Photo Credits: Amaopusenibo Dennis Ezekiel-Hart

Though a day of glitz and glamour, for the Queen of Bonny Kingdom, Her Majesty, Queen Paula, and her husband, the Amanyanabo and Natural Ruler of Bonny Kingdom, His Majesty, King Edward Asimini William Dappa Pepple III, CON, Perekule XI, it was a sad day.

It was a day to pay last respects to the King’s father-in-law, Late Amaopusenibo Lawrence Apawari Igoni Benstowe, who passed on to the great beyond recently.

During his lifetime, the deceased was a distinguished titled citizen (Amaopusenibo) of Bonny Kingdom, and the Chairman of the Elders’ Council of the Benstowe Chieftaincy House of Grand Bonny Kingdom. It was no surprise the sheer mammoth crowd that turned out to mourn his departure.

The last journey began from the Ashes to Ashes Mortuary, Bonny to the Benstowe Chieftaincy House Opuwari, adjacent to the famous Ikuba Square, where a short Valedictory Session was held in his honour. Chief and Head of the originating house of the Benstowe House, Captain Hart House, Se-Alabo Reginald Hart, who presided over the session, praised the astute qualities of the deceased during his lifetime.

From there the remains of the deceased, accompanied by the colourful motorcade that comprised the funeral procession, moved to his family house, the Igoni Family Home, at Orosikiri Community, from where the motorcade that was an endless convoy of several vehicles moved to the Ibanise Hall, Akiama, Bonny.

President of the Bonny Kingdom Titled Citizens Assembly, Professor Ndi Okereke-Onyiuke, who was the first female Director General of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), received the deceased accompanied by Queen Paula, the chief mourner and her brother, Mr. Kalada Benstowe, and their siblings, at the Ibanise Hall, where a Valedictory Session was being held in his honour.  

Prof. Okereke-Onyiuke was accompanied by the Vice Chairman of the Bonny Chiefs Council (BCC), Se-Alabo Hanniel Jack-Wilson Pepple, a former Chairman of the BCC, Se-Alabo Reginald Hart, Secretary of the BCC, Se-Alabo Arthur Willie-Pepple, Secretary of the King Perekule Palace, Se-Alabo Abel Attoni, a former members of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Randolph Brown, and Rt. Hon. Tonye Longjohn, and Woman Leader of Bonny Kingdom, Amaopuorubo Helen Jack-Wilson Pepple.

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Among the TCA, were President of the Bonny Gentlemen’s League (BGL), Amaopusenibo Olam Allwell-Brown, Chairman, Bonny Kingdom Local Content Compliance Committee (BKLCCC), Secretary, Bonny Environment Consultants Committee (BECC), Amaopusenibo Amairigha Hart, and a former Commissioner for Finance, Amaopusenibo Israel Williams.

The TCA, through its President, Amaopu-orubo (Prof) Ndi Okereke Onyiuke eulogized the late Benstowe, extolling his achievements in terms of human capital development, advancing the cause of Bonny Kingdom, and excellent management of his family, which has bequeathed Bonny Kingdom with Queen Paula, who is the mother of heir apparent to the King Perekule throne.

In his homily, the Vicar, St. Bartholomew’s Anglican Church, Burukiri, Bonny, Venerable Peter Blu-Attoni praised the values and principles by which the late Benstowe lived his life, enjoining the living to take a cue from his exemplars, noting that God’s reward awaits those who utilize his grace to add value to the lives of their fellow humans.

Giving a tribute in honour of the late Benstowe, on behalf of his colleagues, Vice Chairman of the Bonny Chiefs Council, Se-Alabo Hanniel Jack-Wilson Pepple stated that the sterling contributions of the deceased qualify him for the greatest of plaudits, noting that Bonny Kingdom has lost a rare gem who distinguished himself in various leadership roles he was saddled with.

From the Ibanise Hall, Akiama the funeral procession moved to the deceased’s residence at Aganya, where an open air funeral service was held in his honour by the Logos Ministries, Bonny Branch.

The remains of the late Amaopusenibo Lawrence Apawari Igoni Benstowe, who, during his lifetime, was the Chairman of the Benstowe Chieftaincy House and father-in-law to the Amanyanabo and Natural Ruler of Grand Bonny Kingdom, His Majesty, King Edward Asimini William Dappa Pepple III, CON, Perekule XI was interred at the Bonny Cemetery at about 5pm on Saturday, March 27, 2021.

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His demise marks an era of fêted leadership, self-effacing social impact drive, and diligence in the preservation of Bonny Kingdom’s traditional and cultural ethos that were the hallmarks of the life he lived while on earth.

Many have noted that though a father-in-law to one of the most celebrated traditional rulers in Nigeria, if not globally, the late Benstowe was hardly seen in the King Perekule Palace.

His humility was legendary, his wisdom was ever apt, his humanity was self-evident, and more importantly, his family was closely knit and his children blessed with the blessing of an available father.

It is no wonder the crème-de-la-crème of Bonny Kingdom and beyond were on hand to accord him the last honour they could avail him. Among them were the Chairman of Bonny LGA, Hon. David Irimagha, his Vice, Hon. Anengi Barasua, President of D-Court Hotel, Amaopusenibo Dimieari Green, political officeholders, captains of industry, heads of government institutions, and community leaders, among others.