By Christian ABURIME
“Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.” – Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill’s timeless distinction between two forms of courage finds profound expression in dynamic leadership. The first, the courage to stand and speak, is the boldness to declare an end to dysfunction, and to enact difficult policies for the collective good. Yet, there is also the second courage, which is the humility to listen, to feel the pulse of the people and hear their fears firsthand, thus truly transmuting an order into trust, and policy into progress.
In the saga of reclaiming Anambra’s stolen Mondays, Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, CFR, embodied the dual courage: the fortitude to mandate change, and the greater fortitude to personally step into the market, not as a distant authority but as a listening partner in commerce.
This is the philosophy of leadership that does not govern from atop a high horse as some think, but rebuilds from the ground up, a lesson in how true change begins with a voice of authority, and moves on to an ear attuned to the heartbeat of the people.
That is why in a move that will be etched in the history of Southeast regional resurgence, Governor Chukwuma Soludo did not just reopen a market this past Monday, he reopened a future. After a decisive one-week deterrent shutdown, the gates of the historic Onitsha Main Market swung open not under a cloud of fear anymore, but in a bold dawn of defiance to monday sit-at-home and normalcy.
Governor Soludo, ditching the distant aura of office, took to the bustling market square himself, transforming from a policy enforcer into the lead trader, the chief morale officer, and the fearless symbol of a people’s reawakening. This was a masterclass in game-changing, responsive leadership.
The scenario and images are powerful and prophetic: the Governor, not behind a convoy of blacked-out SUVs, but walking through Ose Market, Bright Street, and Lagos Line. He was seen not just inspecting, but investing, purchasing fabrics and foodstuffs, and engaging in the free-flowing commerce that defines Ndi Anambra. This “shop-floor diplomacy,” as it has been aptly termed, was a stroke of psychological genius.
By personally demonstrating that the streets were safe, even as traders and customers can be seen moving around freely, Governor Soludo did what a thousand security bulletins could not: he dismantled the prison of fear brick by brick. The fear factor is dead. It is a brand new day.
This successful reclamation of Monday after over five years of economic paralysis is a tribute to the governor’s unique blend of intellectual courage and visceral connection to the people. He championed the collective interest of the business people right on the streets of the market. He proved that true leadership means sharing the risk, not just dictating the rule. When he told gathered traders, “Ndi Anambra are taking back their day, their economy, and their future,” it was a covenant built on trust and demonstrated solidarity.
In this pivotal moment, Governor Soludo has projected himself as the selfless, fearless regional leader the Southeast can boast of. While skeptics and saboteurs would rather perpetuate the grim status quo, the governor chose to dismantle it. While the spectre of fear lingered in some quarters, he walked it into oblivion in Anambra. His action transcends state boundaries; it is a new dawn for the entire region, proving that the debilitating sit-at-home ritual was not an invincible curse, but a challenge that could be met with resolve and intelligent action.
Indeed, Governor Soludo has done more than reopen markets; he has reopened a pathway to the region’s economic and psychological redemption. He has shown that to lead is to serve, to protect is to empower, and to govern is to walk, unafraid, beside your people. In reclaiming Monday, he has given the Southeast back a piece of its soul, and in doing so, has etched his name as a true champion of the people, a leader who can be trusted to turn collective anguish into collective advance.