That Bonny Kingdom in Rivers State, Nigeria was symbolically shut down on Saturday, December 5, 2020 is an understatement given the massive turnout of chiefs, titled citizens, community members, non-native residents, visitors and friends of the King Perekule royal family to pay their last respects to late Princess Genevieve Kamba William Dappa Pepple.
The deceased Princess Kamba, a mother of two daughters, and wife to Mr. Christopher Hart, was the younger sister of the Amanyanabo and Natural Ruler of Bonny Kingdom, His Majesty, King Edward William Dappa Pepple III, CON, Perekule XI.
At the funeral service in her honour held at the St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Bonny, the Dean, Very Reverend Richard Hart, in his sermon titled “Grass”, extolled her virtues, noting that hers was a life well lived, stressing that the leitmotifs from her life were instructive to men and women of various estates in life.
Very Rev Hart expatiated on the transience of life, admonishing his audience to draw lessons from the grass, which he described as “existing without the help of humans, dried up by harsh weather, decimated by death but lives ever after and continuously,” pointing out that like the grass, the late Princess Kamba’s existence were littered with interventions of divine grace thus making her a wonder to her world.
In attendance to condole with His Majesty, King Pepple III, Perekule XI, were a former Minister of Transport and Achin III of Okrika Kingdom, Alabo Dr. Abiye Sekibo, Paramount Ruler of Yenaka-Attisa Kingdom, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, His Royal Highness, King Ovie Owen Omeleh, representative of the Ndama Wariapu, Queens Town, Opobo Kingdom, Warisenibo Henry Uranta, Board Chairman, Rivers State University Teaching Hospital (RSUTH), Dr. Nimi Hart, and the Bonny Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (BOCCIMA) represented by the Director General, Mrs. Constance Nwokejiobi, Board member, Amaopusenibo Biekpo Chapp-Jumbo, and Financial Secretary, Amaopusenibo Samuel Jumbo.
There was also a high powered delegation from the Nigeria LNG comprising the Managing Director, Mr. Tony Attah, his wife, Mrs. Oma Attah, General Manager, External Relations and Sustainable Development, Mrs. Eyono Fatayi-Williams, General Manager, Production, Mr. Adeleye Falade, Manager, Community Relations and Sustainable Development, Mr. Godson Dienye, and Senior Engagement Officer, Nelson Braide.
The Nigerian Legislature was represented by former members of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Randolph Brown and Rt. Hon. Tonye Longjohn, and a former member of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Aye Pepple. A former Directing Staff, Institute of Security Studies and former Executive Director, Rivers Sustainable Development Agency (RSSDA), Amasenibo Larry Pepple; and a former Commissioner of Finance, Rivers State, Amaopusenibo Israel Williams were also present.
Also in attendance were the Chairman of Bonny LGA, Hon. David Irimagha, his Vice, Hon. Anengi Barasua, a former Chairman of Bonny LGA, Amasenibo Edward Pepple, former caretaker Committee Chairmen of Bonny LGA, Warisenibo Cyril Hart, Amaopusenibo Nelson Irimagha, and Amasenibo Isobonye Tobin; and a Rivers State Representative on the Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Hon. Tekena Flag Amachree.
Key institutions of the Ibani-Se (Bonny Kingdom) such as the Bonny Council of Chiefs (BCC) led by its Chairman, Chief Dagogo Wilcox, and his Vice, Chief Hanniel Jack-Wilson Pepple; Bonny Kingdom Titled Citizens Assembly (TCA) led its President and pioneer Director General of the Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE), Professor Ndi Okereke-Onyiuke, and Secretary, Amaopusenibo Frederick Pepple, and the Bonny Women Forum (BYF) led its Leader and Woman Leader of Bonny Kingdom, Amaopu-Orubo Helen Jack-Wilson Pepple, and Secretary, Mrs. Lily Hart, the Bonny Youth Federation (BYF) led by its Leader, Comrade Emmanuel Finecountry, his Deputy, Osobonye Longjohn, and Secretary, Boma Halliday, and the Bonny Integrated Recruitment Centre (BIRC) led by its Chairman, Dagogo Jumbo, his Vice, Ida Benstowe, and Secretary, Ibifuro Longjohn, were also on hand to pay their last respects to the late Princess.
Kristina Reports, which reported the event live from the venue of the funeral service, observed deliberate compliance to the COVID-19 protocols as the about 500 attendees were provided with free surgical facemasks while hand sanitizers were administered at the entrance to the church premises.
A combined team comprising the Nigerian Army (NA), Nigerian Navy (NN), Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Department of State Service (DSS), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Boys Scout, and Bonny Youth Federation (BYF) ad hoc security team, provided general security, managed access and crowd control, and overwatch of the venues for the funeral service and interment, including the Bonny River behind the church premises.
Dressed in an off-white jumper embellished with silver coloured studs, Ibani native cap, a Victorian Walking Cane, and Greggo Lip Gloss shoe, the Bonny Monarch, accompanied by his wife, Queen Paula William Dappa Pepple, sat through the funeral service, joined the prelate procession escorting the casket to the Rolls Royce hearse waiting outside, and then had a photo session with the priests who ministered during the service.
The mournful crowd escorted the remains of the late Princess to the King Perekule Palace where it was interred amidst tears and wailings from her surviving family members.
In a chat with Kristina Reports on the sidelines of the funeral service, Chairman of the Bonny Environmental Consultants Committee (BECC), Professor Sodienye Abere expressed his sympathy over the loss of the late Princess Kamba, noting that the massive turnout at her funeral activities underscored how her life impacted Bonny Kingdom as a whole.
A former Caretaker Committee Chairman of Bonny LGA, Warisenibo Cyril Hart empathized with the Amanyanabo of Bonny Kingdom, eulogizing the late Princess Kamba’s virtues while alive, and pleading with God Almighty to console the King and the bereaved royal family.
On his part, Vice President of the Bonny Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (BOCCIMA), Amaopusenibo Samuel Jumbo said that the chamber was grieved at the passing of the late Princess, stating that the entire board and members of the chamber condole with the Amanyanabo of Bonny Kingdom at this time, praying God to grant him the fortitude to bear the loss.
Also speaking, a former Chairman of the Bonny Integrated Recruitment Centre (BIRC), Comrade Aladiokuma Hart expressed sadness over the death of late Princess Kamba, noting that her loss has impacted on the Bonny Monarch given their closeness while she lived, urging him to take solace in God who is able to comfort him at a time like this.
Woman Leader of Bonny Kingdom, Amaopu-Orubo Helen Jack-Wilson Pepple, in an interview with journalists, expressed the pain of Bonny women at the loss of their dear Princess, noting that the beautiful qualities she exhibited during her lifetime were worthy of emulation by those still living, saying that the prayers of the women were with the Amanyanabo, Queen Paula, the Queen Mother, and the entire royal family at this time of grief.
Highpoint of the funeral service were special renditions by the Coordinator of the Bonny Marriage Registry, Constance Brown, Choir Master of the St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Bonny, Ibifubara William Jumbo, and the St. Stephen’s Cathedral Choir.
The entire Bonny mainland was in a shutdown mood as residents volunteered to stay off work as a mark of honour to the departed, while indigenes and non-natives turned out in their respective traditional attires to honour the passing of the late Princess Genevieve Kamba William Dappa Pepple.
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