By Sylvester Udemezue
1. While I do not support the sit-at-home on Mondays because of the negative economic effects, the law is clear: no government has the power to compel a trader or businessperson to open his or her shop on any particular day.
2. Sit-at-home is, by its nature, a voluntary act. If people who are not Soludo’s workers choose to stay at home as a form of protest (whether justified or not) that decision remains their personal responsibility.
3. If I rent a shop and choose to lock it up every Monday and not conduct business, that is my private decision, provided I pay my rent, remit all applicable taxes and levies, and comply with the law. Government has no authority to force me to open my shop on any day. In this context, Soludo is simply bullying traders at Onitsha Main Market.
4. *If Soludo genuinely wishes to help, he should identify and address the real causes of the sit-at-home, rather than attacking its symptoms. When the root causes of a problem are confronted and resolved, the problem itself will disappear.*
5. Governor Soludo should seek and listen to legal counsel before taking any actions that may impact the rights of people. Respect for the rule of law is among the eight essential elements of good governance.
(Respectfully,
Sylvester Udemezue (Udems)
08109024556.
lawmentorng@gmail.com.
(27 January 2026)/
