Tension has gripped the commercial city of Onitsha as traders and youths protested the closure of Onitsha Market ordered by Anambra State governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo. Fierce‑looking security operatives in armoured personnel carriers were stationed at the market entrances, while many traders watched from a distance.
Soludo had vowed to shut the market for one week over traders’ continued observance of the Monday sit‑at‑home, warning that if they still failed to open next Monday, the closure could be extended to one month and the market even demolished. He stated that anyone unwilling to trade on Mondays should “leave Anambra and go elsewhere,” insisting the state cannot afford further economic losses.
On Tuesday, residents were surprised to see heavy patrols by security operatives around the market area as youths trooped out, chanting solidarity songs for jailed IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. There were no direct clashes, but the atmosphere remained tense as traders and protesters complained about intimidation and uncertainty.
Some traders said they were willing to open for business on Mondays but feared attacks from separatist enforcers, noting that even banks and other institutions still refuse to operate that day. Others admitted many people have become used to resting on Mondays, explaining that business now runs Tuesday to Saturday, while Sundays are for church, meetings and social events.
Public affairs analyst Dr Emezie Madu backed Soludo’s hard line, describing Monday trading enforcement as a textbook example of Developmental State Theory. He argued that a trade‑dependent economy cannot survive a self‑inflicted 20 percent annual contraction, saying an estimated ₦416 billion yearly loss from sit‑at‑home is a “developmental catastrophe” that demands decisive state intervention.
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