From Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha
Despite calls by Ohanaeze Ndigbo and Anambra State Government not to observe the Monday sit-at-home order called by separatist group IPOB, traders and residents of Onitsha in Anambra State have shut down major markets, schools, banks and other businesses.
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) had in July announced the sit-at-home order in protest against the arrest of its leader, Nnamdi Kanu; the group later cancelled the order and said that the sit-at-home would be only on the day’s Kanu would be arraigned in the court.
Traders and residents of Onitsha and its environs have continued to observe the sit-at-home on Mondays despite the call by IPOB to suspend the order and arrest anybody trying to enforce the sit-at-home in South East.
It was based on this premise that Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide on Sunday urged South East residents to go about their normal business every Monday because, according to them, ‘the era of sit-at-home is gone.’
It advised the schools, transporters and traders not to be afraid of any attack, calling on market associations, road transport unions, Labour leases and interest groups to sensitise their members on the need to resume full economic activities in Igbo land on Monday.
The Anambra State Government through the state commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment Mr C Don Adinuba in a statement urged the residents to go about their normal business on Mondays.
But despite all the appeals, the traders and residents of Onitsha shutdown the commercial city as all the major markets, schools, banks and business places were ghost of itself in continuation of the sit-at-home.
One of the traders who spoke to Daily Sun, Mr Eva Nwasah, said that they will continue to observe the sit-at-home until Nnamdi Kanu is released from detention by Federal Government.
‘Government should stop playing politics with our son, Kanu and should immediately release him unconditionally because he did not commit any crime rather than crying out for injustice being meted against Ndigbo.
‘We shall continue with the sit-at-home until Kanu is released. Nobody is happy with what is happening in Nigeria and how Ndigbo is being treated and this is the only way we can voice out our grievances to the entire world and nobody can stop us.
‘The business is ours and we have decided to continue sitting at home until Kanu is released, no going back, it is an individual decision by traders not collective decision but the entire traders in Onitsha have decided to continue to sit-at-home. Nobody is forcing anybody to stay at home, I learnt that they opened Main Market and other markets but traders refused to go market, that’s shows oneness and one voice,’ Nwasah stated.