The man whom port-Harcourt city was named after was a rapist and a paedophile, after being faced with public condemnation, Lewis Harcourt committed suicide in his London home on February 24, 1922.

We refuse to identify with such despicable personality, it is an insult and outright disrespect for the people of River state of Nigeria to be associated with such smear and disdain.

We love our city very much and passionately so, and since we have only come to this knowledge only now, we will no longer accept or stand in silence in promoting a name that is synonymous with pure evil and dirt. We are a proud people with a rich cultural heritage, especially now that young girls, women and even babies are not spared by rapist and paedophiles in our country Nigeria and the world over, we choose to stand against all that they represent, all that they remind us of, all that goes against our societal norms and values. If we have any powers at all, it is the power of our voices together, and we must echo and resonate in no uncertain terms that we are a people of culture, a people who are proud, beautiful and courageous to stand with the weak of our society and become their strength in any way possible that we can. Please every well meaning citizen of the world should lend their voices to make this happen. Yes, we can!