By Njide Ezeonyejiaku
In what can be described as man’s inhumanity to man, the residents of Jesus Estate, Oba, Idemili South Council Area of Anambra State have sent a Save Our Soul (SOS) message to the State Governor, Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo, CFR to come to their aid as their community has become unliveable.
The cry for help came on the heels of the demise of one of the residents, Mr. Bonaventure Obunadike who was said to have died as a result of the sustained noise pollution orchestrated by two hospitality and entertainment facilities in the community named: Sky Cold Hotel and Bar, and Olivia Garden.
Narrating their ordeal to the press, the Chairman, Jesus Estate Landlords’ Association, Oba, Mr. Ekene Anyaora stated that their once peaceful community has become a nightmare for the residents.
“We lived in a very peaceful estate until Olivia Garden and Sky Cold Hotel and Bar started operating in the area, playing music with loudspeakers that have become a disturbing nuisance that we no longer sleep with our two eyes closed since four years now”, Mr Anyaora lamented.
According to him, the Executive Officers and Trustees of the Estate have met and appealed to the owners of the facilities to tune down the intense volume of the noise coming from their live bands every weekend from the hours of 7pm till 3-4am, but they didn’t budge.
“We reminded them that township and community residency is live and let live. We also invited our neighbouring community called Satellite Estate, Oba led by Comrade Iyke to wade into the matter, and proceeded to report to the Environmental Health Service in Ojoto, who issued them a warning letter, detailing the implications of the offence they are committing in the environment as noise pollution, yet nothing happened”, Mr. Anyaora stressed.
“We went further to report the matter to the Mayor of Idemili South LGA, Hon. Amaka Obi who directed the Environmental Health Services Director to handle the issue. The Director issued them another letter to desist from polluting the environment with noise, all to no avail”.
“We have actually done everything legitimate within our powers to end the overwhelming noise from Olivia Garden and Sky Cold Hotel but they defied all peaceful approaches, saying that they have strong connections to run their business as they like”.
“The sad part was the death of one of us, Mr. Bonaventure Obunadike, living directly behind Sky Cold, who died in early January, 2026 following complications from the intense noise from the hotel, leaving behind his wife and children. Many of the residents are already relocating from their homes, and we are calling on the State government and Human Rights to come to our aid”, he concluded.
Contributing, one of the Landlords, who is the Chairman of the Constitution Committee, Jesus Estate, Oba, Mr. Oliver Okonkwo stated that they went to meet the owners of the two facilities many times because of the disturbing noise coming from their business operations, but nothing changed.
“I don’t open my windows from Friday till Monday every week because of the unbearable noise. We are not saying that the owners of the Hotel and relaxation centre should not do their business, but they should not run at the detriment of people’s health”, he said.
While noting that the area has become unliveable as many residents are experiencing ill health for lack of sleep, he called on the State Governor Prof. Soludo to come to their aid and save them from the noise pollution killing them gradually.
On their parts, Messers Ebenezer Chukwuma, Chibuike Anokwara and Ekene Ibekwe reiterated their pains of sleepless nights from the noise pollution which is already challenging their health, calling for the intervention of the State government to restore sanity in their once peaceful community.
Confirming the report, the widow of the late Mr. Bonaventure Obunadike, Mrs Chinyere Obunadike and her neighbour, Mrs Uchenna Ugwueke affirmed that they could not sleep well after their day’s labour, lamenting that their children cannot study in the night due to the enormous noise pollution in the area.
In their separate reactions when contacted, the Managers of Olivia Garden and Sky Cold Hotel, Messers Ambrose Ugochukwu Nwokedi and Akajiobi Success Kosiso respectively confirmed that they had received such complaints and tried to adjust their loudspeakers, adding that they would like to be educated on how to bring down the volume of the noise.
