Na wah! The story wey dey happen for Anambra State no be small matter. Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo don order make Onitsha Main Market shut down for one week, and e don spark serious wahala.
As e be, traders no open shop for Monday, as e don beta clear say dem no wan hear word again about this Monday sit-at-home wey don dey run for Southeast. Soludo no gree make dis matter continue, e claim say this sit-at-home na serious sabotage wey dey affect everybody, especially as e dey cost the state some serious cash, like N8 billion weekly. E no go dey sweet to see that kain money dey waka past like that because people dey fear to operate their business because of the sit-at-home.
Governor Soludo talk say dis shutdown na to protect law-abiding citizens and maintain order. E even drop warning wey go make traders open their shops well before the end of the week, otherwise, dem fit seal the market for one month! E sweet when e dey talk say dem go check the gate of the market, if traders no dey show face, dem go capture the market like dem wan capture territory!
As the market dey lock, the security presence dey tight like say dem dey guard gold. Police, army, and security agencies don come together join hands to secure the market. Dem no wan make traders waka enter wey no suppose enter, and that one dey show say Soludo no dey play with the matter. Dem dey target the psychological barrier wey dey prevent people from coming out. The strategy na to make dem believe say to stay for outside dey cost pass to run their shop.
One man wey be the chairman for Onitsha Main Market, Chijioke Okpalaugo, dey talk say this closure na good move! E believe say this action go restore the market’s glory wey don vanish since the sit-at-home saga start. E talk say the market dey lose revenue like corolla dey lose fuel for highway, and everybody dey suffer for this kain wahala.
But no be everybody dey gree for this shutdown matter. Some traders don gather don dey protest, dey shout say dem no go accept this closure. Na during the protest, some even block the Niger Bridge wey connect Onitsha to Asaba! Na serious tension dey brew, but the security agencies dey handle am well, keeping things calm for now.
The anxiety wey dey in the market no dey small, because people dey fear for their lives. Na so dem come dey complain say if the police fit stand guard for market closure, why dem no go carry that same energy come protect dem when dem dey open shop? Dis question dey raise serious matter of confidence in the security situation for the area.
As we also hear, the sit-at-home na still dey cause gbera for socio-political matter wey concern Nnamdi Kanu, the IPOB leader wey dey for prison. The tension wey dey around this matter no be light matter; the closure don re-ignite many sentiments, as people dey see dis as a sign of defiance against authority while they dey struggle for their rights.
For now, all eyes dey pause for next week as traders go decide wetin dem go do. Whether dem go obey Soludo and come back to their shops or dey stay back dey observe the sit-at-home saga remain to be seen. One thing we sabi be say, dis matter no dey finish soon, and as na so e be, we go dey follow-up as e dey unfold.
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