Anambra markets defy fear, open for Monday business after Gov. Soludo ends sit-at-home

The governor of Anambra State, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, appears to have successfully halted the long-standing sit-at-home practice, as markets across the state opened for business this Monday.

Despite initial widespread fear of potential attacks, traders and customers turned out in large numbers.

By noon, shops were fully open for normal business. Earlier in the day, the governor’s order for Monday trading had been met with trepidation, with streets deserted and schools empty as many residents stayed indoors.

In sections of the Onitsha Main Market, shops remained locked and areas were empty in the morning, with traders gathered anxiously outside.

However, confidence grew by midday, and traders began opening their shops. At the Lagos Line section, some traders signed an attendance register with their clock-in times, following an instruction from Governor Soludo.

“We are happy that Monday trading has commenced. We thank Soludo for making it happen,” said Mrs. Chinyere, a phone accessories trader at Emeka Offor Plaza. “How can people be trading in other parts of South-east, but here in Anambra we cannot do same? We are happy with Soludo.”

A heightened security presence was visible, with police and military vehicles patrolling the market areas. Governor Soludo arrived at the market around 2 pm to cheers from traders, who credited him with ending the sit-at-home.

He shopped in the market, moving from store to store to patronize businesses.

“We have ended sit-at-home in Onitsha. For the first time in five years, Onitsha is opened for business,” Soludo declared. “We are happy, and I want to declare that those of you who came out today are the original Anambra people. I’m going to shop in main market today. I’m an original Onitsha boy, don’t be surprised if I haggle with you on prices of items.”

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) praised both the traders and Governor Soludo for the move.

In a statement by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, the group said ending the sit-at-home would help resuscitate the economy of Igboland, which has suffered from prolonged disturbances.

The group also raised concerns about the resurfacing of a notorious figure, Ifeanyi Okorienta Eze (aka Gentle de Yahoo), who had been declared captured by the Nigerian Army.

HURIWA called on the Defence Headquarters to transparently resolve the controversy surrounding his apparent reappearance, after the military suggested a recent video of him might have been generated using Artificial Intelligence.

“Nigerians are obviously watching the Nigerian Government and the Defence Headquarters to come out with credible evidence,” Onwubiko stated.

“The Defence Headquarters owes Nigerians the duty to prove that there was no intention on their part to lie to Nigerians.”

About The Author

Dele Fashomi

Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.

Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.

He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.

Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).

He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.

He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.

Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled:  Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.

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