Soludo Moves To Shut Private Schools Over Sit-At-Home

Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has issued a stern warning to private schools and shop owners across the state, threatening to seal them if they fail to resume operations on Monday, following waves of sit-at-home protests that have disrupted economic activities.

The governor made the declaration during a press briefing on Thursday, which he shared on his X page, emphasizing that the closure of markets and schools threatens the state’s economic stability and the welfare of its people.

Soludo recounted his Monday visit to key markets in the state, including the government-owned main market in Onitsha, which he described as the largest market in West Africa. He said, “After prayer warnings, we had actually informed all markets, especially the main market, that they must be open or they will be shut down.

“We took effort to even drive through because the traders were on the road, trading. Busy, everywhere else bustling. Then you drive to the main market, and the place was under lock and key, except a few shops that were open.

We decided to shut it down for the remainder of this week, and it will remain shut down.” The governor described the ongoing closures as “a struggle for the soul of Anambra’s future.” He stressed that the majority of the people have entrusted his administration with a mandate to protect their welfare and security.

“Almost 80% of the people have given us mandate to protect and promote their welfare and security. And that we must remain committed to doing 24/7 every day, because Monday is almost the most important day of the week.

That’s when suppliers, the people demanding for goods, that’s when they must go and open up,” he said. “So if you are not opening, people are opening, relocating elsewhere. That’s what we mean by the cost to the state.” He also criticized the idea of limited school days, calling it “absolute nonsense” in the 21st century. “We’re not going to train our children in the 21st century by going to school four days a week. Absolute nonsense,” he said.

“We’re going to open the schools, and we’re going to take the same measures. If you are running a private school, and you are not open, come and slam it and lock it up. Because we’ve given you permission to operate as a school, and in Anambra, school days are Monday through Friday.”

The governor stressed that this was not just about schools, but the broader economic health of the state. “For the sake of this state, for our children, for these poor people, poor traders, poor farmers, and those who depend on these markets being open, we cannot have this,” Soludo said.

“So the struggle is to save the economy of Anambra, secure our future, save our children, keep our markets open, and reassure our investors who are pouring in now that Anambra is not a four-day week. It’s a five or six-day week. We need to reassure everybody. We are open for business.”