Ekwueme Square, once a bustling hub for early morning fitness enthusiasts, wore a tranquil look this Saturday morning as residents complied with a recent government directive restricting physical exercises in the main bowl and adjoining Boulevard.
The usual sights and sounds of lively music, group aerobics, and personal workouts, were conspicuously absent. Instead, many regulars have relocated to the front of the Anambra State House of Assembly and nearby streets to continue their routines.
The directive, issued by the Anambra State Government through Ossy Onuko, MD/CEO of the Anambra Capital Territory Development Agency, urged residents to make use of alternative open spaces and fitness centres within the city.
The move comes in the build-up to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s scheduled visit to the state on May 8, during which key state projects will be commissioned. The peaceful silence at the once-vibrant Square marks a noticeable shift, underscoring the public’s swift compliance with the temporary measure.
Meanwhile, construction activity has intensified towards the new Government House gate in preparation for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s scheduled visit on May 8. From afar, the newly completed Government House glistens under the sun, while a towering structure rises just before the entrance – an ambitious project that seems to scrape the skies like a modern-day Tower of Babel.
Paul Nwosu PhD
