A petition has been submitted to the Amanyanabo of Bonny Kingdom, the Amanyanabo-in-Council, the Titled Citizens Assembly, and the Traditional Council of Bonny Chiefs, calling for disciplinary action against the Bonny Local Government Council boss, Amasenibo Abinye Blessing Pepple, DSSRS, over alleged gross traditional misconduct and public disrespect to the Bonny throne.
In the petition, authored by Prince Kalada Allison, a son of Bonny Kingdom, Amasenibo Pepple a titled citizen of ancient Grand Bonny Kingdom is accused of publicly prostrating before a non-indigene on Bonny soil while fully adorned and recognised as a titled citizen. The petitioner argues that, within Bonny custom, such an act is not regarded as courtesy or humility but as an act of submission, particularly grave when performed on ancestral and sovereign land.
According to the petition, the act, which was said to be deliberate and widely observed, has projected Bonny sons as subservient on their own ancestral land and has allegedly brought the Kingdom into public ridicule. The document stresses that an Amasenibo is never merely a private individual in public but a custodian of the Kingdom’s prestige, and that Bonny titles are not ornamental distinctions to be used casually or selectively.
The petition further contends that the conduct of Amasenibo Pepple amounts to a serious breach of traditional norms, undermining the reverence accorded the Amanyanabo, dishonouring the institution of titled citizenship, and misrepresenting the image of Bonny Kingdom before the wider public. It warns that failure to address the incident decisively would set a dangerous precedent, weaken the authority of traditional institutions, and reduce Bonny titles to mere political or personal instruments.
Prince Allison insists that silence or inaction from the traditional authorities would be interpreted as approval or surrender. He calls on the Amanyanabo-in-Council and other relevant bodies to subject the matter to a formal process under Bonny customary law, compel a public explanation and apology to the throne and people, and consider strong traditional sanctions, including suspension or withdrawal of the title, should the offence be confirmed as grave.
The petitioner maintains that the move is not driven by personal hostility but by loyalty to Bonny Kingdom, respect for the ancestors, and a refusal to condone acts that diminish the collective dignity of the people. He notes that Bonny’s historical standing and survival have been built on a strict intolerance for public humiliation at the hands of its own titled citizens and urges the traditional leadership to defend the honour of the throne “without fear or favour.”
