By Christian ABURIME
In a move described as a “hard but necessary” step for the future of Anambra State, Governor Chukwuma Soludo ordered the immediate remodeling of the Onitsha Main Market, following the one-week closure.
The decision follows the Governor’s fourth visit to the market, where he lamented that the once-famed “biggest market in West Africa” has collapsed into a shadow of its former self.
​Addressing stakeholders at the Light House, Awka, the Governor delivered a sobering assessment of the market’s decline, citing the devastating impact of the Monday sit-at-home order and decades of poor urban planning.
​Governor Soludo did not mince words, stating that the market, in its current state, is no longer functional. “We’ve done the study. Main market is no longer what it was designed to be… it has literally died,” he declared.
​He recalled a time in the late 70s when the market was a model of efficiency, with wide streets allowing trucks and shoppers to move freely. Today, that layout has been replaced by chaos.
​”If people cannot park, they cannot shop. In the late 70s, trucks used to drive into the market; massive parking spaces were provided for. Today, that is gone.”
​A major catalyst for the shutdown is the persistent adherence to the Monday sit-at-home order. The Governor noted that the market has been effectively shut down for over 260 days since the ritual began, with billions of naira lost weekly and driving customers to alternative markets in neighboring states.
Governor ​Soludo warned that leadership requires taking “inconvenient steps” to secure the future. He emphasized that the closure is a corrective measure to reclaim the state’s economic life.
​The Governor revealed that he commissioned world-renowned experts in 2023 to draft a rebuilding plan for the market’s resurrection; a vision for the 25-hectare site.
Recognizing that the future of global commerce lies in efficient logistics rather than just tiny stalls, the Governor said that the remodeling efforts, aligns with his manifesto to create “planned and sustainable markets and communities and cities”
“At this point, leadership beckons on us to take those inconvenient steps to secure the future;” the Governor added.
Following the executive directive by Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo regarding the redevelopment of the Onitsha Main Market, the Chairman of the market, Chief Chijioke Okpalaugo, issued a formal response on behalf of the traders.
​He confirmed the traders’ alignment with the government’s vision for a modernized market while requesting a brief window to secure their inventory.
​”After careful consideration of the proposals presented by the State Government for the revitalization of our market, we, the leadership and traders of Onitsha Main Market, officially announce that we have chosen ‘Option 2’ as the preferred path forward.”
​”We recognize that leadership requires difficult choices, and we accept this path for the ultimate good of ndị Anambra and the survival of our iconic market. We are committed to the vision of a planned, sustainable, and accessible market that can once again compete on a global stage.”
​”However, we humbly appeal Governor Soludo to grant us a short grace period. This will allow our members to safely evacuate their goods and wares from the areas designated as illegal structures before the commencement of enforcement and demolition.”