A Daughter’s Tribute on Canvas: Holiveah Paints Grandfather, Late Bishop Gabriel Pepple

Dateline: July 22, 2025 – Day 2 of the monumental Holiveah Paint‑A‑Thon became epochal as an emotional masterpiece emerged, Olivia Lawson had painted an awesome portrait of her grandfather, the revered Rt. Rev. Gabriel Okomiema Herbert Jack-Wilson Pepple (1940–2022), Bishop Emeritus of the Niger Delta Diocese of the Anglican Communion.

The moment was tender and resonant, as painting became more than art; it became a legacy.

Born Gabriel Okomiema Herbert Jack-Wilson Pepple in 1940, he rose through the Anglican Church’s ranks, beginning as a catechist in Bonny in 1978, before studying theology at Trinity Theological College, Umuahia, Abia State.

He was ordained deacon in July 1983 and priest in 1984 by Bishop Samuel Elenwo of Diocese of Warri.

He served with distinction at St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Bonny, then as Vicar and District Superintendent in Buguma, Asari-Toru LGA, and Opobo in Opobo/Nkoro LGA, leading church construction projects, championing youth, and opposing cultism in his communities.

In December 1996, he was enthroned as the fifth Bishop of Niger Delta Diocese, a position he held until mid-2010. With this elevation Bishop Gabriel Pepple became the fifth occupant of Bishop Samuel Ajayi Crowther’s throne in St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Bonny, the first Cathedral in Nigeria and the Second in West Africa, after St. George’s Cathedral, Freetown, Sierra Leone.

The Cathedral Church of Saint Stephen, Bonny was consecrated a Cathedral with the Bishop’s throne and became Headquarters of the Niger Delta Pastorate by Rt. Rev. Samuel Ajayi Crowther in February,1889. The Bishop Crowther throne which Bishop Gabriel Pepple occupied from 1996 to 2010 is respected throughout the Anglican world, being the seat of the first African Rt. Rev’d. Samuel Ajayi Crowther to become a Bishop.

His episcopacy was marked by rapid church planting, clergy training, infrastructural development, and impactful social ministry including education and health facilities like schools and Our Saviour’s Hospital in Port Harcourt.

He also crowned two Ibani kings, King Edward Asimini William Dappa Pepple III, Perekule XI, Amanyanabo and Natural Ruler of Grand Bonny Kingdom, and King Dandeson Douglas Jaja, Jeki V, Treaty King and Amanyanabo of Opobo Kingdom, underscoring the deep ties between the church and traditional institution.

As Holiveah’s brush caught the features of her late grandfather, her steady gaze, dignified posture, and Anglican vestments, onlookers paused. It was a pause filled with remembrance, reverence, and creative tribute.

“This,” Lawson shared softly, “is the man whose faith shaped our family, whose leadership shaped our land.”

The portrait became a bridge, between personal memory and communal history. It was a symbolic moment in the Paint‑A‑Thon: Olivia reconnecting artistry to ancestry, identity and inspiration.

The audience witnessed more than talent, they witnessed homage. Tears glistened, hands applauded, and the spirit of Gabriel Pepple permeated the space.

This intimate portrayal within an international record attempt amplifies the event’s deeper purpose: not just longevity in painting, but depth in meaning. The portrait is more than pigment; it’s identity, legacy, and the profound resonance between a granddaughter’s brush and her grandfather’s legacy.

As Holiveah continues her marathon toward a Guinness World Record, this painting affirms her message: African art is rooted in story, culture, and honor.

In her grandfather’s image, she painted not just a person, but a heritage.