relationship very easy,” enthuses Gaone. Thobo, or Vivante as he is popularly known, chips in and hints that he is planning ‘bigger things’ for this year. Watch this space.
Teaser:
February is upon us. It is a month for lovers. During this month, February 14 (Valentine’s Day) to be precise, lovers celebrate a precious human emotion held dear by mankind - love...
