#RenamePortHarcourt: Lewis Harcourt Whom Rivers Capital Is Named After Was A Rapist And Paedophile

Port Harcourt, capital of Rivers State in southern Nigeria, is named after Lewis Vernon Harcourt.

Harcourt was a British Liberal Party politician who held the Cabinet post of Secretary of State for the Colonies from 1910 to 1915.

When the port was established in 1912, there was much controversy about the name it should receive.

In August 1913, the Governor-General of Nigeria, Sir Frederick Lugard wrote to Harcourt, then Secretary of State for the Colonies, that “in the absence of any convenient local name, I would respectfully ask your permission to call this Port Harcourt”.

The Secretary of State replied, “It gives me pleasure to accede to your suggestion that my name should be associated with the new Port”.

Harcourt nicknamed “Loulou” was known in London Society as a sexual predator of the young of both genders.

He attempted to sexually assault Dorothy Brett, the daughter of Viscount Esher, when she was about 15.

Dorothy Brett wrote of him that “It is so tiresome that Loulou is such an old roué. He is as bad with boys as with girls… he is simply a sex maniac. It isn’t that he is in love. It is just ungovernable sex desire for both sexes”.

After being faced with public condemnation, Lewis Harcourt reputedly committed suicide at his London home on February 24, 1922 at the age of 59.

Is this the person whose name Rivers capital — Port Harcourt is named after?

Undoubtedly, as a decent society, there’s every need to change the name of Port Harcourt to a native Rivers name.

Please support this campaign with hashtag #RenamePortHarcourt on all social media platforms.

ORIENTAL TIMES, NIGERIA.