Yibo Koko wrote👇
Rivers State: Beyond the Noise of Politics
Driving toward the National Theatre in Iganmu Lagos this morning, the sweep of Apapa Port rises like a hymn to commerce, cranes bending, ships arriving, trade unbroken, a city’s economy breathing with purpose. Apapa is not just a port; it is a declaration that Nigeria can move goods, shape markets, and hold its place in the traffic of nations.
And yet, my mind drifts homeward. To Rivers State.
To Port Harcourt Port, standing at the heart of one of the world’s largest petroleum zones.
To Onne Port, the crown of an oil and gas free zone unmatched in Africa. These are not idle monuments. They are engines, waiting to be fired at full capacity.
But where Lagos finds its rhythm in trade, Rivers too often loses its voice in quarrels.
Day after day, politics drowns our imagination. Six days a week, all year round, our conversations circle rallies and rivalries, while the greater questions, of production, of sustainability, of growth, remain silent.
When will the custodians of our wealth exchange the tokenism of garri, rice, and Ndomie for the harder work of vision? When will they look to our ports, our waterways, our culture, and see not distractions but the spine of a new economy?
Rivers is more than oil. It is a creative heartbeat, a cultural compass, a maritime giant. Its ports can rival the world’s best. Its waterways can be safe passages for commerce and leisure. Its stories, songs, and festivals can feed an economy as vibrant as Nollywood and Afrobeats.
The world rewards clarity of purpose. Lagos chose trade. Will Rivers choose politics forever, or will it lift its gaze, sharpen its tools, and declare itself visible in the economy of nations?
will we continue to trade our future for Ndomie, garri and rice, or will we demand a Rivers State that is visible, viable, and victorious in the economy of nations?
The time to change the narrative is now.
