IS PORT HARCOURT STILL THE GARDEN CITY?

I always shudder to believe that Port Harcourt was once given the moniker “the Garden City”. When I see historical evidence of the lush green big gardens that once inundated the streets of Port Harcourt, and juxtaposing that with the current pollution of soot, all my brain can process is an illusionary mirage. Then the next question will be, what happened to Port Harcourt?

Prior to the 1956 discovery of oil in Oloibiri, Port Harcourt was a heartland for another kind of oil trade, this time it was palm oil, that was shipped in mass quantities abroad to produce lubricants. Hence the name “Oil River”. It has lush mangrove and rich palm trees which the Royal Niger Company and some other foreign interest traded in. It was finally named after Lord Harcourt. Lewis Vernon Harcourt, 1st Viscount Harcourt PC (born Reginald Vernon Harcourt (31 January 1863 – 24 February 1922), was a British Liberal Party politician who held the Cabinet post of Secretary of State for the Colonies from 1910 to 1915. Lord Harcourt’s nickname was “Loulou”.

The historical trade of oil palm and then crude oil brought development to Port Harcourt and the influx could be seen in the green gardens and the well-kept streets. BP British Petroleum, set up refinery there in the 60s, other establishments followed. The oil trade has also brought its own nefarious effect to the garden city. The illegal trade in oil and creation of all forms of illegal refinery has polluted the environment in the Garden City. Port Harcourt has become a soot city and this has greatly hampered livability as people now die from lung disease and other pollutants. Today in terms of air quality index, Port Harcourt fails terribly. Now it is the most polluted city in Nigeria. The shocking narrative is how did the Garden City become the most polluted city? I dare say “the Nigerian factor”.

My concern is the air pollution and the government must work hard to reduce it by clamping down on those illegal activities and hold the oil majors accountable. The situation is so bad that recently I visited Port Harcourt and I came back with a bad cough. I saw firsthand, how the floor was cleaned and minutes after dust particles were seen on the same floor. The particulate matter of dust is intense in Port Harcourt.

The people that live in that city are living in a danger zone, akin to living in Chernobyl. I dare say, this is the problem across the Niger Delta too. The People in Nembe are also suffering as we speak. Their Christmas has been truncated by the gold sputtering of oil and gas from the Christmas Tree. While the game of musical chairs goes on in Abuja, pollution is destroying lives and livelihoods. It is time to save the Garden City.

Rufai Oseni, rufaioseni@gmail.com