Echoes of Amanyanabo of Opobo’s Coronation

Solomon LeggJack who witnessed the coronation of the Amanyanabo of Opobo Kingdom, King Charles Douglas MacPepple JaJa, Jeki VI, captures the rich culture of the kingdom Opobo Kingdom in Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area of Rivers State was agog recently with live and dazzling displays of regal splendor, cultural displays and rare unity of purpose of in a 10-day – coronation activities that saw King Charles Douglas MacPepple JaJa, Jeki VI formally and publicly crowned as the ‘‘Amanyanabo of Opobo Kingdom’’ on Saturday, September 26, 2026 at King Jaja’s Palace Grounds in Opobo town. It was the culmination of activities heralding a milestone event which attracted a galaxy of dignitaries which included foremost traditional rulers, a former President of Nigeria and many political leaders, captains of industry and well wishes from across the length and breadth of this great country. The kingdom, known for its deep-rooted traditions and cultural practices – like her older brotherly kingdom of Grand Bonny had lined up an eight-day pre-coronation cultural and traditional activities that began on Friday, September 18, 2026 to the D’ day Saturday, September 26, 2026 and a day’s post coronation activity which was the King’s Coronation Thanksgiving Service. It is recalled that the 67-year-old monarch was proclaimed as King-designate December 13, 2025 to succeed his late elder brother, King Dandeson Douglas Jaja; Jeki V, who had passed in April, 2025. However and unexpectedly, a form of dissension and threat of a legal challenge to the process of his emergence arose but was mercifully and expertly put down in an admirable and lawful manner two and half months after on March 16, 2026. The preparations for his public coronation began with the formation of 17 planning and implementation of committees to drive the various coronation activities – spanning the 10 days period beginning from Friday, September 18, 2026 right through to Sunday, September 27, 2026 — ending with the coronation thanksgiving service and the king’s banquet for guests and the general public. Each of these days’ activities was always preceded by pre-drawn volleys of seven cannon shots except the two Sundays intervening the 10 days earmarked for the celebrations – paving the way for each war Canoe house and different socio/cultural groups within the Kingdom to showcase, Parade and exhibit their cultural, masquerade displays, traditional dances and more as social – performance tributes to the new king. It was indeed a showtime of the rich Ibani Cultural heritage, rites and aquatic displays of ceremonial gigs of the various war Canoe houses on the Opobo river including King JaJa’s war canoe itself – personally commanded by the King-designate. His appearances at the various cultural display grounds were significant moments during which he acknowledged the joyous and thunderous greetings from the participants and equally extended affectionate gestures to them, the people and to the drummers who sounded the throne’s drum name in ceaseless adulations. The crowning glory came on the coronation day proper as invited guests from far and near arrived Opobo Town and were ushered into King JaJa’s Palace ground that was lined up with colourfully and tastefully decorated canopies. Top-most VIPs were shaded in the canopies pitched directly opposite the coronation dias for obvious reasons. The dias itself dressed in red and velvet colours was a slightly elevated platform on which a gold trimmed royal throne for the King was placed. In the front row of these VIP canopies sat great personages of power and influence in our society which included former President Goodluck Jonathan and former First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan. To their immediate right sat the ever adorable King Edward Ashimini William Dappa Pepple III, Perekule XI and Amanyanabo of Grand Bonny Kingdom, who arrived the venue escorted by a 28-man fully-clad Otobo Masquerades Squad. It is rare to see Grand Bonny’s Monarch appear in a public event in practical demonstration of the metaphorical symbol of his majestic and towering strength – traditionally reserved for the King to honour another royal as it was on that day. The Otobo masquerade is believed to represent the hippopotamus (that amphibious power house often called the river horse – due largely to its enormous strength and fearsomeness on land and at sea). Other notable royals who graced the occasion were the Obong of Calabar, the Obi of Onitsha, King Asari Dokubo of Elem Kalabari, King Winston Alamina-Oputebeya of Koniama in Okrika, the traditional rulers from Ahoada and other members of the Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers as well as a host of many other invited political big wigs and captains of industry. The crowd of visitors and locals was impressive and almost made the venue chaotic, leaving the security details of these VIPs literally cueless