Nigeria’s Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo has praised the Amanyanabo and Natural Ruler of Ancient Grand Bonny Kingdom, His Majesty, King Dr. Edward Asimini William Dappa Pepple III, CON, JP, Perekule XI, for peacefully hosting the nation’s wealth in his kingdom.
Prof. Osinbajo stated this during the Silver Jubilee Anniversary of the Coronation of the Bonny Monarch in Bonny Island, Rivers State on Tuesday, December 21, 2021. He was represented by Senator Babafemi Ojudu.
“Your Royal Majesty, the VP asked me to heartily congratulate you and the people of this Kingdom on the 25th anniversary of your ascension to the throne of your fathers. This is a beautiful land, a land of great history and captivating culture.”
“On behalf of the Federal Government, I congratulate and your people for your contributions in the area of peace; we have not heard any untoward story from Bonny or the Bonny people. You are the custodian of the wealth of this country and you have been able through the grace of your office to maintain peace.”
The nation’s No. 2 citizen commended the King and his people for their hospitality which he noted has continued to encompass people of all races and nationalities, applauding him for being progressive, forward looking and accommodating.
“We are also happy to know that you are host to Nigerians of all trades. I am happy and excited to note today that not only are your subjects happy to have you as a leader; but people who came from all parts of the country that have taken residence here are equally happy and excited.”
“Your Royal Majesty, this your story is a story that gladdens the heart. You are very progressive; you are a very, very progressive leader. From all I have seen today, you are forward looking and accommodating. You are a man of dignity, a man of class and a man of panache.”
Delivering his anniversary speech, His Majesty, King Dr Edward Asimini William Dappa Pepple III, CON, JP, Perekule XI, corroborated the position of the Vice President, informing that from the advent of the Portuguese in the 15th century followed by other nationalities, Bonny has been the harbinger of international trade, noting that this was predicate don the peaceful disposition and hospitable nature of her people.
“As you are aware, our kingdom effectively etched itself in the annals of the history of foreign trade when the Portuguese first arrived on the Nigerian coast in the late fifteenth century.”
“They were later joined by the British in the Nineteenth Century, who made Bonny their main seat of operations in the Eastern part of Nigeria. As the first seat of British colonial administration, a consulate was built in 1897 which had the presence of a District Commissioner, a doctor, police officers and offices of the marine department.”
“Over the years, the story has been the same with Bonny providing that cordial climate which every business concern needs. Presently, three major industrial establishments – Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) owned Bonny Crude Oil Terminal from where about 30% of the country’s crude is exported; the Mobil Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) plant; and the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) plant, have placed our kingdom as perhaps the most important in Nigeria. The volume of investment on the Island, currently stands at about 30 billion dollars.”
The King, however, noted that though these investments have attracted economic growth, they have also brought population explosion which overtasked amenities, space and opportunities in the island kingdom, declaring that this reality informed the establishment of kingdom institutions such as the Bonny Kingdom Development Committee (BKDC), Bonny Environment Consultants Committee (BECC) and the Bonny Integrated Recruitment Centre (BIRC).
He further disclosed that the kingdom later entered into a partnership with the Joint Industry Committee (JIC) etched in a Memorandum of Understanding in November 1998; and the development of a master plan aimed at putting perspective on the development trajectory of the island.
“These investments, no doubt, brought with them economic growth and enhancement, it also brought its negative effect of massive migration of population to Bonny. With a population projection of 2.83% applied by the National Population Commission and a more realistic 5% average annual growth rate projection for the area from the household demographic analysis for the NLNG environmental impact assessment indicate that the population of Bonny Kingdom which stood at 97,667 in 2001, would in the next 25years, that is in 2041, rise to nearly 872, 944.”
“It was in recognition of this expected exponential increase in population and its impact on urban growth and planning that the Amanyanabo-in-council in 1996 set up the Bonny Kingdom Development Committee, the Bonny Environment Consultants Committee and the Bonny Kingdom Employment Agency. The Kingdom also entered into partnership with the Joint Industry Committee which culminated in the signing of a memorandum of understanding on November 5, 1998.”
“Determined to have a grip on the emerging situation in the Kingdom, a Master Plan to help achieve sustainable and orderly development was rolled out in 2001. This Master Plan was reviewed and updated in 2013 after the Pan-Bonny Sustainable Development Conference was held to chart a new course following current development realities in the Kingdom.”
“As some of you may be aware, the Master Plan has a life span of 26 years in the first instance (2014-2040) and focuses on incremental and sustainable development across the Kingdom. The Master Plan aims to guarantee amongst many other things high quality, easily accessible and affordable social amenities in education, healthcare and infrastructural development. This will include ensuring that our people have access to potable water, stable power, have efficient transportation services and job opportunities.”
“Furthermore, the Master Plan envisions the development of the aquaculture industry aimed at ensuring that the Kingdom attains not only self-sufficiency in sea foods but also becomes a net exporter within Nigeria and the outside world.”
The Bonny Monarch posited that the $462 million Bonny Deep Seaport recently approved by the Federal Government, which is in consonance with the Bonny Master Plan, is envisaged to “generate significant revenue, business opportunities and lots of jobs during and after the construction of the port for our people”.
He asserted that the “seaport in Bonny has the potential to be the central nexus that coordinates and integrates international trade” along the West, Central and Southern African economic corridor, expressing confidence that with the deep seaport and other economic signposts on the island, Bonny could become “the Singapore of African and International trade,” urging the President Muhammadu Buhari led Federal Government to immediately commence “the construction and timely completion of the project considering its importance to the Kingdom and the nation at large”.
Also speaking, the Chairman of Bonny LGA, Dame Anengi Barasua; Managing Director of Nigeria LNG, Dr Philip Mshelbila; and Director General of the Bonny Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (BOCCIMA), Mrs. Constance Nwokejiobi, amongst others expressed their positive disposition to partner with the Amanyanabo to give expression to his developmental vision for Bonny Kingdom.
Dignitaries at the occasion include government functionaries, captains of industry, traditional rulers, titled citizens of Bonny Kingdom, leaders of various ethnic groups, heads of security agencies, amongst others.
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