The Halliday Chieftaincy House of Grand Bonny Kingdom now has a Chief and Head in the person of Wari-Alabo (Hon) Adienyesigha John Philip Halliday, ALOKI XV.

Wari-Alabo Halliday will also serve as the Paramount Head of the Halliday Group of Houses of Bonny Kingdom comprising the Halliday Major Chieftaincy House and Jim-Halliday Chieftaincy House.

The installation ceremony took place on Tuesday, November 19, 2024 at the Halliday Opuwari in Halliday Agbalama Community in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State.

The Bonny Chiefs Council (BCC), represented by the Chiefs and Heads of Jim-Halliday House, Se-Alabo Elliot Jim-Halliday, Christy-Wilcox House, Se-Alabo Golden Christy-Wilcox, and Jack-Manilla Pepple House, Se-Alabo Iganima Jack-Manilla Pepple, respectively, overwatched the process to ensure it was consistent with Ibani custom and tradition.

In his remarks, the newly installed Chief and Head of the Halliday Major Chieftaincy House and Paramount Head of the Halliday Group of House, Wari-Alabo (Hon) Adienyesigha John Philip Halliday, Aloki XV, expressed his gratitude to the Amanyanabo and Natural Ruler of Bonny Kingdom, His Majesty, King Edward Asimini William Dappa Pepple III, CON, DSSRS, JP, Edward I, Perekule XI, for the fatherly roles he played that culminated in the installation ceremony.

He also thanked the Chairman and members of the Bonny Chiefs Council (BCC) for supporting the House to overcome its internecine disputes and eventually install a Chief and Head, noting that “what you did was a demonstration of love to this House and a commitment to your duties. As a House, we won’t take it for granted”.

He also appealed to members of the House to converge on the principles of fairness, equity and justice, saying these would form the fulcrum of his leadership style, asserting that the landmark judgement in favour of the House was a “victory for all of us, as there is no victor, no vanquished”.

“To the Halliday House, I do not see any greater honour that can be done to a man than his people trusting him with their destinies. I promise you I will not betray this trust.”

“I understand that every position attained by man, whether traditional, political or religious, it is a call to serve. By the grace of God, I will do my very best to provide leadership that will be about true reconciliation, inclusivity, peace and progress in the Halliday Group of Houses and beyond.”

The Chairman of the Halliday Chieftaincy House, Amaopusenibo Victor Halliday, presided over the proceedings that saw to the fulfilment of the traditional rites of emplacing a new leadership for the House.

Amaopusenibo Halliday, who is a former Managing Director of the Rivers State Microfinance Agency (RIMA), will now in line with Ibani customs and tradition revert to the position of Vice Chairman of the House.

This is due to the fact that in Bonny Kingdom the Chief and Head of the House is by default the Chairman of his cabinet.  

Next stop is the last leg of the chieftaincy installation process in Bonny Kingdom, which is the presentation of the new Chief to the Amanyanabo-in-Council, who will subsequently induct him into the Bonny Chiefs Council thus making him a country chief.

Consequent upon that he will now bear the title of “Se-Alabo” and discard the “Wari-Alabo” title he bears upon being capped Chief, as well as sit with his fellow country chiefs and administer the Kingdom with the Amanyanabo-in-Council.  

Checks by Kristina Reports indicate a celebrative mood across the Halliday Major Chieftaincy House just they elatedly anticipate the imminent presentation of their Chief and Head to the Amanyanabo and Natural Ruler of Bonny Kingdom.

Photo Credits: Gasa Digital