From David Onwuchekwa, Nnewi
Governor of Anambra State, Prof Charles Soludo has lifted ban on Thursday prayers in Anambra markets as his insistence to shun Mondays Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) sit-at-home order could not get compliance.
Traders at Nkpor Auto New Parts market, Idemili North Local Government Area were happy to return to Thursday prayer session after seven months of its ban in an effort to force traders to open their stalls on Mondays to defy the IPOB sit-at-home order.
Chairman of the market, Chief Elysius Umeozorkwere paid tribute to Governor Soludo, his aide on Trade and Markets, Hon. Evarist Uba and President General (PG) of Anambra State Amalgamated Traders Association, ASMATA, Chief Humphrey Anuna for the return of the prayer session.
Chief Umeozorkwere said that the governor through the ASMATA PG announced the return.
“We were in a meeting at the ASMATA headquarters last week when the ASMATA PG, Chief Anuna, announced it to us that the normal prayer session has come back. We are happy with the governor, he knows that prayer is the key and asked us to continue in our prayer session.
“We normally have our prayer session on Thursdays and State Government in a bid to ensure that markets open on Mondays to help stop the Monday sit-at-home order, directed that market prayers be held on Mondays which eventually did not get 100 per cent turn up of traders over fear of the unknown.
“As a result from June last year there was no prayer session in our market until today (Thursday), thank God that our musical instruments parked since then are still sound. When I called the head of the prayer group, Evangelist Luke Obadiah, out of excitement he could not believe it that governor has announced that the prayer session continues.
“With God everything is possible, it can only take time, and that is why we thank our able governor for the peace he restored in all markets through his Special Adviser on Trade and Markets, Hon. Uba and ASMATA President General, Chief Anuna.
In his homily during the prayer session , Evangelist Obadiah recalled that since June last year the market prayer group did not perform due to the sit-at-home order as traders out of fear of the unknown did not turn up on Mondays, adding that with divine intervention, the group has come back in full force
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