BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
Residents of the South-East region of Nigeria have explained the real reasons they have embraced the Monday sit-at-home despite the fact that the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, is against it.
Across Igbo land, most residents have aligned with the illegal order declared by a Finland-based pro-Biafra agitator, Simon Ekpa, and ignored pleas by their state governors to desist from sitting at home on Mondays and other days that are declared.
Last Friday, the detained IPOB leader, Kanu, declared an end to all sit-at-home exercises, including the Monday sit-at-home and any other proposed holiday being aimed to force the government to release him.
Kanu made the declaration in a handwritten letter, dated July 24, 2023, which his special counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, read out to journalists during a world press conference, held in Enugu State.
This followed the refusal of Simon Ekpa, a self-acclaimed disciple, to announce the cancellation and further declaration through his media platforms.
Kanu, however, warned Ekpa to “desist from calling for any sit-at-home henceforth” and “to make a public announcement to the effect that he (Mazi Simon Ekpa) is in receipt of a direct order from him (Mazi Nnamdi Kanu) to cancel any pending sit-at-home in place at the moment”.
Ekpa had earlier announced a two-week sit-at-home order that would commence from Tuesday, August 1 to 14.
Meanwhile, in their separate interviews, some of the residents of the affected five South- Eastern states, said they had adopted Mondays as another resting day off work. According to them, the exercise was difficult for them at its inception but along the line, they became used to it as an extra “weekend”.
They disclosed that the exercise had some benefits, including rest, bonding with family members and neighbours, adding that weekend (Saturday and Sunday) was no longer enough for them to relax and socialise.
According to them, they have got used to the exercise and it would be difficult for them to refrain from sitting at home on Mondays even if there is no one enforcing it.
They are however against the extra sit-at-home declarations like the two weeks that had been announced.
A resident in Onitsha, Anambra State, Okpani George Chikezie, told The Point, “People in Onitsha are already used to the Monday sit-at-home. No one is complaining because that is actually the only day we have to rest. We go to hustle from Tuesday to Saturday; On Sunday, we have all sorts of meetings in different organisations we belong to; so, Monday sit-at-home gave us the opportunity to bond with our neighbours.”
“Aside from the killings and unrest in the East, the Monday sit-at-home has helped to save people from too much stress. As I am now, I rest properly only on Mondays. The sit-at-home we are complaining about is not the Monday own, but the ones Simon Ekpa keeps imposing on us for days and those extra ones cause tension. Hopefully, one day, the Federal Government will find a solution with Mazi Kanu’s issue and everything will normalise again,” he added.
Another resident in Enugu, Onyeachonam Micheal, noted, “If they stop the Monday sit-at-home today, many people will still stay at home. It will take some time before people will get used to going out to hustle on Monday. Our body needs rest, weekend is now busy like weekdays.”
Similarly, Precious James, a business lady in Aba, Abia State, said, “Honestly, I enjoy the Monday sit-at-home. That is the only day one has to rest. I work from Monday to Saturday, 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, I only have Sundays to clean, wash, go to market and cook, then, go to church and sometimes, I will be busy from early morning till late at night and I still won’t rest; so, I love it, especially for workaholics. It’s a must you rest because no one is outside.”
While asking state governments in the region to desist from coercing people to come out on Mondays, Okpani George Chikezie, a resident of Owerri in Imo State, said, “We still find where to buy things on Mondays. You see the bonding with neighbours is one of the things I like about it. No one is complaining at all. I have enough time to rest and I think our government should stop forcing people to open their shops and offices on Mondays.”
But, a resident of Abakaliki in Ebonyi State, Ugwuanyi Jane, differed from earlier responders, saying, “I hate it when people think we are enjoying the Monday sit-at-home. Most of those who are supporting this exercise don’t stay in the East fully. We sit at home for our lives and for fear of being attacked, not that we enjoy it.”
