Against noisemaking
SIR Since the beginning of the Ramadan fast, the Ifelodun Central Mosque at Agboju in Bale Street, off old Ojo road in Lagos has been very unfriendly. The arrogant way they go about their worship makes one to be misled into believing that Islam as a religion is about noisemaking.
At the break of fast by 3.00 a.m. the loud speakers will be at full blast until 6.00 a.m. They go about beating drums to wake every soul whether a Moslem or not from the hour of 3.00 a.m. and at times as early as 12.00 midnight.
Suddenly, noisemaking has become the best method of worshipping. The Nigerian man is quick at copying the bad side of things from other countries and audit away the positive aspect of it. I want to make it abundantly clear here that waking the entire neighbourhood in the name of worship is not a popular or a normal way of worshipping. I am a bit conversant with the Holy Koran and it is on record that in many West African countries, loudspeakers are not mounted on rooftops before one can communicate with the Almighty Creator.
Lagos is one place where laws are not obeyed otherwise I would have suggested that the Lagos House of Assembly should as a matter of urgency enact a law prohibiting the use of loudspeakers on roof tops in places of worship.
At its inception in 1999, they toyed with the idea of banning the use of loudspeakers in places of worship but it ended at the proposition level. The noise pollution is killing our souls and bodies because one needs a good night's rest after a daylight sojourn.
The irony of it is that human beings do not seem to understand that their activities and actions should not be to the detriment of their fellow man.
I want to appeal to the members of the Ifelodun Central Mosque at Agboju in Bale Street of Old Ojo road that they should stop harassing us in the night because it is not the best spiritual approach to communicate with the Creator. The children are angry when aroused without due cause; they want to know why people are beating drums all over every night.
Religion being a doctrine that one is devoted to, its mode of worship should be done with a belief that your immediate neighbour should be allowed to enjoy peace and rest, not terror.
Joseph Omowale,
Lagos
