How did lovers communicate before the introduction of social media?

First of all, we need to really take a second to appreciate President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Just once again for the role his administration played in introducing mobile phones into the country.

The introduction and evolution of these things has shaped the way we communicate in this country and to a very large extent, how we live.

Relationships and love affairs have also been affected by this wave, as we now have several platforms with which we communicate our affection to those we care deeply about.

However before the advent of BBM, Twitter, Whatsapp and others, love and relationships still thrived, didn’t they?

I mean, how did the older guys around, our fathers and mothers, how did they get things done, how did they make things happen?

We examine what love and relationships felt like back in the day...

playClassic love letter (Pinterest)

Love letters

Haha! One of the major things that characterised the days before mobile phones and social media were love notes.

Before you get the babe, write letter.

When the babe is forming hard-to-get, write letter.

When the love begins and it is ‘shacking’ you, write letter.

This is what one of such things sounded like…

“From the garden of love to my dearest, I write these words with a pen filled with my emotions…”

The letters would go on and on and babes used to stack them somewhere, much like an evidence that many guys were hitting on them.

Thank God for SMS’es and other texting apps. Imagine having to write a letter, to your crush as if you are applying for a job…

play

Complimentary cards

Complimentary cards were also a big thing back then.

These days you can easily slide into someone’s DM on Twitter, or message them on Facebook, or if you could get their Pin, send them a message on BBM.

But back then if you were eyeing a babe, you could just get them one of those colourful cards that used to sell for around #80 or thereabouts.

The really flamboyant, impressive ones used to go for about #120, I think.

Text Messaging

Text messages are still very much part of the mix now, being used to convey emotions alongside other social applications.

However, let’s throw back to a time when Text messaging was the biggest and only way to express love and emotion.

Text messages were so in vogue that they even made books of love messages and sold them to people.

playMidnight call was a big thing (The Sheet)

Midnight calls

MTN deserves a medal for this. It happened in recent memory but it still affected the way relationships were done in Nigeria.

You could talk all night long to the love of your life from 12:30AM till 4:30AM.

I remember doing this a lot. A whole lot.

The good old days…

This simply shows that no matter the restrictions and limitations, two hearts burning with love and longing for each other will always find ways to connect. Always…

PS: If you feel there are things we forgot to add, please feel free to write it in the comments box below. We love seeing those comments and responses from you!