Sit-At-Home: We’re Dying Of Hunger, Anambra Artisans Lament

Traders and artisans in Awka, the Anambra State capital are lamenting the effects of the sit-at-home order by the banned Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) saying it is destroying the economy of the South East. 

According to them, since the commencement of the sit- at-home, they hardly meet their family needs and they are going hungry. IPOB had declared every Monday and any other day Nnamdi Kanu, the IPOB leader appears before court as sit- at-home as part of moves to compel the federal government to release their leader. A widow, Mrs Ngozi Ude, who fries bean cake (akara) in Awka told Daily Trust that she has been frying bean cake over the years to cater for her family. She said she catered for her family needs since the death of her husband five years ago from the little daily income she makes. “In the last three days, everyone was forced inside the house without food, my family is seriously suffering, we cannot eat as we live on daily sales and income,” she lamented. 

Another trader, Mr Chuks Obasi, who deals in second- hand bags said most of them are living on daily income, noting that any day they do not open shops, they will suffer. He said the sit at home in the South East is taking a serious toll on families and there is need to look into the matter and save the poor in the zone from the avoidable pains. “Since Monday till today I have not been to shop, since then, we have exhausted all the money and food in our house. “This sit-at-home has destroyed our family life. It has also destroyed our economy and if it continues, people will suffer more,” he said. A welder, Mr Chidi Okoye, who spoke to our correspondent, said he has a lot of work to do in the shop but cannot because of the sit-at-home order. According to him, this sit-at-home is not good for the state economy and if it continues it would totally destroy livelihoods in the South East. “We must stop this madness that is destroying our economy. People are now going hungrier because they can no longer meet their family needs as a result of sit-at- home. “IPOB must look inward and stop the order to ensure that the sit-at-home does not destroy the people and their economy,” he said. However, a young man and tiler, Mr Uche Mathew, said they are comfortable with the sit-at-home order, if it is the only way to realise the Biafra dream. According to him, in every struggle people must give something to get their desire. “Though we are suffering now, that is the only prize we must pay for our agitation. Let it continue and we must manage.” Some of the businessmen in Anambra also said over N25 billion is being lost in Onitsha alone each day the sit-at- home order by IPOB is enforced. They said the order has caused a huge drop in patronage in the geopolitical zone, noting the order has forced people in West Africa doing business in the zone to divert to Lagos for fear of being attacked by the IPOB.