Welcome to the Garden City!

According to Hank Eso: Salvaging Pitakwa, a respected columnist for Kwenu, Pitakwa and Garden City are the renowned and endearing sobriquets for Port Harcourt in the days of yore. How, or who coined these names is a matter for conjecture. What is important here is that Pitakwa or Port Harcourt, the capital of the treasure base (Rivers State) of the Nigerian state is, today, a mere shadow of its old self.

I first came to work in Port Harcourt in 1995 when I joined the then National Fertilizer Company of Nigeria (NAFCON) at Onne, a growing surburb of the Garden City. Then, the city could still manage to live up to, and answer to the nickname Pitakwa, with some pride. The classic highlife song by Joe Nez (Business Trip) about the Garden City still reminded one of the uniqueness of this city. But I had to leave the place after I nearly got killed while on duty at the fertilizer plant, one night, following an industrial accident. See NAFCON Onne: My Ordeal. NAFCON has since collapsed, the properties sold to some private investors, who now operate under the name of Notore.

Like a bad penny, I turn up again in Port Harcourt, but a very different Port Harcourt from the one I left only a few years ago. The word 'hectic' was invented for life in Port Harcourt this time around. With every passing day approaching the magnitude of the situation in today's Baghdad, life in Pitakwa gives real cause for concern. The city has come to represent everything that is wrong in the Niger Delta region. And as Hank Eso correctly observed, "Present day Port Harcourt, when compared to Pitakwa of yore – taking into account its history, wealth, size, exposure, outlook, potentialities and resources – is unquestionably the most backward, and underdeveloped capital city of its size in Nigeria."

This story is the same for every little village or community in the Niger Delta! The neglect and abuse has given birth to diverse ethnic militia activities, who seek more control of the wealth from under their soil. The situation has led to hostage taking, kidnapping, extreme vandalism, violence and destruction. Naturally, criminal elements have seized the opportunity to unleash mayhem on the society. The result of their brigandage has been a general reign of terror on innocent citizens.

The reverbrating effect is felt both locally and internationally, as the price of crude oil, for the first time in history, shot up yesterday, to $140 per barrel. The prediction is $200 per barrel before the year ends! Indeed, the world now faces a serious energy crisis. Nigeria herself, has lost quite a lot from the destruction of multi million dollar oil facilities, since her economy is crude oil driven.

However, in the midst of the existing danger and anarchy, people still try to survive here. The experiences and various lifestyles of these people will come alive in these pages. Pitakwa Chronicles will aim to capture events in the Garden City, nay the Niger Delta, which contribute positively (or negatively) towards salvaging and restoring what remains of this country's treasure base. From Warri to Uyo, and from Escravos to Calabar, the wealth of the Niger Delta manifests not only in crude oil production, but also in its cultural diversity, music, dance, literature, arts, history, and so on.

Port Harcourt and the Niger Delta is still home to some of the best brains from both Nigerian and foreign Universities and Colleges. During my school days, Shell, Mobil, Elf, Agip, and a host of other companies, used to come to the campus to interview potential employees. A lot of these people have resisted the brain drain syndrome, and have stayed back to work in the oil and gas industry and in invest in the private sector. Pitakwa Chronicles is the platform for residents, visitors and friends of the Niger Delta to share their stories and experiences.

For one thing, the College of the Immaculate Conception (CIC) Enugu Old Boys' Association Port Harcourt, to which I
subscribe, remains one of the strongest Chapters both at home and abroad. Here, it is Semper! Semper! And anytime we meet, we Pitakwa. Nostalgia is the word! The University of Nigeria, Nsukka also has an undying alumni association here in Port Harcourt. Warri still boasts of the Coal City Boys Club, made up of guyses (and babes) who grew up in the Coal City of Enugu.

Let's have some fun.