Life under the planes

People who live close to the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, are saying that they endure the "great noise" from planes taking-off and landing, as well as other "headaches" from the planes.

To dwellers of Mongoro and Beesam, two different communities close to the airport, the inconvenience is unlikely to change.

"Virtually every five minutes, we are greeted with the ‘hoo' sound of these noisy planes; although most of us here have adapted to the sound from the planes," said Ifeanyi Ibe, a computer operator at a business centre in Beesam.

Mr. Ibe, who also resides at Beesam, said that the majority of the dwellers in the area work at the airports, stressing that residents now have the sound of planes programmed in their minds.

"If you live here, you have no choice but to have the sound at the back of your mind so that you don't have to jump up from the bed while sleeping, especially when those big planes are taking off or landing," he said.

Morayo Elvis, a resident of Mongoro, disclosed that they hear the sound of these aircraft more than other dwellers living close to the airport, especially when the aeroplanes land.

"If you are new here, you might be frightened when a plane is about to land," he said. "Is it the noise, the cracking sound as if it is changing gear, or the way it shakes the whole place before it gets to the airport?"

Mr. Elvis, who admitted that they cannot do anything about the situation, said that he hopes that the Lagos State government completes the purported Lekki airport to reduce the number of planes commuting through the Lagos airport. He stressed that the government should ensure that the airport is located far away from residential areas.

With an average of over 150 aeroplanes landing daily at the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos, the residents of Mongoro admitted that sleep at night is sometimes disrupted by the noise from aircraft engines.

"Residents here are used to the sound; but as for us in our house, sometimes the noise from those big old planes that land at night usually wakes us up," he said.

"All the same, it's been an experience because we get to see planes all the time."

The Mongoro resident revealed, however, that he is yet to enter an aircraft. He said that amongst other residents, he was probably not the only one.

"We all here see planes in their various sizes everyday, but ask how many of us have entered a plane, you will be surprised that only a few of us have been able to fly in a plane," he said.

"I hope the companies will one day take some of us on a trip."