Over time the face of governance has changed in Nigeria. The philosophy of arm chair governance seems to have given way to pragmatic approach to governance. Gone are the days of waiting for allocation from the federation account.

The drive to deliver on election promises in the face of dwindling income has made government to begin to think out of the box on how to increase their income base. Equally, strategists and technocrats in government have also birthed the idea of creating and expanding opportunities for the populace.

Rivers State Government is not left out of this movement. Brand Port Harcourt was created for this purpose.

The idea to make provision for youths in government’s programme is understandable.  They represent tomorrow; they have the drive and are adventurous. They are at their best when brought into contact with that which resonates with them.

Port Harcourt has indeed undergone a thorough positioning and transformation as a brand. It is now a brand that commands attention from the target audience. What makes the Port Harcourt brand thick?

It is the conception of solid ideas and laudable feats that have helped in shaping the image of the brand. Port Harcourt has thus become an alluring destination of choice through several platforms that have differentiated its brand identity. It is also known as Rivers of Opportunities Now.

One of the laudable platforms that have portrayed Port Harcourt as a distinct brand is the International Fashion Week. The fashion event is a concrete platform to make Port Harcourt a destination brand and showcase the numerous possibilities that exist in Rivers State.

The repositioning drive of the Rotimi Amaechi – led government has yielded enormous benefits with the fashion fiesta which kicked off last year. The government dabbled into creative economy not only to exemplify the values of the Port Harcourt brand but also to empower the youthful segment.

To further buttress this, the face of the Native and Vogue competition is organised to equip and empower students. The students will also serve as Rivers State youth ambassadors for a year in addition to N500, 000 prize money.

The Native and Vogue event has indeed redefined the image of the Port Harcourt while also leveraging its positive values.

Fashion is being utilized not only to develop the potentials of the state but also a capacity building and empowerment platform for youths. The annual fashion event rivals South Africa and Paris in terms of planning, grandeur and glitz.

It has remained a veritable avenue to develop the potentials of youths and also provide avenue for them to showcase their innate talents and endowments.

This aligns with the aspirations of the youthful audience to showcase their innate capabilities and talents. Fashion is an appealing platform that aligns with the aspiration of the youth. Rivers State government embraces this opportunity to further empower the youths and engage them positively.

The Native & Vogue project was conceived by Neo Mantra and the Rivers State Government which serves as a platform for aspiring designers to showcase the great wealth of local talent that abound in Nigeria and also the rest of Africa.

Essentially, this is an exclusive platform for high and global designers and models across Africa to celebrate the totality of African Fashion where Port Harcourt would be hosting some of the world’s biggest names in both the modeling and designing.

The annual native and vogue event is designed not only to explore the potentials of the youthful populace but it is also to develop the creative economy and project the huge potentials of the fashion industry.

The annual event parades the finest and best in international and local fashion. Several local fashion designers made huge revenue selling all their designs at the event.

Native and Vogue International Fashion Week has become bigger than ever; putting into perspective the dreams and aspirations of the youth of Rivers State, thus giving them a chance to jump start their budding careers.

A fashion event with a difference, the Native and Vogue Port Harcourt International Fashion week goes way beyond the glitz and glamour.

It is  a veritable platform that is able to throw up many young business entrepreneurs, thus decongesting the labour market. The benefit of the week is myriad.

Beyond fashion and the creative economy, Port Harcourt has remained the book capital. It has opened its doors to renowned authors in order to drive its brand essence. Port Harcourt has embraced literature and positioned as a brand developing the knowledge economy.

The annual literary festival and book fair has further elevated the status of the Port Harcourt brand beyond the mundane.

Through its avowed interest to promote literacy and literary knowledge, the Port Harcourt brand has attracted best writers such as Wole Soyinka, Ola Rotimi, Kaine Agary and several others. It was also a resounding applause for the Port Harcourt brand when the Rivers State Government hosted Professor Wole Soyinka on its 80th birthday.

The essence of the Port Harcourt brand has been redefined with its unique attributes of safety, security and peaceful ambience being exemplified.

The personality of the brand resonates more with the target audience as serene atmosphere for living, pleasure and business. This new identity restores the originality of the Port Harcourt brand as one with enormous socio-economic potentials.

The Rivers of possibilities campaign also set a new agenda for public discourse on the positioning for Port Harcourt as a forward looking brand where several positive things take the front burner of life and business.

The state has expanded its scope in terms of its efforts to advance brand Port Harcourt essence. Some of projects conceived and executed by the government are in tandem with the cosmopolitan nature of the city and being the oil capital of Nigeria.

It is therefore safe to say it’s first-ever monorail to ferry 40,000 passengers daily is tangential and well situated. After all, the strength of any viable economy can be measured in terms of the efficacy of its transportation system.

The massive Greater Port Harcourt City project is another business opportunity the state has opened. Of course, massive and large construction works are expected in this project.

But before then, one need to consider the business opportunities the project has thrown up in the areas of surveying, architecture, engineering, plumbing, carpentry, wielding, interior decors, and massive employment opportunities for artisans and skilled labours that would drive this project to fruition.

Further to reinforce the brand massage, the state government has built and equipped 180 primary healthcare centres, two tertiary health institutions across the state; built 500 out of the planned 750 world-class primary schools; built two additional power stations in Afam and completed three inherited ones and invested over N100bn  per annum on roads, bridges and social infrastructures.