Traders in the Oduigbo section of the Ochanja Central market in Anambra state have staged a protest against the chairman of Onitsha South Local Government Area, Emeka Orji. The traders, led by their chairman, Chukwudi Eke, are accusing Orji and the chairman of the Ochanja Central market, Bonaventure Muo, of colluding to eject them from their shops in order to build modern stalls.
The protest took place at the headquarters of the Onitsha South Local Government Area, where the traders carried placards with messages addressing their grievances. Some of the placards read, “Council chairman, Emeka Orji, what have we done to you?”, “Some of us are widows”, “We earn our living from Oduigbo market”, and “Gov. Soludo come to our rescue, they want to demolish the shops in the market to acquire more shops for themselves”, among others.
Speaking to the press during the protest, Chairman Chukwudi Eke revealed that the market chairman and the council chairman have given them two days to vacate the market, threatening to demolish the over 300 shops with bulldozers. Eke emphasized that around 80% of the traders in the market are widows who rely on the Oduigbo market for their livelihood.
The traders are now appealing to Governor Charles Soludo to intervene and ensure their protection. They believe that the governor is the only person who can understand their plight and come to their rescue.
However, when contacted for comments, Council Chairman Emeka Orji declined to address the issue, while the Ochanja market chairman stated that he was working based on directives from the government.
These traders are determined to fight for their right to continue operating in the Oduigbo section of the Ochanja Central market. As this situation unfolds, the question of who will prevail – the traders or the authorities – remains unanswered.