regarding how to keep their principals safe and far from possible harm which never happened anyway. When the time came for the king – designate to enter the Coronation ground – resplendent it was by a long procession led by a traditional conclave of the Kingdom’s Alapu (Chiefs) and members of the King JaJa Executive Authority with him in their middle and amongst whom where those bearing the two swords of authority (of the Crown and of the Kingdom), the crown, the royal staff and other paraphernalia office they laid on the Coronation dais before the King whom – two of the chiefs had already escorted to sit on the throne. The Coronation rites began and paved the way for the officiating Priest – the Rt. Reverend Emmanuel Oko-JaJa to offer the prayers by blessing the throne, the Crown and the King before placing the Crown on his head amidst public applause and cheers. Then came the coronation address which the king read with a calm and dignified voice – acknowledging each and every important dignitary present – beginning with former President Jonathan and his dear wife and then the Amanayabo of Grand Bonny whom he addressed as ‘‘his brother and King of our ancestral home’’. A truly noble and pristine appellation intended to unmistakably strike the cord of consanguinity amongst the Ibani people of both kingdoms present at the event or elsewhere. The king in his address – acknowledged the weight of the Crown placed on his head and the enormous responsibilities of his office and the throne whose dignity and integrity he vowed to uphold. He also pledged to keep the trust bestowed upon him with a promise to invest and promote the development of his kingdom and people. In his address, he displayed a rare emotional connection with the legitimate expectations of Opobians by including the development of cultural centers that would incorporate the Ibani language into everyday domestic usages – as part of his coronation charter with his people. This is a huge and necessary project in order to reverse the unhappy but steady decline in use of Ibani language amongst our people. He promised to make his reign and Opobo Kingdom a dependable stakeholder in pursuit of peace, development and unity of Rovers State and by extension Nigeria as a whole. At the end of his speech, came a deluge of tributes offered as homage by the former president, Obi of Onitsha and other royals. King Charles Douglas MacPepple JaJa; Jeki VI is truly a monarch in whom his people rejoices for so many reasons: Born on January 27, 1959 his primary education in Opobo Town and his secondary education in Akwa Ibom State before proceeding to the University of Port Harcourt where he earned his bachelor degree. His professional and social lives were marked by steady progression through SPDC to the Nigerian Bulk Oil Company and others. He join Mina Ogbo King Cultural Society of Opobo at the age of 12 – which speaks to his avid love for cultural and traditional activities and overtime acquired drumming skills and mastery in the rhythmical handling of local musical instruments and talking – drums to the amazement of local folks – earning him the Sobriquet of ‘‘akwa-alabo’’ (Lord of the drums). A truly home breed royal and man of the people. Furthermore, he became Chairman of Chief MacPepple War Canoe House PH branch – between 1989-1998, the Alapalibo (Deputy Chief) of that house in 2006, the Alabo-designate (Chief designate) in 2008 and finally became the Alabo (Chief) of that house in 2009 – a position he held until his proclamation and eventual coronation as King a month ago. His life trajectories and pedigree is rich and ennobling enough to have endeared him to all Strata of Opobo Society and immensely certifies him as a proverbial ‘‘square peg in a square hole’’. The closing chapter to the daily planned Coronation activities came in quick succession with the King’s Coronation Thanksgiving Service held at St Mark’s (Anglican Communion) Church in Kalaibiama Town – Opobo on Sunday, September 27, 2026. The King, the royal family, the Alapu, title citizens and well-wishers were in full attendance amidst a heavy down pour which contrasted with the fine weather of the previous-day of the Coronation proper – which many believed were showers of blessing from above upon the Monarch and Opobo Kingdom. Finally, on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, Governor Simialaiyi Fubara, who was unavoidable absent from the weekend coronation activities due to urgent national assignment was on hand to present the Certificate of recognition and staff of office to the King in the Council Chambers of the Government House in Port-Harcourt in the presence of a cross section of members of the State Executive Council and the King’s entourage. In all, it would be very apposite to say that the coronation was very successful and well organized by the event planners and the various committees who worked assiduously to produce this commendable outcome. • Solomon LeggJack writes from Port Harcourt