The Forum of South-East Academic Doctors (FOSAD) views with deep concern the recent decision of the Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, to shut down the Onitsha Main Market for one week over the alleged failure of traders to comply with the directive to open for business on Mondays.
FOSAD unequivocally condemns this action, which we consider a clear case of executive rascality and an abuse of state power. While we recognize the constitutional responsibility of government to ensure public order, economic stability, and the protection of lives and property, such responsibility must be exercised within the bounds of the law, democratic norms, and respect for citizens’ rights and lived realities.
The decision to close the Onitsha Main Market, one of the largest commercial hubs in West Africa and a critical source of livelihood for thousands of families, amounts to collective punishment. It unfairly penalises traders who are themselves victims of a long-standing climate of fear and insecurity in the South-East. Government cannot reasonably compel citizens to risk their lives or livelihoods in an environment where threats, violent enforcement, and uncertainty persist, and then punish them for choosing self-preservation.
It is important to state clearly that no governor, no matter how well-intentioned, can force traders to open their shops for business on Mondays. Participation in economic activity, particularly in a volatile security context, cannot be coerced through threats, market closures, or militarized enforcement. Doing so undermines the very objective of restoring confidence and normalcy. Fear cannot be legislated away, nor can economic activity be sustained at gunpoint.
FOSAD finds it troubling that the state government appears to be conflating authority with legitimacy. While the state may issue directives, compliance in matters of this nature must be earned through trust, credible security guarantees, dialogue, and persuasion, not through punitive measures that deepen resentment and hardship. The closure of the Onitsha Main Market does not resolve the root causes of the Monday sit-at-home phenomenon; rather, it exacerbates economic distress and widens the gulf between government and the governed.
As academics and public intellectuals committed to evidence-based policy and democratic governance, we caution that policies driven by coercion rather than consensus are unsustainable. The sit-at-home crisis is fundamentally a socio-political and security challenge, not merely an issue of market compliance. Addressing it requires a holistic strategy that prioritises intelligence-led security, genuine engagement with community leaders and trader associations, transparent communication, and confidence-building measures that reassure citizens of their safety.
We therefore call on Governor Chukwuma Soludo to immediately reverse the order shutting down the Onitsha Main Market. Such a reversal would signal responsiveness, restraint, and a willingness to recalibrate policy in the public interest. It would also help to prevent further economic losses and social tensions in an already fragile environment.
FOSAD further urges the Anambra State Government to explore alternative, non-coercive approaches to encouraging traders to open for business on Mondays. These may include sustained stakeholder consultations, phased and voluntary reopening frameworks, visible improvements in security architecture, compensation or incentives for early compliance, and consistent public assurance backed by demonstrable action.
The strength of leadership in a democratic society is not measured by the severity of sanctions imposed on citizens, but by the capacity to persuade, protect, and build trust. Anambra State, with its long tradition of enterprise, intellectual rigor, and civic consciousness, deserves policies that reflect these values.
The Forum of South-East Academic Doctors remains committed to constructive engagement and stands ready to contribute ideas and research-based insights toward resolving the sit-at-home challenge in a manner that safeguards lives, livelihoods, and democratic principles.
Signed
Yours faithfully,
Dr. Stephen Nwala
President
Forum of South-East Academic Doctors (FOSAD)
Dr. Uzor Ngoladi
Secretary General
Forum of South-East Academic Doctors (FOSAD)
