Worried over the interference of Bonny Chief Council in the Chieftaincy Tussle in Banigo Major House Bonny, the Chief Elect, Dagogo Ibaningo described it as a disrespect to the constitution of Banigo Major House of Grand Bonny Kingdom, stressing that if the Chairman, Se-Alabo A.O. Manilla Pepple and his Council of Chiefs fail to respect the constitution of Banigo Major House and comply with the tradition and custom of Bonny Kingdom on the above matter, they should expect legal action.
In a chat with journalists at his country Home, Banigo Ishilegono in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State, during the ‘New Year message to his community, Chief Elect Dagogo Ibaningo, An Amasenibo of Bonny Kingdom, expressed shock when the Bonny Chiefs Council was planning secretly to receive Amaopusenibo Jonathan T. Banigo as Chief of Banigo Major House without respecting section 6(1) and (2) of the review constitution of the Banigo Major House and the custom of Bonny Kingdom, as tradition demands, in respect of recognition of any person as a Chief of a House in Bonny.
The Chief Elect’s position, on the defence he presented to the Bonny Chief Council, dated 14th November, 2012, caption Re-Appearance in unauthorized Traditional Dress Code for Titled Citizens. A letter which was addressed to Chief Elect Dagogo Ibaningo dated 3” November, 2012, inviting him to appear before the Council on the above subject matter.
The Chief Elect, drew the attention of Council to a letter dated l7 September, 2012, addressed to His Majesty, King Edward Asinmini William Dappa Pepple III, The Amanyanabo and Natural Ruler of Grand Bonny Kingdom, Captioned: Notification of Chief Elect of Banigo Major House, Bonny duely signed by the Chairman Banigo Major House, Bonny Warisenibo (Dr) H.T. Igoni copied the Chairman, Bonny Chiefs Council, the Chief Elect Dagogo Ibaningo, All the Se-Alapu, The Chairman Bonny Local Government Area.
“The above letter is to inform His Majesty, the Amanyanabo of Grand Bonny, and His Council of Chiefs that with effect from 15th September, 2012, he shall be called and addressed as Chief Elect Dagogo Ibaningo of Banigo Major House Bonny as Tradition demands. There was a Radio announcement and newspaper publication to that effect”.
The Chief Elect, noted that the invitation was a deliberate attempt by the Chairman of Council, Se-Alabo A.O. Manilla Pepple, “using his position in the Council to give a negative impression of my person before the Council”, adding that before the meeting of Council, the Chairman of Council, Se-Alabo A.O. Manilla Pepple held a meeting with Amaopusenibo Jonathan T. Banigo and his privies, where the picture attached to their invitation was printed out and arranged to be presented to council through the Chairman of Council, who promised that he will do every thing within his power for council to invite me for questioning and my title will be withdrawn. Amaopusenibo J.T. Banigo and his privies, Prof. Edward Iwo-ente Banigo, Hon. Gogo Papanye, Mr. Darlington Banigo and others have been carrying the message to all corners of the kingdom, that the Chiefs Council have taken a stand not to accept me as Chief in the kingdom, if at the end I won the case. That the Council has given out list to Amaopusenibo J.T. Banigo and a date has been fixed for his presentation. When your letter dated 3 November,2012, was served on me, to confirm what I considered to be a rumour, the last paragraph of the said letter mentioned the title which was invested on me by His Majesty.
To further confirm the statement of my contender, the council, through the chairman of Council, Chief A.O. ManilIa Pepple, instructed Amaopusenibo Jonathan T. Banigo and his privies to institute a case against me in respect of the Abalamabie land matter of W to W project, as a condition for the support of Council towards his installation and presentation to the Amanyanabo in Council as Chief of Banigo Major House. Today we are in court in suit No. PHC/1674/2012. on the above matter.
