The Rise of the Phoenix in Port Harcourt, by Kene Obiezu

Nigerians love a feel-good story. When Chidinma Adetshina recently emerged first runner-up at the Miss Universe pageant in Mexico, Nigerians rallied to celebrate. In 2022, when Sprint Queen, Tobi Amusan, put Nigeria on the map of the World Championships for the first time ever, Nigerians were united in their celebrations. The same frenzied celebrations were displayed when Hilda Baci cooked her way into the history books in May 2023.

This often rapturous celebrations of feats which warm the cockles of the heart can partly be pinned down to the fact that in sixty-four years of independence and 25 years of democracy, Nigerians have not had a lot to cheer. Bad leadership, poverty, and recently insecurity have cast a permanent pall over a country that once promised so much at independence.
At the center of Nigeria’s problems is the fact that it has not managed its oil resources well. Exploration of oil has become a direct exploitation of the Niger Delta, and an indirect exploitation of Nigerians by a kleptocracy that has somehow kept its proboscis stuck into power.

President Tinubu came to power with a pledge and promise to renew hope. Nigerians will hold him to this pledge, to this promise.
The quest to renew hope in a country that has known hopelessness and haplessness for so long has proved a daunting task even if the presidency appears either not to know it or is deliberately refusing to acknowledge it.

Since the beginning of the year, sporadic protests have broken out across the country, with pockets of people all over protesting the lack of direction shown by the government. This uncharacteristic impatience by Nigerians who are otherwise known to give very long ropes to those who lead them is a sign of the hopelessness that has broken out like a case of hives.
But the return to operation of of the Port Harcourt refinery offers hope during what is a dark period for Nigerians.it is no news that costs of living have soared to unprecedented heights, dragging with it the frustration levels of Nigeria. This in turn has made even more frantic the frenetic efforts of those leaving the country while casting those leading the country as frauds. At the heart of the spike in cost of living which has made Nigerians very spiky is the removal of fuel subsidy. The singular removal of fuel subsidy, a decision many years in the making, which, however, was dropped like a bombshell by president Tinubu on the day of his inauguration is set go down as the defining move of this administration, for good or for bad. But it was an act of courage given its long-term prospects and the backlash it provoked from Nigerians. It is doubtful that the presidency anticipated the fallout from the decision to remove fuel subsidy given that its post-subsidy direction was hazy at best, but time, may yet vindicate the decision.

In the time since subsidy was removed, Dangote refinery has started operations and the Port Harcourt refinery has roared back to life after many years of coma induced by incompetence.

The operation of both refineries and the revamp of other refineries in the country should change the complexion of the fuel economy in Nigeria. This will in turn reduce the price of fuel. That can be a catalyst for easing the hardship crushing millions of Nigerian families. It may just be what the doctor ordered for Nigeria. It may just be the elixir Nigeria needs as hope is the ultimate discovery as the elixir of life.

Kene Obiezu,
keneobiezu@gmail.com