21st January, 2023
Two Islamic clerics on Saturday called for legislation against the use of megaphones for religious preaching to curb religious friction and environmental hazard.
The clerics made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
They said that Nigeria is a multi-religious society and that using a megaphone to preach would amount to insensitivity to others when one faith forces its preachings on others unsolicited.
They opined that people should be educated on societal undoing that could cause religious disorder through the use of loud megaphones from worship centers and street preachings.
The Chief Missioner of Jejewiyyat Muslim Association of Nigeria and Overseas (JMANO), Prof. Abdulkadil Olawale-Paramole, said that the use of megaphone in religious preaching did not make people heed one’s message.
Olawale-Paramole, also the Founder Forum of Islamic Leaders, Ojo, and the Head of Department (HOD), Peace and Islamic Studies, Lagos State University (LASU), said that good legislation with appropriate sanction meted to culprits would confer sanity to the abused environment.
“In any civilized environment such as Lagos, there must be precautionary measures towards the welfare of people in general.
“Nigeria is known for its multi-religious activities, so if caution is not taken, there might be a danger. The use of megaphones for preachings should be regulated to sanitize the environment.
“There are people that do not want to hear that your message, tailoring it to them through your loud devices is being insensitive to their rights.
“More people of your faith can hear whatever you wish to tell within the four walls of your worship center.
“Even if you want to preach to people that are not of your faith such can be done quietly through publications such as handbills and pamphlets,” he said.
The university lecturer said that the use of such devices for religious teachings had been legislated against by the Saudi authorities.
He called on the Nigerian authorities to emulate the Saudi Arabian state and regulate megaphones for preachings to reduce noise in the environment.
Also speaking on the use of megaphones, the National Amir of the Supreme Council of Islamic Preachers (SCIP), South-West Nigeria, Alhaji Taofeek Akewugbagold, said such crude way of preaching had gone out of fashion.
Akewugbagold described the unwanted sound as noise, saying that faith organizations should be curtailed from distracting the public with their messages.
He said that such was not an effective means of retaining members or getting new converts.
He urged the state to put up stringent measures to reduce its use to the barest level to protect people.