THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS OF THE SIT-AT-HOME ORDER IN ENUGU STATE, 2012-2014
Abstract
Civil disobedience has been used globally to challenge established authorities and express grievances. Sit-at-home orders are intended as means of peaceful and legitimate protests, but when enforced with coercion, threat or violence, they become exercises of tyranny and lawlessness. The sit-at-home order in South-East Nigeria is a mix of voluntary compliance and coercive enforcement, which has resulted in socio-economic disorder with adverse consequences on the socio-economic life of the people. This paper examines the socio-economic implications of the sit-at-home order in Enugu State, with a focus on its early manifestations and effects on people's lives. The paper adopts a qualitative research approach and relies on both primary and secondary data sources. Primary data was collected through interviews with traders, teachers, transport operators, community leaders, students, and public officials in Enugu State, while secondary data was obtained from academic and policy materials. The paper is anchored on the Frustration-Aggression Theory originally articulated by Dollard John, Neal Miller, Leonard Doob, Orval Mowrer, and Robert Sears, later refined by Leonard Berkowitz. It posits that aggression is a natural consequence of frustration, which arises when individuals or groups perceive that extraneous forces block their legitimate goals. Findings reveal that the sit-at-home order in Enugu State led to economic breakdown, educational stagnation, and threats to social gatherings. The paper situates the sit-at-home strategy within the broader discourse of civil disobedience and resistance in post-colonial Nigeria. It concludes that a policy response that balances national integration with regional equity is a prerequisite for addressing the sit-at-home order.