Kingdom of Bonny
| Kingdom of Bonny | |
|---|---|
| Traditional state | |
 Ijaw States, including Bonny |
|
| Coordinates: 4°26′N 7°10′E / 4.433°N 7.167°E | |
| Country |
 Nigeria
|
| State |
Rivers State Founders = Premier Kings Ndoli, Opuamakuba, Alagbariya and Asimini (Founded about the 13th century) |
| Government | |
| • Amanyanabo | Edward Asimini William Dappa Pepple III |
| Time zone | WAT (UTC+1) |
Rivers State Founders = Premier Kings Ndoli, Opuamakuba, Alagbariya and Asimini
The Kingdom of Bonny is a traditional state based on the town of Bonny in Rivers State, Nigeria. Founded in the 13th century AD, it became an important slave trading port, later trading palm oil products. During the 19th century the British became increasingly involved in the internal affairs of the kingdom, in 1886 assuming control under a protectorate treaty. Today the King of Bonny has a largely ceremonial role.
The Ibani kingdom was a state in the South Atlantic Coast, founded about the 13th century AD. The modern name "Bonny" is a distortion of the original name. According to tradition the island on which the town of Bonny is sited was full of curlews, and some of the first settlers therefore called it Okoloma, meaning curlew town. This name is still used locally.
The hereditary king, who had the title "Amanyanabo", originated from the founding fathers and premier kings of Bonny kingdom. Thus, the first four kings are founding fathers of the kingdom. These are namely Kings Ndoli, Opuamakuba, Alagbariya (Founder of Bonny: 'Okoloamakoromabo') and Asimini. After these initial four kings, their direct-blood descendants ruled the kingdom as kings until the era of King Awusa (Halliday). It was after King Halliday-Awusa, the twelfth king of Bonny kingdom, that King Perekule emerged and established the Pepple dynasty.
Bonny kingdom became important in the 15th century with the arrival of the Portuguese and the growth of the Atlantic slave trade. At its height of power, Bonny was one of the main entrepôts on the Slave Coast. Later the Dutch and then the British took control of the slave trade in the region, with the British renaming the port "Bonny". When the British passed an act to abolish the slave trade in 1807, the port turned to export of palm oil products, ivory and Guinea pepper.
William Dappa Pepple I ascended the throne in 1830. He became increasingly incompetent, particularly following a stroke in 1852, and stirred up opposition to his rule. In 1854 the British deported the king. King Dapu Fubara II Pepple ("Dappo") was appointed in his place, but died on 13 Aug 1855. The acting British Consul in the Bight of Biafra, J.W.B. Lynslager, signed a document on 11 September 1855 appointing the chiefs Anne Pepple, Ada Allison, Captain Hart and Manilla Pepple as a regency, required to consult with Banigo and Oko Jumbo, "two gentlemen of the river".
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Wikipedia