For the Chairman of Council to fulfill their part of the agreement, on Saturday 18” August, 2012 led some Chiefs of this great Kingdom, with Amaopusenibo J.T. Banigo and his privies/at 5am, first in the History of this Ancient Kingdom, for Bonny Chiefs to travel at this odd hour to Banigo village without being invited by the House, claiming to have installed Amaopusenibo J.T. Banigo on a plastic chair as the stool of Banigo Major House and a shell gate hat as the crown of Banigo House without staff of office of the Banigo Major Hous; where has such mockery and degrading assignment happened in this Kingdom? All this happened when the entire Banigo House members, both home and abroad including those living in the villages are in Bonny for the funeral of late Pa Warisenibo Harold Ifubarabonye Banigo, the Senior Brother of Amaopusenibo J.T. Banigo, of the same father, the oldest man in Banigo House. He signed the burial programme as the Chief mourner. I am happy and proud of my House, when the Chairman of Banigo Major House and the elder incharge of Custom and Tradition nullified and refuted the said claim through a well worded Radio announcement, which has not being challenged to date.
The Banigo Major House, as an independent House in Bonny Kingdom, has a process of making a Chief as stated in the 2009 review constitution of the Banigo Major House, section 6(1) and (2).
For the very high regard and respect I have for the Amanyanabo, the Chiefs and the entire Bonny Kingdom, we excluded the names of the Chiefs that were in attendance in the committal proceedings in the Bonny Magistrate Court. I pray there should not be a repeat of such flagrant disobedience to the rule of law as I will stop at nothing to bring down the mighty, if there be a repeat of any kind.
I have also instructed my lawyer to write to Council stating, the true position of the cases in the court, when my contenders are not telling the council the truth.
The Banigo Major House Chieftaincy tussle is not a historical matter but a constitutional matter.
To further confirm my claims, the actions of the Chairman of Council, Se-Alabo A.O, Manilla Pepple towards the Chieftaincy Tussle in Banigo Major House. As a title citizen, the Council staged me out of the palace in the presence of invited Guests and other citizens of this Kingdom, through the Chairman of Council, in the matter which I was the initiator. I followed due process to find peaceful solution to the W. to W project matter which was sited in Abalamabie. I called on Chairman of Council several times, but he refuse to respond to my calls. I called on Chief R. Hart and the Secretary of Council, Chief A.W. Pepple, both royal fathers advised me to repeat my call on the Chairman of Council, which I did but he still refused to pick my calls. Finally I called on Chief Jim Halliday, who was at home. I went to his house and presented the matter to him, after much deliberation on whether Banigo is in Abalamabie, he said that the only way out, if I still insist that Banigo House is in Abalamabie, I should seek redress, which I repeatedly asked if he is saying that I should go to court. My Chairman, Warisenibo H.T. Igoni sent me to the Chairman of Council on the same issue, asking for an audience, but he objected to it, that he don’t want to be involved in Banigo Chieftaincy Tussle, that the case is still pending in the court.
I told him, that the request does not relate to the Chieftaincy matter, but he insisted and refused to grant the request. The only option left is to instruct our lawyer to write to Council.
If the Chairman of council says that he don’t want to be involved in the Chieftaincy matter of Banigo House, then what is he doing now when all the cases are still pending in the court from Magistrate Court to High Court and to Appeal Courts.
I want to use this opportunity, through this publication, to appeal to the Chairman of Council, Chief A.O. Manilla Pepple to allow Banigo Major House to resolve their problems internally. He should stop adding fuel to the existing burning fire; it will not make any good to the house rather it will destroy the house more and more. Let’s give peace a chance. If the Council is willing and interested in the Banigo Major House Chieftaincy Tussle, they should play the fatherly role and invite the parties for discussion than to take side.
On the issue of Dress Code, this is my first time of hearing that to appear in full doni, if you are not a Chief, is an offence in the Kingdom. Is there any law, either written or unwritten, backing this claim? Because at many ceremonies, I have seen Bonny men, who are not Chiefs that appear in full doni and the Bonny Chiefs Council did not invite them for questioning, or is this law made only for the Ibaningo’s. Let me mention few of the cases in this kingdom;
(1) Amaopusenibo I.T. Williams appeared in full doni, during his wife Iria ceremony at Ikuba Square. The Council did not question him.
(2) During the Burial of Chief I. Brown at Finima, at the funeral service, all the Warisenapu of Brown House were in full doni in the presence of then Chairman of Council, Chief R. P. Hart and other Chiefs numbering eleven in attendance. The Council did not invite them for questioning.
(3) Wariopusenibo Twutamuno LongJohn appeared in full doni at Abalamabie play ground, during his wife Ida Ceremony, Chief O.R LongJohn other chiefs and some title citizens were in attendance. The Council did not invite him for questioning.
