Monday sit-at-home converted to town Union, club meetings in Anambra

By Phil Okose, Onitsha

The every Monday sit-at- home in Southeast zone is said to have been converted to period of having town union, club, organization and other societal meetings in Anambra State.

Investigation by this paper revealed that, in most streets in Onitsha, Nnewi and Awka, State capital, people were seen in groups in different locations having their meetings.

Also youths were seen jugging and taking early morning body exercise along the major roads unmolested even as the entire major roads were deserted.

Reacting to the development, the chairman of a social club in Onitsha, Mr. Ikem Ozonachi, said that, “we now have our weekly meeting on Mondays since it is a work-free day.

“Formerly it was held every Saturday but we resolved that since every Monday is sit-at-home, to shift it to Mondays to enable us work or trade as the case may be.

“Even if Monday is a non existent sit-at-home, the hoodlums capitalized on it to main, rob and assault innocent people who open their shops. There is fear of uncertainty”, he stated.

At people’s club building, along the Onitsha/Owerri road and Travellers’ hotel, along the ever-busy Onitsha/Asaba/Benin expressway, town union meetings were held.

Contributing, a resident of Okpoko community, Ogbaru Local Government Area, Mr. John Onyekwuha, said that, “Today,  residents of Okpoko community, have been directed to converge at Travellers’ hotel, for a meeting on how to install power in the community.

“So we are here for the meeting since today is Monday. There is no work today because it is sit-at-home, we use it to hold our meetings and interact on how to move the community forward.

Also speaking at Nnewi, Chief Philip Yagazie, an indigene of Imo State, stated that, “Formerly we had our town union meetings every Saturday, but now it is every Monday because it is a work-free day.

“Until it is reversed, but for now, we hold our meetings every Monday. Business activities have been paralysed on Mondays, so instead of being indoors doing nothing we resolved to shift our weekly weekend meetings to Mondays.

A teacher at Awka, State capital, who pleaded anonymity stated that, “Our club meeting holds every Monday now. By 10am I will be off to the venue, a primary school premises.

“I am the chairman of the meeting, so I have to be there on time even if there is partial vehicular and People’s movement. It may be difficult to get vehicle if I don’t leave in time,” he posited

Meanwhile, schools, banks, markets, courts, shops, offices, local Government Secretariats, among others, remained shut, as at the time of filing this report. END.