Nigerian rock artist wants people to pause and feel loved in the hustle and bustle of Lagos

LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — Valentine's Day can be a secondary consideration for some in Lagos.

The Nigerian city of more than 20 million people is renowned for its hustle and bustle, its restless energy and commercial drive — a place where honks from signature yellow passenger buses fill the air.

But Lagos-based rock musician Bianca Okorocha, known as “Clayrocksu," wants people to pause and feel loved as Valentine's Day approaches.

She is taking her music offstage and onto the streets of the city, crooning love songs to random commuters and handing them single-stem roses.

Their faces, first shocked at the encounter, give way to a broad smile as she pulls the strings of her guitar, twanging to James Blunt’s “You are Beautiful.”

“I am a musician, and we just thought it was a special and nice thing to do for people,” Clayrocksu told The Associated Press. “Especially in this time and climate where everything is kind of difficult and all you hear on the news is bad news.”

Since Nigerian President Bola Tinubu came to power in 2023, he has undertaken major economic reforms, including the removal of a decades-old fuel subsidy program. The government said the changes would save costs and boost investment, but they have resulted in one of the West African nation’s worst cost of living crises in a generation.

The country’s deadly security crisis has also worsened the fate of millions, limiting access to farmland in the conflict-battered north, which in turn resulted in a surge in the prices of goods elsewhere, including in the economic hub of Lagos.

But amid the tough times, people like Clayrocksu are bringing joy and color to many across the vibrant city in this season of love.

Barbara Lulu, a Lagos resident, who got serenaded by Clayrocksu and her partner, was going about her day stressed until the rock team showed up.

“First off, this was a very shocking moment for me, because I never expected it. It just kind of happened, and all I can say is yay!” she said.

In a city where Valentine’s Day is usually focused on lovers, Clayrocksu said that she wants to change that perception and bring roses to many others.

“People think that Valentine’s Day is only about romantic gestures, only boyfriend and girlfriend, husband and wife,” she said. “But Valentine is really just about sharing love.”

Nigerian rock musician Bianca "Clayrocksu" Okorocha, right, accompanied by Daniel Onyemachi-Chiweolu, popularly known as Machigold, left, gives single-stem roses crooning love songs to commuters ahead of Valentine's Day in Lagos, Nigeria, Tuesday, Feb.10, 2026. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

Nigerian rock musician Bianca “Clayrocksu” Okorocha, right, poses for a photograph with Barbara Lulu, a Lagos resident, left, after handing her a single-stem rose ahead of Valentine's Day in Lagos, Nigeria, Tuesday, Feb.10, 2026. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

A commuter, right reacts as Nigerian rock musician Bianca "Clayrocksu" Okorocha, left, accompanied by Daniel Onyemachi-Chiweolu, popularly known as Machigold, behind, sings love songs handing single-stem roses to commuters ahead of Valentine's Day in Lagos, Nigeria, Tuesday, Feb.10, 2026. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

A woman reacts after receiving a single-stem rose from Nigerian rock musician Bianca "Clayrocksu" Okorocha ahead of Valentine's Day on a street in Lagos, Nigeria, Tuesday, Feb.10, 2026. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

Nigerian rock musician Bianca "Clayrocksu" Okorocha, accompanied by Daniel Onyemachi-Chiweolu, popularly known as Machigold, hugs a woman after giving her a single-stem rose and crooning love songs ahead of Valentine's Day in Lagos, Nigeria, Tuesday, Feb.10, 2026. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)

SAN BRUNO, Calif. (AP) — UC Santa Barbara will join the West Coast Conference for the 2027-28 season, increasing the membership in the league to 12 teams.

The West Coast Conference Presidents’ Council approved the admission of UC Santa Barbara on Friday, following recent decisions to add Denver and UC San Diego.

Denver will begin play in the league next season with the two California schools following the following year.

WCC powerhouse Gonzaga is leaving the conference at the end of this school year to join the Pac-12 but the new additions will give the league 12 schools for the first time.

"This is a monumental moment for the West Coast Conference as we grow our membership to 12 institutions for the first time in our history and enhance our national profile with the addition of UC Santa Barbara,” WCC commissioner Stu Jackson said in a statement.

UC Santa Barbara will compete in the West Coast Conference in 13 sports, including men’s basketball, women’s basketball, men’s soccer, women’s soccer, women’s volleyball, baseball, softball, men’s cross country, women’s cross country, men’s tennis, women’s tennis, men’s golf and men’s water polo.

The WCC had three schools make the NCAA men's basketball tournament this season, with Saint Mary's and Santa Clara joining Gonzaga in March Madness. This is the seventh straight tournament that the league got multiple bids.

The conference has sent multiple women’s basketball teams to the tournament five of the past seven events.

UC Santa Barbara was previously a member of the West Coast Conference from 1965-1969.

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FILE - The UC Santa Barbara mascot performs during a timeout in the first half of an Southeast Regional second round NCAA tournament college basketball game against Florida in Tampa, Fla., March 17, 2011. (AP Photo/John Raoux, File)