Chai! Na wah o! Na so dem don shut down Onitsha Main Market, the biggest market wey dey for West Africa, just because traders no gree open shop on Monday as dem suppose do. Governor Chukwuma Soludo don dey vex since, as e don declare one-week closure after traders no follow the memo wey talk say make dem open.
People no know say na the sit-at-home order wey non-state actors don carry for four years don affect how market dey run for the entire South-East. Governor Soludo don talk say this thing na economic sabotage, and him dey try make sure say people fit do their business without fear.
But as usual, traders wey no dey happy with this closure don come out dey express their mind. Some of dem don talk say the governor dey too harsh, saying him no dey consider their safety. Chikaodi Eze, one trader, come explain say make dem think am well, because full-week closure fit scatter supply chains and make goods spoil for ground.
Ugochukwu Okigbo, another trader, ewu say e fear for him life, say the work of traders no dey easy as dem dey gamble with loan and like dem dey push their business. E talk say as government wan force dem make dem start work, dem need to put security for ground make everybody dey safe.
One guy wey dey talk am straight, Ekene Nwankwo, say this one-week closure go cause economic disaster pass the once-a-week sit-at-home wey dey happen before. E talk say dem need balance action wey go protect everybody, not just government alone.
Chieftain, Chief Okwudili Ogbonna, join talk too, say nobody fit compel traders make dem open shop, becos na for free society wey dey value trade and movement. E say this one dey abuse power, as traders fit decide when dem wan open their business.
As dem dey talk all this matter, security wey dey patrol the market don’t turn everywhere to make sure no wahala go happen, as dem don barricade all the entrances. This kind tension fit create gbege if care no dey taken. According to reports, if this one-week shutdown continue, the economic implication no go small for the traders wey dey depend on daily sales. Time go tell if Soludo go fit make the traders comply without bloodshed or serious issue.
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