Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State has clarified that his recent actions were aimed at banning noise pollution, not evangelism as some have mistakenly claimed. The governor came under fire after a video of him confronting a street preacher in a market went viral on Saturday. In the video, Soludo ordered the preacher to stop causing a disturbance, reminding him of the law against noise pollution, and suggested that preaching should occur in churches or designated areas. He also warned of a fine of N500,000 for violators.
Responding to the backlash, the governor issued a statement through the state’s Commissioner for Information, Law Mefor, denying that he had banned evangelism. Mefor explained that the governor’s remarks were misinterpreted and that his focus was solely on enforcing the Anambra State Public Health Law, which prohibits excessive noise in public spaces, including markets.
“The governor’s concern was about noise pollution, which is prohibited under an existing public health law,” Mefor said, explaining that Soludo was simply enforcing the law, which forbids preaching in inappropriate locations like markets with loudspeakers. He advised preachers to hold their activities in churches or other designated areas where people could choose to participate without disturbing others.
The statement further reminded the public of previous legal actions, including a 2019 court ruling in Nnewi, which upheld the noise pollution regulations. The public was urged to disregard claims of a ban on evangelism and to follow the Public Health Law.