Hamilton Prince is the Youth Leader of the Jack Manilla Pepple Chieftaincy House of Olom Abalama (Oguede) Community in the ancient Grand Bonny Kingdom in Rivers State, Nigeria. In this exclusive interview with the Publisher of Kristina Reports, Godswill Jumbo, the Oguede Youth Leader gave some perspectives on the controversy trailing the headship of the Jack Manilla Pepple Chieftaincy House, amongst other sundry issues. Excerpts:

Kristina Reports: Ripples have continued to trail the assertions of one of your brothers, Iganima Pepple, as regards his claims that Harrigan Adango Pepple is not the Chief and Head of your chieftaincy house. Just days ago, one Emmanuel Pepple granted us an interview wherein he has condemned his actions which he described as an attack on Mr. Harrigan. As a Youth Leader of the Jack Manilla Pepple Chieftaincy House, where do you belong in all of these controversies?

Hamilton Prince: Let me thank you for taking the pains to digest what Emmanuel Pepple has said on behalf of his master, Mr. Harrigan Pepple. I want to correct an impression. Sir Iganima Pepple is not just my boss or my brother alone, he is an opinion leader in my community. He is a well-respected gentleman that we all cherish his style of seeing a way of bringing peace and co-existence in our community, and we believe in him so much. That is why as youths, we are worried and we agreed that I have to speak on behalf of him to debunk these malicious and disrespectful claims by Emmanuel Pepple.

Though we are not the custodians of the customs and tradition of Bonny Kingdom as youths, we have been able to read and ask questions about the customs and tradition of Bonny as it has to do with the selection, capping, and presentation of Chiefs in respect of Bonny Kingdom. From our investigation, Mr. Harrigan, as claimed by Emmanuel Pepple, is not a Chief because the procedures of making a chief was not followed according to Bonny customs and tradition.

Can you make some clarifications as to these procedures?

Before you are made a Chief, you will be nominated by the Elders Council, known as the Wariseniapu, and upon that nomination, the Chief of our Major House, which is the Fubara Manilla Pepple House Chief will come and do the capping, and after the capping, you will be presented to the Amanyanabo-in-Council for acceptance into the Bonny Chiefs Council. Directly after the capping, you will be addressed as Wari-Alabo, and on presentation to the Amanyanabo-in-Council, you will now automatically be called or addressed as Se-Alabo, and that is how Chiefs are made in Bonny.

But Emmanuel Pepple not only stated that these procedures you have outlined now were followed, he also tendered documents signed by elders of the House and named those who were part of the process.

From the information available to us as youths, even though by virtue of our position as youths we are not expected to dabble into the processes of making a chief, but for the purposes of clarification in respect of what Emmanuel Pepple is insinuating there will be need to state categorically our findings on the issue.

We would like our elder Harrigan to tell us if the procedures for chief making as per the customs and tradition of Bonny Kingdom and in particular, the Jack Manilla Pepple House was followed properly. Were the eleven burusu heads in the House present? The ones he claimed not to have representatives, were their representatives admitted into council for the purposes of electing a chief as the tradition of our house demands? Also, was the Chief of our Opuwari, the Fubara Manilla Pepple House there to observe, oversee or cap him as chief? Also, was the Bonny Chiefs Council there to observe the proceedings as demanded in our customs and tradition? These are the few questions, in my ignorance, I would like our dear elder and father, Harrigan Pepple to answer.

If you are insisting that Harrigan Pepple is not the Chief and Head of your House, who then is the Chief?

Well, as we speak, we don’t have a Chief because Mr. Harrigan’s nomination, just as I did say, falls short of the customs and tradition of Bonny Kingdom and he has not been capped. So, right now, we don’t have a Chief; we have the Chairman of the House, which is Prince Adonye Wari.

Now, one of the issues he spoke about was the name of your house; between “Jack Manilla House” and “Jack Manilla Pepple House”, which is the authentic name of your Chieftaincy House?

The correct name of our Chieftaincy House is Jack Manilla Pepple Chieftaincy House, and not Jack Manilla House. The then Chiefs were using the names of the House (Jack Manilla Pepple and Jack Manilla) interchangeably not knowing it would become detrimental to us today; an error that we are now striving to correct in our time so that it will not continue.

But there are documents dated far back, I think around 1965 as claimed by Mr. Emmanuel Pepple, which suggests that the name Jack Manilla House is the legitimate name of the house. What evidence do you have that those saying the contrary are yet to see? Also, has any of your Chiefs borne ‘Jack Manilla Pepple’ in the Chiefs Council before? We ask because, we understand that though his father was Jack Manilla Pepple, the founder of the House, Iye, dropped ‘Pepple’ from his name when he created the House for himself. Are you aware of this?

The House was founded by Jack Ncheke Manilla Pepple. The Iye that Emmanuel Pepple is talking about was a bought member of Ncheke’s House. He was not the founder of the House. There are documents to buttress these facts and even the write-up on the monument at Iye’s grave says the same thing. You can also check the Bonny Kingdom Almanac of 2016 and 2022; the Amanyanabo’s Anniversary Almanac of 2016 to confirm the name of the House. So, it is clear that the name of the House is Jack Manilla Pepple House and Jack Manilla House. Even documents including one titled, ‘Re-Dissolution of Jack Manilla Pepple House’, from Harrigan’s lawyer, E. C. Ukala, SAN, clearly stated Jack Manilla Pepple House as the name of the House. Additionally, one lawyer by name, Barr. M. A. Ichi, Esq. sometime ago requested clarification on the proper name of the House from the Bonny Chiefs Council, the Council responded in a letter dated 6^th of February, 2017 that the proper name of the House is Jack Manilla Pepple House. Also, the sales agreement on the land sold to the Nigerian Navy wherein Mr. Harrigan Pepple represented the House bears Jack Manilla Pepple House. This particular transaction is critical because he (Harrigan Pepple) agreed to sell the said land to the Nigerian Navy for N110,000,000, which account he was yet to give the House for over 17 years now.

Iganima accused Harrigan of joining forces with the Brown House to disrespect the throne, and Harrigan has said he does not even know the Brown House Chief. What do you say?

Of course, he is joining forces with the Brown House to disrespect the King Perekule throne, or how else do we explain the several cases he has instituted in court against His Majesty, the King? At least, I know of two or three of them such as Suit No.; PHC/2772/2016; and Suit No.: PHC/107/2017; you are a journalist check them up by yourself.

Take note that given the fact that his Majesty has admitted Chief Evans as the Brown House Chief into the Bonny Chiefs Council, it means that he does not recognize Dagogo Lambert Brown. Also, His Majesty also disapproved of the process of electing Harrigan in 2005 because it fell short of the custom and tradition of Bonny Kingdom and directed that they go and redo the process under proper supervision by Chief Manilla Pepple. So, can you see the connection between Harrigan and Dagogo? Don’t you think that Harrigan maybe looking for a way to have cheap alliance just like Sir Iganima stated in his interview so that they can further disrespect the King and the throne?

Do you agree with Emmanuel Pepple when he said that Harrigan rejected a letter from Iganima seeking to be recognized as the Warisenibo in his Burusu?

Well, the letter was written by Sir Iganima’s eldest brother, who is the Head of his Burusu and the Biefini/Adaoju family, and who is alive till today. He decided in agreement with the Burusu and the family, of his own accord, to transfer the mantle of leadership as the Wariopusenibo of that Burusu popularly known as Adaoju/Biefini, to his younger brother, Sir Iganima Pepple, who he believes is capable of repositioning the Burusu and move the Jack Manilla Pepple Chieftaincy House to a greater height. We ask what authority or impetus that Mr. Harrigan Pepple has to question such a letter which is coming from the Head of the Burusu that is not his own. Moreso, when nobody from that Burusu has made a formal complaint either verbally or in writing protesting the decision of Iganima’s elder brother.

But for me, I think the issue predates this so-called letter. The real issue was when Sir Iganima demanded for the accounts of the House and the basis for nominating only four persons to negotiate the allotment of land to NLNG to build a school on behalf of the Rivers State Government when there are eleven burusu. This was the genesis of the matter. Since that Mr. Harrigan just decided to hate Sir Iganima. The accounts that Sir Iganima asked for has not been rendered up till date since 2015. 

Also take note that Emmanuel made references to Hon. Aboma Michael Pepple, who was selected by his burusu and presented to the House for admission into the Elders Council, before the purported selection of Harrigan was done. They refused admitting Aboma into the Council and he decided to sue them in court in PHC/169/2004, and that is how we got here today. As I speak to you from 2004 till now, that matter has been in court. This is the crux of the matter.

Mr. Emmanuel Pepple also made reference to the minute of a certain meeting held 30th of October, 2004, to substantiate that Harrigan is Chief and Head of the House, adding that he passed through the processes according to Bonny Custom and Tradition. He went further and advised those in doubt to refer to the minutes of the meeting.

This is seriously laughable. Well, I have earlier on dealt with all of these. But let me refer to the said minutes of meeting. If as claimed by Emmanuel Pepple that everything was done accordingly, how come in the minutes of meeting of 11^th December, 2004, Prince Adonye Wari was nominated to be the chairman of the House until? In fact, the exact words in that minutes of meeting said “the chairman post remains temporary until he is crowned”. And Harrigan was one of the signatories on that minutes of meeting. After all, in Bonny customs and tradition, once a Chief is made, the Chairman ceases to function because the Chief now assumes the headship of the House. So, if Harrigan was properly made a chief, why do we still need a chairman?    

Has there been a time when Iganima referred to Harrigan as chief-elect?

When his elder brother passionately wrote that letter mandating him to take over his position as Wariopusenibo of their Burusu, he asked him to strive to make sure that the community thrives because that community has been in pains and setbacks as a result of the vacuum of not having a Chief. Note that Sir Iganima was not around in 2004, nor 2005 when the nomination of Mr. Harrigan happened. When he got there, the House and even Harrigan himself identified him as an opinion leader and a man of integrity, which was why he was saddled with the responsibility of managing the disbursement of the funds from the payment of compensation for oil spillage in the community. As somebody who was now seen to be sincere, who can help to move the House forward, that was why the House appointed him as Chairman of the Disbursement Committee for oil spillage funds. That was Iganima’s first striking responsibility.

As per Emmanuel Pepple’s insinuation that the money was paid to Harrigan because he is a chief, I have to correct him from the vantage point of knowledge, so that he will understand very well. That money was paid to the coffers of the Jack Manilla Pepple House, I mean the House account not Harrigan’s account or because Harrigan was chief or not. Even if there was no chief, the money would have still been paid to the House account because the money was meant to affect the lives of the people and to cushion the effect of the oil spillage that affected their aquatic sources of livelihood. if Iganima called Harrigan chief-elect, it was in tandem with what everybody else was calling him at the time. How was he to know that His Majesty has cancelled the process and asked them to go redo it properly?

In the letter advertised by Emmanuel, I think he was being clever by half. Why didn’t he show the full document? The said document actually has 12 pages and across the document the names Jack Manilla and Jack Manilla Pepple were used interchangeably. The heads of the 11 burusu signed on the document and the disbursement was on equal basis and each burusu received the same amount meaning that all the 11 burusu are equal in status and have equal right to the headship of the Jack Manilla Pepple Chieftaincy House. Below is a copy of the document showing the disbursement to two burusu, Biefini/Adaoju, Iganima’s burusu; and Aya Ogbolo/Chief Claude, Harrigan’s burusu.  

Can you shed some light on the claim that Amaopusenibo Fred Stephen Pepple, who was said to have chaired Harrigan’s nomination process, refused photographs to be taken on that day?

Well, Sir Fred is an Amaopusenibo of the Bonny Kingdom and is also Wariopusenibo of Aya Ogbolo Nene Burusu in Jack Manilla Pepple House. He was a one-time Chairman of the House, precisely four years and some months, and tried his best to reposition the House. It was during that period in 2004 that the nomination of Harrigan was done, and he also contested. Chiefs have been made in different House across Bonny Kingdom, is there anywhere that people have been stopped from taking pictures? I wonder why the assertion that Sir Fred stopped Harrigan from taking photographs?

In 2015, when the then Governor, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi was to come to Bonny, the House, including Harrigan, personally appealed to Iganima Pepple to come and make a press statement to counter or debunk the claim that half of our community land belongs to the Rivers State Government through the Ministry of Agriculture. The community saw that Iganima Pepple has the capacity, the eloquence and the intellectual sagacity to make the point that the community wanted to be made and the way the government can understand their position. These are attributes that Harrigan does not have, else he would have been appointed or even in his characteristic manner would have put forward to himself to speak, moreso, when he was claiming to be the chief-elect. This was his second assignment they gave to our role model, and because he did not understand what was happening, specifically between 2004 and 2005 when Harrigan’s selection was done, that was why he addressed Mr. Harrigan as Chief-Elect. Choice position one, chairman of disbursement committee has to do with integrity, given the financial implication of that position. Secondly, to present an address on behalf of a community, meaning that the person has a pedigree of not only understanding issues but being able to state them in a way that the government would understand.

Have you also heard of an alleged plot to forcefully impose a Chief on the House between March or April. It was also alleged that Iganima said the house will have a Chief?

In Bonny customs and tradition, the youths don’t play any role in the installation of chiefs and as such we are not concerned. However, we will, as youths be happy and support every move to getting a Chief for the House, especially, since we heard that the last Chief that was presented to the Amanyanabo-in-Council from Jack Manilla Pepple Chieftaincy House was in 1952. The other statement credited to Iganima Pepple in respect of the House having a Chief, with the level of knowledge I have about Sir Iganima Pepple, I doubt he will make such a statement, even if he does, he is entitled to his opinion.

Were you among the youths allegedly sent by Mr. Iganima Pepple, December last year, to break open the Opuwari which is believed to have been under lock and key?

I can say authoritatively that Sir Iganima cannot do anything of such. This is a man that we see as our role model and he cannot disappoint us because he knows we are following in his footsteps. Iganima Pepple participates in everything that has to do with the community, the Fungu-Mini, which is naturally between the first week of July and ends the first week of October, and every other activity in the community. But Harrigan will not be seen anywhere in the community or participate in any activity of the community, year in, year out. I was wondering when Mr. Emmanuel was asked about Sir Iganima’s meeting with Mr. Harrigan and his response is so uncivilized and ill-mannered. I cannot imagine what he meant by “what does light and darkness have in common?” Between Harrigan and Iganima, who is light and who is darkness? As for Mr. Harrigan I have not seen any light around him, including those who walk with him, but for Sir Iganima, we can see the glory of God in his life.

Again, I ask, did you participate in the believed attempted breaking of Opuwari which resulted to a fight?

There is this masquerade we play every 29th of December as a community, and traditionally, anytime we play the masquerade, it will pay homage to the ancestors in the Opuwari. But this whole drama and allegation is because Mr. Harrigan is not always at home, and will at all times fashion out a way to cause disunity and affection amongst the people. In the light of this, he instructed his boys and his so-called “miscreants” to cause disorderliness on that said day.  That was how one of Harrigan’s hatchet man sustained that injury as was seen in that photograph.

You are a youth leader, these two persons; Sir. Iganima Pepple and Mr. Harrigan Pepple are brothers, so, why the contention?

Well, for me, and as youth we do not see any contention. We see Iganima Pepple just as I have said. Iganima Pepple from our own point of view as youths is God sent. When a man is hungry for power, he will definitely want to do anything to get power. So, we will not be surprised with the level of hatred he has for Iganima even when he is far Iganima’s senior by age. Iganima Pepple has even, in his interview with Kristina Reports, said he is disposed to sit with his brother; and even referred to Harrigan as his brother.

So far, Iganima Pepple has been working for peace to return to the community. He has offered to sit and talk with Harrigan. Different people such as the late Chief Donald Manilla Pepple, Amanyanabo himself, even the deposed Chief Aminiowugha Manilla Pepple, Pastor John Abonye Pepple, Mrs. Ibifiri Ikiroma-Owiye, and Chief Waripanye Pepple, amongst several others have all tried to settle this matter, as we heard, yet Harrigan allegedly refused.

Let me also tell you how Harrigan’[s supporters went and met Rt. Rev. Gabriel Pepple, retired Bishoop of Niger Delta Diocese, who co-opted Rt. Rev Dappa Opubo Abbey, the current Arch Bishop of Christ Army Church, and the Very Rev. Richard Ibituru Hart, Dean of St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Bonny who were on this matter for about a year. These men of God called on everyone involved and asked for documents or evidence to substantiate their claims but finally, precisely, on the 9^th of January, 2021, they gave their charge, particularly, the B) part of their charge and I quote “in the name of God and in the honour of the memory of the founding fathers of the House, we call on the Chief-Elect Harrigan Adango Pepple to voluntarily and honourably step down as the chief-elect of the House”. The men of God also appended their signatures on the said documents. Even with this caliber of men, Harrigan still refused to accede to their findings and plea.  

Let’s talk about the claims on empowerment by Mr. Harrigan Pepple.

Well, this is very clear, honestly, let him show us who he has empowered in the community. From what we heard, they said he rose to the point of whether Deputy Director or Deputy Manager in NNPC, how many people did he assist? How many people did he employ? Come and look at us, look at the youths languishing, we have potentials but no source of income. A couple of us are educated but the sources of putting us through Education is not there. A lot of us are struggling at that jetty which we are crying and praying to God to do something for us because in the next one year from what we are hearing, the road from Port Harcourt to Bonny will be completed, and that jetty will be a thing of the past. So, who has Harrigan empowered? Let him show a proof as to how many persons he has empowered.

These controversies have lingered, what is your appeal to them?

Well, I don’t really know what to say here, because Iganima Pepple has constantly been saying it, I remember a situation where Iganima Pepple invited the youths, the two groups. I was present, five from each group to his house in the community, and passionately appealed to all of us to come together, irrespective of who has offended who in one way or the other. Aside that, he has also done several things to see how these youths can be united and he is prepared to do more the way I see him, he is prepared to meet with Harrigan, he is prepared to meet with anybody in finding a lasting solution to this matter. As for Harrigan, I don’t know what to say to him. For us the youths, I will appeal that we have a rethink on how to move the community forward.