(4) Rev. Can. Edward T. Pepple appeared in full doni at St. Stephen Cathedral Bonny, during the wedding service of his son, chiefs were in attendance. The council did not invite him for questioning.
(5) Amaopusenibo Kenneth Banigo appeared in full doni during his daughter’s swearing in Ceremony as a Magistrate in Port Harcourt. The Council did not invite him for questioning.
(6) The newly admitted Se-Alabo GA. Christy Wilcox appeared in full doni at C.AC Church during his wife Iria’s thanksgiving service; some chiefs were in attendance, no invitation for questioning.
(7) Amaopusenibo J.T. Banigo appeared in full doni at Banigo village on 18 August, 2012 in the presence of Chairman of Council and few other Chiefs. Did the Council invite him for questioning? And many others.
If there is a law prohibiting the citizens of Bonny who are not Chiefs not to appear in full doni, is this law a national law where its jurisdiction cover the whole nation?
If it is law for Bonny Kingdom, can anybody testify seeing me appear in full doni in Bonny? How can the appearance of any Bonny citizen in other parts of the country be an offence in Bonny?
There is a law, that prohibits any person who drowned in the water, not to be buried in Bonny. But when such death occurred, the affected family, carried their love ones to Port Harcourt for burial. How many of such burials the Council has questioned, if the law of this Kingdom extend to other parts of Nigeria?
My appearance outside Bonny does not in any way contradict the existing law in Bonny Kingdom. Therefore, I don’t owe any person or group of persons any obligation. I appeared in full doni as being displayed and attached in their letter dated 3’ November, 2012, as a Nigerian. I will continue to show my total loyalty to the Traditional institution as a Bonny man.
To Confirm the interest of Council on the matter, based on the threat and actions of the Chairman of Council during my appearance before council I demanded for protection, the Council said that, I quote, “you are not protected”. The Council refused my request to sit down after standing for hours, due to my health condition.
The Chairman of Chiefs Council, Chief A.O. Manilla Pepple, refused me entry to the Palace Hall, having duely invited by the Bonny Chiefs Council on behalf of His Majesty to attended the Bonny Annual National Banquet 2012 dated. 29th December, 2012, as a titled citizen of Bonny Kingdom.
The Chiefs, who claimed to have installed someone as a Chief on a plastic chair, with Shell gate hat, without staff of office, the house flag not hoisted and someone who appeared-in doni as a Bonny man, who is promoting or degrading the culture and Tradition of this great Kingdom.
Why the Chairman of Bonny Chiefs Council, Chief A.O. Manilla Pepple can not obey the Rule of Law and a well constituted Courts of this country, when all the cases are pending in the Courts. Eg. PHC/1709/2012, PHC/1674/2012, PHC/1676/2012, PHC/1675/2012, PHC/1610/2012 and two contempt cases in the Bonny Magistrate Court and two appeal cases CC4/PH/23/2012 and AC/PH/396/2012.
Therefore, I call on the Chairman of Bonny Chiefs Council, Chief A.O. Manilla Pepple, to resign his position as the Chairman of Bonny Chiefs Council, having failed His Majesty, The Council and the entire people of Bonny Kingdom within the short period as Chairman of Council, causing a great confusion in the Kingdom.
The issue before the Court is who qualifies to be the Chief of Banigo Major House of Grand Bonny Kingdom. Section 6(2) of the review constitution of Banigo Major House, 2009 stated clearly the eligibility of aspirants to the office of the Chief of Banigo Major House Bonny. He shall be:
(a) A principal member of the House
(b) 40 years and not more than 60 years
(c) Educated and capable of maintaining the office
(d) Competent to represent the House in all matters
(e) A male Christian and must be married
(f) Be of a good and sound health
(g) Has not been convicted of a crime in or outside Nigeria
(h) Generally acceptable.
My contender is above 60 years, according to his declaration. He has no wife, only if he will pick one tomorrow. He is not a principal member of the House etc. Why can’t he obey the constitution, he signed as Chairman of the review Committee? God has given me victory from the date the constitution was signed.
That was the day my position as the Chief of Banigo Major House was confirmed, they are only delaying, not to say no when God has said yes. They will fail and put to shame in Jesus name- Amen. ###
