A resident of Aguda, Surulere, Lagos, Mr. Justin Akpovi-Esade has cried out to the Lagos state Governor, His Excellency, Babajide Sanwo Olu and the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency, LASEPA over allegation of noise Pollution by a Pentecostal church in his neighbourhood.
In a petition titled “Don’t Let This Church Kill Me Before My Time”, Akpovi-Esade said the issue has reached the stage that the Governor has to wade in and call the church to order before the situation degenerates.
The church, a Redeemed Christian Church of God(Household of Faith) on 49, Thomas Animashuan Street, Aguda, Surulere, Lagos, according to the petitioner, “has vowed not to allow residents have a good night sleep ever again” as it’s night activities usually bring down the heavens(literally) every time they engage in it”.
Akpovi-Esade wonders why a church in a strictly residential area would fix its choir practice from 11pm through to 5am thereby terrorising neighbours all through night. “Yesterday(March 15, 2024) was the third time this year that the church’s choir fixed its practice for 11pm through 5am. After the second experience, I had to find the contact of the Pastor, one Mr. Segun, and made a formal complaint to him about the noise of his church’s choir. When I called, he aborted the call and sent an SMS requesting that I communicated with him via that medium.
I obliged and below is the communication between I and the Pastor:
Good evening sir,
My name is Justin Akpovi-Esade. I live close to your church. I want to appeal to you to please tell your choir to tone down the night noise. Every time they do whatever they do all night, I can’t sleep and it is not good for my health. I am reaching you as the first step to resolving the issue DIPLOMATICALLY as a reasonable person. PLEASE, tell them not to deprive me of sleep again. It affects my health. Regards.
His reply:
Good evening sir, I will discuss with them accordingly. Apologies for disturbing your sleep. Divine health will be your testimony in Jesus name. Amen.
This communication happened on February 10, 2024 at 8.04pm.
From the look of things, the Pastor reneged on his promise of calling his choir members to order. “Rather, the volume of their musical equipment increased.
Perhaps, someone had told them that Jesus would come yesterday, so they held a rousing reception for him, because I don’t understand why a reasonable person(s) would play loud musical instruments at that time of the night. I could not sleep, I had to go down and make a video of the bedlam happening opposite my home.”
Akpovi-Esade said his past attempt to contact LASEPA did not yield any success.
“The LASEPA agent I spoke with who assured me of “doing something” about my ordeal, obviously did not do anything. So, I am hereby appealing to Governor Sanwo Olu and the Director General of LASEPA to come to my aid and save me and other residents from the hands of this Redeemed church and it’s members. One thought that there was a Law passed by the Lagos State House of Assembly about noise Pollution by religious houses, this is the time for the Governor to come to my rescue, Don’t Let This Church Kill me before my time.”
