The Old Government Reserved Area (Old GRA) is a neighborhood of the city of Port Harcourt,

Rivers State Rivers State, also known as Rivers, is a state in the Niger Delta region of southern Nigeria (Old Eastern Region). Formed in 1967, when it was split from the former Eastern Region, Rivers State borders include: Imo to the north, Abia and Akwa Ib ...

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...

. It was primarily inhabited by

European European, or Europeans, or Europeneans, may refer to: In general * ''European'', an adjective referring to something of, from, or related to Europe ** Ethnic groups in Europe ** Demographics of Europe ** European cuisine, the cuisines of Europe ...

settlers during

colonial times The ''Colonial Times'' was a newspaper in what is now the Australian state of Tasmania. It was established as the ''Colonial Times, and Tasmanian Advertiser'' in 1825 in Hobart, Van Diemen's Land Van Diemen's Land was the colon ...

and was then referred to as the ''European quarters''. Old GRA is the location of the

Rivers State House of Assembly Rivers State House of Assembly is the legislative branch of the Government of Rivers State inaugurated in 1979. It is a unicameral body with 32 members elected into 32 state constituencies. The current Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly ...

, the

People's Democratic Party People's Democratic Party or ''variant thereof'', could refer to: * People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan *People's Democratic Party (Belize) *People's Democratic Party (Bhutan) *People's Democratic Party (Chile) * People's Democratic Party (Dom ...

Secretariat and the

NEPAD The New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) is an economic development program of the African Union. NEPAD was adopted at the 37th session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government in July 2001 in Lusaka, Zambia. NEPAD aims to p ...

Rivers State Secretariat. The neighborhood is also notable as the Port Harcourt home of Nigeria's previous first lady,

Patience Jonathan Dame Patience Faka Jonathan (''née'' iwari)(born 25 October 1957) is a Nigerian civil servant who served as the First Lady of Nigeria from 2010 to 2015 and second lady of Nigeria from 2007 to 2010. She is the wife of former president and Vice p ...

Geography

As a mixed-use area, Old GRA combines residential, recreational and business uses. The neighborhood is bordered to the east by Abuloma, to the north by the D-line neighborhood, to the west by Diobu and Kidney Island and to the south by Borokiri. It comprises the land covered by the Zip code 500241.

Education

Schools

Elementary and secondary schools or other educational establishments operating within Old GRA's boundaries include: *

Bereton Montessori Nursery and Primary School Bereton Montessori Nursery and Primary School is a Private school, private, mixed-sex education school in Rivers State, Nigeria. The school has campuses in Old GRA, Port Harcourt, Old GRA and Stadium Road in Port Harcourt. As its name suggests, th ...

, 8 Ernest Ikoli Street *

Faith Baptist College Faith Baptist College (FBC) is a private, Christian, coeducational secondary school. It is located in the Old GRA neighborhood of Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital. It is owned and operated by the Faith Baptist Church of the Nigerian Ba ...

, 2 Rumuoparaeli Street * Sea Bed Model Primary School * Port Harcourt Primary School (PHPS) * Padod Model Primary School, 1 Eleme Street * Maple Education Inc, 20 Igbodo Street *

Starlets Academy Starlets Academy is a school located in Old GRA, Port Harcourt in Rivers State, Nigeria. It has both a secondary and primary school A primary school (in Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and South Afri ...

, 5 Yola Street

Landmarks

Isaac Boro Park Isaac Boro Park is a public park and outdoor recreation area located along the Old GRA neighborhood of Rivers State capital, Port Harcourt. The park is named after Isaac Boro, who was one of the pioneers of minority rights activism in Niger ...

, public park established in the 1970s. Named after nationalist leader

Isaac Boro Major Isaac Jasper Adaka Boro (10 September 1938 – 9 May 1968), fondly called "Boro", was a Nigerian nationalist, Ijaw, and soldier. He was one of the pioneers of minority rights activism in Nigeria. He was many parts and different things t ...

Notable residents (past and present)

(born 1957), former

First Lady of Nigeria The first lady of Nigeria is an informal, but accepted title, held by the wife of the president of Nigeria. The current first lady is Oluremi Tinubu who has held the title since 29 May 2023. The Constitution of Nigeria does not create an office ...

References

External links

{{Port Harcourt neighbourhoods Old GRA Neighbourhoods in Port Harcourt European Nigerian culture in Rivers State