At Last, Soludo Ends Sit-at-home, Shops at Onitsha Main Market Monday

* HURIWA commends traders, gov for victory

David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka

Contrary to what was seen as a deserted market in Onitsha Monday morning, the Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, seems to have ended the perennial sit-at-home by traders, as markets across the state opened for business.

The governor’s action resulted in a huge attendance at the market by traders and customers who at about 12pm opened their shops fully and carried out normal businesses, contrary to fears that there may be attacks on the traders.

The order by the governor for markets to open for Monday business was thought by many to have aggravated the fragile security in Anambra State as even though markets were opened earlier in the day, only few traders dared to open their shops.

As early as 6am, streets in parts of Anambra State were deserted with zero vehicular movements, while school buses were empty of pupils, as most are afraid of attacks.

In most parts of Onitsha Main Market, shops were under lock and keys, while the entire areas were deserted. But in other parts, while shops were locked, the traders milled around, apparently afraid of opening their shops for possible attacks.

However, at around 12pm, traders picked up courage and opened their shops for business. A trader, who spoke with THISDAY in Lagos Line, Onitsha Main Market, stated that traders signed attendance register with clock in time, to show their attendance as ordered by Soludo.

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

Meanwhile, there was high presence of security in and around the markets as police and military vans patrolled the market.

Governor Soludo however arrived the market around 2pm, where he charged up the traders, cheering them for defeating their fears and ending the sit-at-home. He also shopped in the market, moving from shop to shop to patronize traders.

“We have ended sit-at-home in Onitsha. For the first time in five years, Onitsha is opened for business. 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 governor declared amidst cheers.

Meanwhile, rights group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), has praised traders of the Onitsha Main Market in Anambra State for opening their shops on Monday.

HURIWA, in a press statement by its National Coordinator, Comrade  Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, also praised Governor Soludo for the courage to end what it called the perennial sit-at-home on Mondays.

He said: “We congratulate the traders of Onitsha Main Market for opening their shops today, and we also want to thank the Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, for the courage to end this perennial sit at home.

“Ending the sit-at-home in the entire South-east of Nigeria would significantly lead to the eventual resuscitation of the economy of Igboland that has suffered prolonged disturbances and killings by armed terrorists.”

The group also lamented the resurfacing of dreaded IPOB commander, Mr Ifeanyi Okorienta Eze, also known as Gentle de Yahoo, who had been declared captured by the Nigerian Army.

It said: “Conversely, has advocated the demonstration by heads of the security forces of the capacity to end the insecurity in Nigeria and for the government officials to be honest in their public dealings with the members of the public.

“Defence Headquarters must transparently resolve the controversy surrounding the appearance of the notorious terrorist mastermind in Imo State ‘Gentle de Yahoo’.

“Defence Headquarters (DHQ) debunked a viral video in which Gentle De Yahoo was seen claiming that he was alive and had returned. The military high command, speaking through the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, during a press briefing on Friday, stated that the video might have been generated using Artificial Intelligence (AI).

“Nigerians are obviously watching the Nigerian Government and the Defence Headquarters to come out with a credible evidence of the situation of the alleged terrorism mastermind in Imo State.

“The Defence Headquarters owes Nigerians the duty to prove that there was no intention on their part to lie to Nigerians. The report of the investigation as promised by the Defence Headquarters should be publicised for Nigerians to read and evaluate the credibility or otherwise of the probe.”