By Izunna Okafor, Awka
In what appears to be a fresh bid to restore sanity and order in Anambra’s marketplaces, Governor Chukwuma Soludo has drawn the line against indiscriminate use of loudspeakers for preaching in public spaces, declaring that markets are meant for business, not unsolicited religious evangelism.
The Governor, in a viral video circulating online, was seen engaging a roadside preacher in a market, believed to be Ochanja Market in Onitsha, where he firmly insisted that evangelism should not be forced upon traders and customers going about their daily activities in the marketplace.
Addressing traders at the market while also cautioning the preacher, the governor warned that anybody who wants to engage in such loud preaching should go and build or rent a space where those who are interested in the message would go and listen to it. He re-emphasized that markets are for business, and not for turning unwilling listeners into a congregation or forcefully blaring their eardrums with loud sounds coming from the loudspeaker.
The Governor also threatened a fine of ₦500,000 on anyone caught violating the noise pollution order by indulging in such open-place or roadside loud preaching.
His words: “If you want to preach, go to a church. Those who want to listen will come to you; you cannot force people in the market to hear your message.
“This is a marketplace, not a church. You are violating the law. You cannot take over a public space and turn it into a church. Otherwise, you will be charged for using this space.
“You will pay ₦500,000 because we cannot allow this. We have banned loudspeakers in markets due to noise pollution, which affects people’s eardrums. You cannot force people to listen to your preaching. We are cracking down on fake pastors and prophets in Anambra.”
This pronouncement by Governor Soludo has sparked off a chain of reactions and counter-reactions from various quarters, especially from traders and netizens.
While some residents, including traders and netizens hail it as a much-needed and long-expected intervention to prevent distractions and noise pollution and maintain sanity in public spaces; some others see it as attempts to stifle religious freedom, arguing that some traders’ lives have been changed and drawn closer to God through such market/roadside preaching.
Watch the video below:
