On this beautiful rainy morning in Bonny Island, when from the comfort of their homes and the keypads of their phones, laptops and other mobile devices, his people flood the social media space with encomiums celebrating him on his 55th birthday anniversary, it is important we take a cursory look at why these eulogies are trending.

King Dr Edward Asimini William Dappa Pepple III, CON, JP, Perekule XI, is the Amanyanabo and Natural Ruler of the ancient Kingdom of Grand Bonny, one community that has effectively etched itself in the annals of the history of foreign trade between Europe and the Americas and Africa from over 200 years ago.

Born June 11, 1965 into the Perekule Royal family of His Majesty, King Eugene William Dappa Pepple II, Perekule IX (who was the Amanyanabo of Bonny from 1957 to his demise in 1972), and Her Majesty, Queen Gladys Atonye William Dappa Pepple, King Edward Pepple III, Perekule XI bagged a Bachelor of Science degree (B.Sc) in Accounting from the then Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Nkpolu Oroworukwo, Port Harcourt, and thereafter secured a job at the now defunct Allied Bank Plc.

Following the transmigration of his uncle, King Captain Opuada Secondus Pepple, Perekule X, he was forced to resign his job and ascend the throne of his fathers. He was enthroned and crowned King William Dappa Pepple III, Perekule XI of ancient Grand Bonny Kingdom on December 21, 1996. His Majesty is married to Her Royal Majesty, Queen Paula Edward Pepple, a conjugality that has been blessed with four children.

He currently sits naturally on the throne of his progenitors. But instead of sitting lackadaisically on that throne and reveling in the perks and privileges that come with that legendary and agelong globally revered throne, instead of just relaxing and enjoying the luxury of exotic royalty given that it is as of right as he does not have to do anything extra about it, he got into the business of fixing the Kingdom. After settling down as potentate and leader of the ancient Ibani race, King Pepple III, Perekule XI hit the ground running with his inspiring vision of reinventing his homeland, a vision he aptly christened ‘The Dubai Vision’.

Soon, his strategic engagements of both the public and private sectors led to the onset of the conversation that saw Bonny becoming one distinctly functional part of Nigeria, regardless of whatever happens elsewhere. Social amenities such as water, electricity, healthcare, etc came into existence through these efforts. Today, Bonny has 24/7 power supply, constant potable water, both managed by the Bonny Utility Company (BUC), and 16 medical facilities spread across the mainland and rural areas, both private and public.

Also, he revved up the education sector, with Bonny today having a tertiary institution, the Federal Polytechnic of Oil and Gas, Bonny; semi tertiary, the Bonny Vocational Centre, established by the Nigeria LNG and jointly run by NLNG and Bonny Kingdom; five secondary schools (two co-educational, two gender based, one vocational); and about 15 public primary schools, and several private schools. He has personally and in concert with the Bonny Educational Trust Fund sponsored countless members of the community to various levels of academic pursuit, supported diverse civil society led educational initiatives, and training programmes.

Under his reign as King of ancient Grand Bonny Kingdom, he established the following vehicles to drive seamless actualization of the collective aspirations of the Kingdom, the Bonny Kingdom Development Committee (BKDC), Bonny Kingdom Security Committee (BKSC), Bonny Environmental Consultants Committee (BECC), Bonny Kingdom Employment Bureau (now Bonny Integrated Recruitment Centre), Bonny Kingdom Educational Trust Fund (BKETF), the Bonny Kingdom Development Foundation (BKDF), and most recently, the Bonny Kingdom Health Insurance Policy Initiative, on which wings runs the Bonny Community Health Insurance Programme (BCHIP).

This intentional drive to reposition the community has also seen the deepening of security on the island such that, at the moment, every aspect of the nation’s security architecture, save the Nigerian Air Force, is domiciled in Bonny. These include the 146 Battalion of the Nigerian Army (NA), the Forward Operating Base of the Nigerian Navy (NN), two divisions of the Nigeria Police, one division of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), one division of the Department of State Service (DSS), and an outpost of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).

Bonny Kingdom also has an airstrip, which upgrade to a full-fledged airport with commercialized flights to every part of the country is already in the works. Currently, the N120 billion 38 kilometer Bonny-Bodo Road project, which will open up the island community to the rest of the world is ongoing and expected to be completed by 2022. Additionally, the President Muhammadu Buhari led Federal Government has indicated its intention to site a deep sea port in Bonny in the days to come.

As of now, if any subnational component of Bonny Kingdom, be it a chieftaincy house, community, family or group, wishes to congregate, there is an aesthetic conference centre, the Ibanise Hall, located at Akiama Community, fitted with modern gadgets and fully serviced. It is run on an equal opportunity and first indication of interest basis and managed by the Bonny Chiefs Council.

Recently, a critical development driver, the Bonny Masterplan was dusted up and rejigged and passed on to the Bonny Kingdom Development Foundation (BKDF), which has been saddled with the responsibility of driving the remake of the kingdom with an annual N3.5 billion funding jointly donated by the multinationals in the kingdom; Nigeria LNG, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), and Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited (MPNU). Cheering news is that the foundation will soon hit the ground running.     

Some infrastructural initiatives expected from the implementation of the masterplan include the remodeling and reconstruction of major roads across the kingdom, carving out of new roads to connect different communities, an industrial park, an Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) hub, an integrated modern shopping complex, a mass transit scheme, among several other classic initiatives.

These initiatives underscore a mindset predicated on not entrenching the status quo but causing positive change in the land, bettering the lot of his people, and bequeathing a glorious legacy that will transcend his transition from this realm generations after. It underpins a passion that seeks progressive change, beneficial stakeholding and collective action in the direction of making the best of situations. This mindset has seen his constant quest for understanding of issues with a view to leveraging such for advantage for his people and place.

The King interfacing with the Government

Those who have interacted with him at close range attest to his scholarship, deep thinking and a legendary aptitude for seeing tomorrow from a spot-on analysis of the present. Further to this is that accommodating bent that engrosses all shades of opinion, sieves them and takes home the best options inherent in them. Add this to the befuddling listening skills he exudes. Someone once said that “your King can listen to someone from morning to night and never act tired,” adding that “surprise, however, is that when he starts responding, you find out that he took note of all points you made, processed them while listening to you and throws up ideas that would throw you off balance. That guy is beyond educated, he’s super smart for a King. He runs Bonny Kingdom like a business enterprise. I’m amazed.” 

Let us conclude that these massive celebrations trending this morning online isn’t farfetched, it is an expected return on investment in the lives and circumstances of his people. It is trite truism that who is benefitted will be appreciative, always. It is the receiver coming back to say ‘thank you’ to the giver. The impact has been massive, broadbased, cutting across every strata of the Bonny society. Even visitors – business people, expatriates, investors, etc – have acknowledged his sterling attributes, welcoming mien and engaging interactions.

King of Football?

So, it is 55 years of unquantifiable impact, of availing himself as a tool in the divine hands to drive positive change, of listening to the yearnings of his people and responding accordingly, of leveraging relationships, resources and reasoning to benefit his own, and of rising to the demands of the occasion of his era on the throne of his ancestors to leave behind bold footprints on the sands of time.

It is his 55th birthday and the Ibani nation, Bonny Kingdom, and people of all climes, race and persuasion are very much in order to roll out the drums, pull all stops and, where possible, beyond the capabilities of COVID-19, shut down heaven and earth to celebrate God’s own blessing on the ancient Grand Bonny Kingdom: King Dr Edward Asimini William Dappa Pepple III, CON, JP, Perekule XI, Amanyanabo and Natural Ruler of ancient Grand Bonny Kingdom.

Happy Birthday, Your Majesty, King Perekule XI!