Photo Credits: Amaopusenibo Dennis Ezekiel-Hart

Bonny Island, headquarters of Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State was agog with celebration on Saturday, 25 January 2020 as the Amanyanabo and Natural Ruler of the ancient Kingdom of Grand Bonny, His Majesty, King Edward Asimini William Dappa Pepple III, CON, JP, Perekule XI, visited the Jack-Wilson Pepple House of the kingdom.

Chief and Head of the house, Chief Hanniel Tamunoiwarisoma Jack-Wilson Pepple, Minafigha VIII, Ojuigbe XIII, received him at the family compound of the house, popularly referred as Polo Nkwere.

Little Miss Olivia Idanye Pepple presented the Amanyanabo and Natural Ruler with a bouquet of flowers upon his arrival at the entrance of the family compound, which is adjacent to the King Perekule Palace, Bonny.

To kick-start the occasion, both Christian and traditional prayers were offered by the Bonny Kingdom Women Leader, Amaopu-Orubo Helen Jack-Wilson Pepple, and Warisenibo Roland Jack-Wilson Pepple, respectively.   

The Amanyanabo of Bonny Kingdom, His Majesty, King Edward Asimini William Dappa Pepple III, CON, JP, Perekule XI, praised the Jack-Wilson Pepple House for hosting him, noting that their place in the scheme of things in Bonny Kingdom was strategic, including the siting of their Opuwari (family house) close to the King Perekule Palace.

King Pepple III, popularly referred as the ‘Black Monarch’, was accompanied on the historic visit by the Chairman of the Bonny Council of Chiefs (BCC), Chief Dagogo Wilcox, Secretary of the King Perekule Palace, Chief Abel Attoni, Chief Reginald Hart, Chief Ezekiel-Hart, and Chief Adda-Allison.

The Leader of the Ibani race, a component of the larger Ijaw ethnic nationality, urged members of the House to take advantage of the various initiatives in the kingdom for their socio-economic development.

Extoling the sterling leadership qualities of the Chief and Head of the House, Chief Hanniel Jack-Wilson Pepple, the Head of the Bonny Kingdom’s traditional institution, posited that he (Chief Hanniel Jack-Wilson Pepple) was an epitome of capacity, competence, and charisma needed for driving positive initiatives and pursuing public good for the generality of all, enjoining members of the House to accord him the needed support to continue attracting positive things to the House.

He pointed out that Bonny Kingdom was at the threshold of a new phase of socio-economic development that will be driven by concerted actions involving diverse stakeholders and thus the buy-in of the House was needed for the kingdom to move forward, asserting that “being united, speaking with one voice and having one mind will pay you better in the days to come”. 

Earlier, Chief Hanniel Jack-Wilson Pepple, Minafigha VIII, Ojuigbe XIII, had praised the King for honouring their invitation and accepting to visit the House, noting this was an epochal visit that was a perfect demonstration of his love for the people of Jack-Wilson Pepple and Bonny Kingdom in general.   

“Today is a very important day for us. This event is ground-breaking and unprecedented in the history of the kingdom that a King, a sitting King will make an official visit to a chieftaincy house in Bonny, there is none known to me. For us the coming of the King is a blessing because the presence of the King signifies the presence of God. And whoever that the king blesses like the scripture says is blessed by God.”

“We demonstrated that we love our king. We demonstrated that we have confidence in his leadership. We demonstrated that we believe in Bonny Kingdom ad all of us must work together under the king to ensure that Bonny Kingdom develops. That is our dream, a greater Bonny, a better Bonny.”

He expressed appreciation to the King for the confidence reposed in members of the House by committing them with key and strategic responsibilities across the Kingdom such as Amasenibo Abinye Pepple, who is the lawmaker representing Bonny Constituency in the Rivers State House of Assembly, Amaopu-Orubo Helen Jack-Wilson Pepple, who is the Bonny Kingdom Women Leader, and himself, who is the Chief supervising the Bonny Environment Committee, the Bonny Kingdom Local Content Committee, amongst several other roles.

In a chat with Kristina Reports, Chairman of the Bonny Council of Chiefs (BCC), Chief Dagogo Wilcox described the occasion as “an unprecedented royal visit,” saying “it is the first time in our history (for the King) to start going round all the houses. The kind of appreciation he received has shown the lot he has done”.

On his part, Chief and Head of the Captain Hart Group of Houses, Chief Reginald Hart expressed optimism that the visit will engender positive developments across the Kingdom.

“The significance of today’s visit is that it is an historic visit that will flag off many developments in the kingdom because as I said in my speech while proposing the toast if he can go on to other houses like this too it will foster more and more unity, love, deeper administrative capability, and management and more achievements for the kingdom”. 

The Bonny Kingdom Women Leader, Amaopu-Orubo Helen Pepple ascribed praise to God for the visit of the Amanyanabo, noting that it underscored the affection the King had for the people of Jack-Wilson Pepple House, calling on all to leverage the opportunities being secured by the kingdom for community.

“We, actually give glory to God that we have a king that is reachable, a king that is accessible. A precedent was set today by the Jack-Wilson Pepple Major House whereby we had an interactive session with him. He told us the plans he has for Bonny Kingdom, the challenges before us. He was able to define our weaknesses, opportunities and the threats before us. So, what else can we ask for?”

“It is now left for every son and daughter of this kingdom to go and work because the Bible says ‘the hand of the diligent shall be made fat’. If you find yourself in business you will excel, you want to work it is available, train 7 is by the corner. So, we give God the glory”.  

Also speaking, a former Chairman of Bonny LGA, Hon. Omuso Abbey described the visit as “the right to do” and “a good initiative”, stressing that “He is the King of Bonny Kingdom, every family belongs to him. So, what he is doing now is going round the various houses trying to find out about their welfare, hear them out, so that he can articulate the people’s needs and trying to get their pulse”.

“There is personal contact with the people. He wants to hear them out, tell them his dreams and let them key into his vision and with what he will get from their inputs, now make critical and important decisions for the kingdom. So, I think it is a wonderful initiative”.   

Chairman of the Ogbobiri Asawo (youths) of Jack-Wilson Pepple House, Kalada Pipmas expressed delight over the historic visit, noting that it was a great honour done to the House by the Amanyanabo of Bonny, adding that it held huge promise for the youths of the House.

“It means a lot to the youths and the Asa-Awo because it is a great honour for His Majesty to visit the jack-Wilson Pepple House. It is the first in the history of Bonny Kingdom because we have created an history that other houses will love to follow. So, we thank the King enough and we pray that the good Lord should give him more wisdom to lead us all”. 

Also, speaking, an elder of the Anwoparabietogha Burusu of the Juwo-Owubo (Jumbo) Major House of Grand Bonny Kingdom, Amaopusenibo Wilson Jumbo exhilarated over the visit, saying that it was a demonstration of the love and affection the King has for his people, especially, the Jack-Wilson Pepple House.

“To me, it means he has love for the people and without love he will not do it. So, I commend him for what he has done. It is a precedent for others to follow. Whoever has done good will be paid by good. That is what I see happening today. You can see that the people are respectful, obedient and law abiding and, most importantly, very loyal to the kingdom and, more so, to the throne. So, we must have to reciprocate”.