Governor Chukwuma Soludo has declared that the long-standing Monday “sit-at-home” order in Anambra State has finally ended.

Soludo said this on Monday when he led a walk through Onitsha Main Market to signal the return of normal commercial activities.

The governor’s visit to the historic market served as both a symbolic and practical declaration that the state is open for business, marking an end to civil disobedience that has crippled the South-East economy since 2021.

Soludo walked through high-traffic trading zones, including Ose Market, Bright Street, Lagos Line, and Emeka Offor Plaza, engaging directly with traders.

During the walk, he purchased local goods—from fabrics to food items—to demonstrate that the fear factor used to enforce the shutdown has dissipated.

The Monday sit-at-home was originally imposed by separatist groups in 2021.

While the groups have since issued cancellations, “ghost-town” Mondays persisted due to fear of enforcement by rogue elements.

Soludo said, “Ndi Anambra are taking back their day, their economy, and their future. Today marks an end to the sit-at-home.

“I am satisfied with the large turnout of traders at the Onitsha Main Market today; it is impressive the number of people that have come to make purchases.”

He walked from Oseokwodu Market to Onitsha Main Market and finally to Emeka Offor Plaza to monitor compliance, having earlier warned traders to reopen their shops or risk forfeiture.

While the governor’s presence provided a morale boost, the state government remains alert to its responsibility to keep the main market safe.

Soludo’s “shop-floor diplomacy” marks a critical turning point for the South-East’s regional economy, which has suffered billions of naira in losses over the past half-decade. (The PUNCH)

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