As part of measures to actualize his developmental vision, the Amanyanabo and Natural Ruler of Bonny Kingdom, His Majesty, King Dr Edward Asimini William Dappa Pepple III, CON, JP, Perekule XI, has inaugurated the reconstituted Bonny Kingdom Development Committee (BKDC).

The Bonny Monarch while inaugurating the committee on Saturday, November 5, 2022 at the King Perekule Palace, Bonny, expressed his anticipation that the rejigged BKDC would engage relevant stakeholders to drive the infrastructural and human capacity development of Bonny.

A statement signed by Warisenibo Christian Ezekiel-Hart on behalf of the King Perekule Palace Media and made available to Kristina Reports, said His Majesty, the King, represented by the Chairman of Bonny Chiefs’ Council, Se-Alabo (Lt. Col.) Dagogo Claude-Wilcox, Rtd., charged members of BKDC to remain focused on their mandate and pay no attention to distractions as they undertake their new assignments.

According to the statement, members of the newly inaugurated Bonny Kingdom Development Committee (BKDC) comprised Amaopusenibo Amairigha Edward Hart, Chairman; Amasenibo Tonye Willie-Pepple, PhD, Vice Chairman; Amasenibo Daddy Dappa, PhD, Secretary; and Amasenibo Blessing Ezekiel-Hart, and Furo Iwo Brown, as members.

Other members are Albert Ezekiel-Hart, Mrs. Lolo Hailsham, Samuel Theophilus Hart, Biekpo Chapp-Jumbo, Amasenibo Dite Wilcox, Amasenibo Hamlet Jumbo, Amaopusenibo Samuel Hart, Samuel Owunabo Tobin, Mrs. Christaben Frank-Hart, and Christopher Allaputa.

He congratulated them on their appointment, stressing that it is not going to be business as usual as Council will be receiving quarterly report on activities of the Committee.

In his acceptance speech on behalf of members of the committee, Amaopusenibo Amairigha Hart thanked His Majesty, the King and the Bonny Chiefs’ Council for finding them worthy to serve in the capacity they have been appointed to, pledging to commit their best efforts for the overall development and benefit of Bonny people.

The inauguration of the reconstituted Bonny Kingdom Development Committee (BKDC) is expected to jumpstart the development agenda of Bonny Kingdom as envisioned by her Monarch, His Majesty, King Edward Pepple III, Con, JP, Perekule XI, which encompasses the Bonny Masterplan, Bonny-Dubai Vision, Asimini Line and Bonny Kingdom Free Trade Zone (BKFTZ).

Though envisaged by the Bonny Monarch, the first two are key items on the stable of a partnership between Bonny Kingdom and the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (NLNG), while the last two are been driven by the Bonny Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (BOCCIMA).

Knowledgeable sources see the BKDC inauguration as strategically critical to the full activation of this quadru-pronged development agenda which is expected to see to the massive infrastructural overhaul of Bonny Island, stimulation of investment initiatives and human capital development all aimed at repositioning Bonny Island as a thriving and globally acknowledged economic hub.