Anambra Estate Residents Blame Death of Co-tenant to Noise Pollution from Nearby Hotels

By Praise Chinecherem

Residents of Jesus Estate Oba in Idemili North Local government area of Anambra state have raised the alarm over lingering noise pollution in the area.

The residents who attributed the pollution to two hospitality and entertainment facilities in the area, Olivia garden and Sky Cool, said many of them had been forced to relocate due to the menace.

Addressing newsmen on Monday, Chairman of the Estate, Mazi Ekene Anyaora alleged that the death of one Bonaventure Obunadike living within the estate might not be unconnected to the noise pollution.

He regretted that several efforts to stop both facilities from the nuisance had proved abortive, appealing to both government and the public to come to their rescue.

He said, “Our estate has been peaceful and loving until the emergence of the two hotels which play loud music, especially weekends. From Friday to Monday, their loud music will continue from dusk to dawn.

“As executives, we’ve gone to plead with them to consider the neighborhood and reduce the noise but they refused.

“We also wrote to Environmental and Health Services in Ojoto, who issued warning letter to them, explaining the gravity of the offense, yet they refused.

“We went ahead to write a petition to the LG chairman, Amaka Obi who directed the Director, Environmental and Health Services who gave them another warning letter.

“Having explored all these options at our disposal to no avail, we now decided to engage the media so the whole world would hear us.

“We’re calling on our working and passionate governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, our able LG chairman to come to our aid. We’re dying. We’re handicapped.

“One of us Chief Bonaventure Obunadike a BP patient whose apartment is directly behind the hotel kept crying over the noise pollution.

“He was said to have collapsed on new year day after suffering the all night noise from the hotel club and was confirmed dead in the hospital where he was rushed to.

“Unfortunately, the two facilities kept bragging that no one can stop them from their business. According to them, they have higher connection.

“As law abiding citizen, we don’t want to toe the path of violence. That’s why we engaged the media to help us escalate the matter so we can be assisted.”

Another executive member, and Chairman Constitution Committee, Mr Oliver Okonkwo said he had resolved to be spending weekends in his village as solution to the menace.

“My house is two buildings to Olivia garden. I no longer open my windows. Their music is non-stop. Anyday they close on time is by 2am. The once peaceful estate has been nicknamed “mad people” estate.

“They’ve forced me to be traveling to village every weekend. In fact, I’m planning to relocate because the facility is not only attracting prostitute, but increasing level of insecurity in the estate.

“We’re not stopping them from doing their business, but they should apply caution,” he said.

Another resident, Chukwuma Ebenezer, alias Deede said he could no longer sleep without the aid of pills.

“The noise has not only increased my BP, but makes it difficult for me to sleep. I now take sleeping pills to enable me sleep even after closing my windows,” he cried.

Wife of the deceased, Mrs Chinyere Obunadike who could not talk much as a result of her condition, confirmed all the estate chairman had said.

“If his appeals were listened to, maybe he would have still been alive by now. We don’t know who will be the next on line,” the widow sobbed.

When contacted, Managers of both facilities, Ambrose Nwokedi and Akajiobi Success admitted receiving complaints from the estate’s executive, but claimed the music from their facilities was not loud enough to constitute nuisance in the neighborhood.

While denying knowledge of the death of one of the residents, they described linking their music to Obunadike’s death as untrue.