Voting Station

Port Harcourt, Nigeria

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Location

The Resume

    (1912- )
    Capital and largest city of Rivers State, Nigeria
    Area: 369 km²
    Population: 1,865,000 (as of 2016)
    Nicknamed 'The Garden City'
    Founded by protectorate Governor Frederick Lugard
    Named for 1st Viscount, Lewis Vernon Harcourt
    Home to Rivers State University (est. 1972)

Why Port Harcourt, Nigeria might be annoying:

    It is arguably the most expensive Nigerian state to live in.
    It tied with Baghdad, Sana'a (Yemen), and Khartoum ( Sudan) for Most Dangerous City in the World in a Marsh-McLennan study (2009).
    The Economist described it as 'hot, humid, malarial, polluted and prone to sporadic bursts of violence.'
    Traffic is compounded by gaping potholes and drivers speeding on opposite sides of the road to avoid them.
    It was captured during the Nigerian Civil War, playing a role in offensive forces' blockade of Biafran territory, and causing widespread starvation for residents (1968).
    Gang warfare is a major problem - so much so that the city's sporadic periods of post-election bloodletting earned it the moniker 'Killing Fields of Harcourt' from local papers.
    For instance, Amnesty International noted an week-long period of post-election mayhem in which gangs fought one another openly in the streets, randomly shot ordinary civilians, and even abducted children and aging mothers along the city's borders (Aug. 2007).

Why Port Harcourt, Nigeria might not be annoying:

    Its sister city is Kansas City, Missouri.
    It is famed for its vibrant nightlife and entertainment scene.
    It was the site of Muhammadu Buhari's Presidential campaign announcement.
    It was used as a point for military operations against the Central Powers in Germany during World War I.
    It exported the first shipload of crude oil from Nigeria (1958).
    For a time, it functioned as a haven for the Igbo people, who were facing state-sponsored ethnic cleansing during the Nigerian Civil War.
    In fact, Chinua Achebe even sent his wife and children to hide in the city after he was accused of indicating knowledge of a military coup in 'A Man of the People' (he later accompanied them).

Credit: BoyWiththeGreenHair


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 11 Votes: 90.91% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 13 Votes: 69.23% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 3 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 6 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 98 Votes: 53.06% Annoying