Assessing the Effect of Sit-at-Home Orders on the Effectiveness of Strategic Leadership in Onitsha Main Market, Anambra State, Nigeria

This study examined the effect of the sit-at-home order on the effectiveness of strategic leadership in the Onitsha Main Market. There is an increasing disruptions caused by sit-at-home directives and their implications for business operations and leadership performance in major commercial centers. A descriptive survey research design was adopted, and data were collected using the Taro Yamane formula from a sample of 370 traders selected from a population of 5,000. The primary instrument for data collection was a structured questionnaire based on a 5-point Likert scale. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean) and OLS regression analysis. The findings revealed that the sit-at-home order has a significant negative effect on the effectiveness of business operations and strategic leadership. The regression results showed strong relationships between the sit-at-home order and the dependent variables, with R² values ranging from 0.54 to 0.63, indicating that the sit-at-home phenomenon explains a substantial proportion of variations in leadership effectiveness and market operations. The study concludes that the sit-at-home arrangement creates an unstable business environment that undermines effective leadership and organizational performance. It recommends that the government improve security measures, enforce policies that ensure market stability, and engage in dialogue to address the root causes of the sit-at-home order.