"They Bought This to Torment People": Attendee Vows to Skip Future "Experience" Concert Over Disruptive Vuvuzela Noise

LAGOS, Nigeria — A Nigerian attendee of The Experience 2025, one of the world's largest gospel concerts, has declared she will not return next year, citing an overwhelmingly disruptive atmosphere caused by the incessant blowing of vuvuzelas throughout the event.

The concert, held annually at the Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos and organized by the House on the Rock church, traditionally attracts hundreds of thousands of worshippers for a night of praise with top international gospel artists. However, for attendee Charity Onyeka, the 2025 edition was marred by what she described as "nonchalant loud noises" that detracted from the worship.

In a TikTok video posted by user @naijawifeylife1, Onyeka documented her experience, showing fellow attendees loudly blowing the plastic horns. She captioned the video, "The reason why I won't be attending next year's 'Experience'. The noise was too much and distracting."

Onyeka expressed particular frustration, stating she "legit quarrelled with someone" over their "insensitive" use of the instrument. "They legit bought this to torment people," she added in her post, emphasizing that the noise felt intentional and provocative rather than celebratory.

Distinguishing Celebration from Disruption

In comments following her video, Onyeka elaborated that the issue was not with loud sounds in general, which are expected at a large concert, but with the specific, jarring nature of the vuvuzelas.

"It’s really appalling that they can’t even differentiate between this nonchalant loud noise to the regular and interesting loud sounds that is definitely expected in a church concert," she wrote. "Most of the sounds were intentionally made to provoke and I experienced it with my eyes."

Her complaint highlights a challenge for large-scale, spirited events: balancing energetic, communal expression with maintaining an environment where all attendees can engage meaningfully with the program.

Online Reaction and Event Context

The video sparked discussion online, with many users sympathizing with Onyeka's frustration over noise pollution at major events. Others defended the right of attendees to express their joy freely at the non-denominational gathering, which is famously known for its vibrant, carnival-like atmosphere complete with drums, horns, and dancing.

Founded by Pastor Paul Adefarasin, The Experience concert has been held since 2006, positioning itself as a global platform for worship. The 2025 edition featured a lineup of acclaimed artists, including Travis Greene and Don Moen.

While the event is celebrated for its scale and inspirational message, Onyeka's viral critique underscores how logistical and crowd management issues, such as uncontrolled noise, can significantly impact an individual's experience, leading some to reconsider their participation in the future.

*Source: Gistreel, Punch Nigeria, and The Guardian Nigeria.*

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