There was time when telephone and electricity poles competed for space along our city roads. They still do, though. But the difference is that the present comatose state of NITEL and the emergence of mobile telephony have put paid to the prevalence of roadside telephone poles.

NITEL, by the way, is an acronym for the irrepressible national controversy that has continued to be known as the Nigerian Telecommunications Plc.

Instances abound where telephone and electricity wires droop dangerously across city streets. They have also been known to form very irritating twines and tangles on the same utility pillars.

While this may still be the situation in most cities across the country, it is certainly not the case anymore in Port Harcourt where the unrelenting effort of the present administration at road construction and rehabilitation has led to the dislocation of such unsightly poles.

What is now becoming worrisome, however, is the menace being posed by leftovers of the so-called street carnivals.

In truth, these events are gradually but steadily taking root as natural sequels to the yearly Port Harcourt Cultural Carnival, otherwise known as CARNIRIV. No sooner would the state government conclude its hosting of the now revived cultural fiesta than youths of most major streets in Port Harcourt city and adjoining Obio/Akpor communities commence preparations for their own funfairs, among other year-end activities.

But whereas the state event is geared toward showcasing the people’s rich cultural heritage via a carefully planned programme of activities lasting for no more than one month, its street sequels are largely without any semblance of a cultural outing. The entire celebration which often starts with inter-street football derbies usually culminates in an all-night, open-air musical jamboree.

A radio presenter in the city almost shouted herself hoarse while attempting to call the attention of sanitation authorities to the environmental mess that was created by funsters in the aftermath of a recent street carnival on Obi Wali Road in Rumuigbo.

One of the earliest indicators of such funfests is the hoisting of colourful light bulbs in a crisscrossing pattern along the entire stretch of the celebrating street. What’s more, it is even being rumoured that sponsorship of such activities has now become the holy grail of serving and aspiring local government councillors.

Surely, such events usually present an opportunity for the very canny politician to fully identify with his constituents in the hope that they will remain beholden to him, especially on election day.

One is by no means condemning the hosting of carnivals or jamborees by whatever name they may be called. If for nothing else, such events, especially when organised at night by the youths themselves, serve to substantiate government’s claim to the return of nightlife in the state capital after some years of regional insecurity.

However, the obverse of all this remains the observation that months after CARNIRIV and the end-of-year street jamborees, some city neighbourhoods still have their ceremonial bulbs on hoist, apparently awaiting the other celebrations that fall due as  the year runs.

Not only have these drooping live wires become dangerous to unsuspecting pedestrians, they have also been seen to obstruct vehicular flow on some popular routes in town.

It is not uncommon for fire service trucks and their accompanying water bowsers to respond to an emergency call by driving through winding alternate routes just because a more direct access route is cluttered with overhanging utility lines.

One needs not mention such other big vehicles like refuse compactor trucks, Coca Cola sales trucks, sewage disposal tankers, water supply tankers, refrigerated trucks, fuel tankers, tipper trucks and sundry lorries whose drivers hardly escape harassments by wayward boys whenever their vehicles violate an overhanging bulb or wire.

For a city like Port Harcourt whose destination branding has already gone into overdrive, anything that would constitute a hindrance to investors wishing for a smooth distribution of their products and services around town should be dismantled. And now, to my mind, is the psychological moment to do just that.

Ibelema Jumbo