Bonny Women Gear Up for Greatness, Harps on Unity, Social Impact  

By Maryjane Obiwumma, Ebenezer Eze

The Bonny Women Forum (BWF) says it is repositioning women to take their rightful place in today’s world, adapt to emerging realities, forge greater unity and contribute to the development of society.

Woman Leader of Bonny Kingdom, Helen Jack Wilson-Pepple said this on Saturday, December 21, 2024 at the 2nd Annual Women Conference with the theme: “Women In Today’s World” held at the Bonny Women’s Hall, Bonny, Rivers State.

She stressed the need for collaborative efforts to make Bonny Kingdom great again, stressing that the “conference was born out of the need to unite Bonny women, equip ourselves and create meaningful impact that will contribute to the overall growth of the kingdom”.  

“This year’s conference focuses on the dynamics of “Women in Today’s World” in view of the need to unravel ways of balancing the ideals of womanhood and contemporary realities.”

She informed that through various capacity building programmes, the women of Bonny Kingdom were being empowered to navigate current changes in the society with a view to have them rise to greatness and also to defend the traditions and culture of the Bonny people.

“It is needless to emphasize the fact that today’s world comes with a lot of changes and disruptions to the ways things used to be done and the most affected are women. This is what underscores the need for us to return to the roundtable for deliberation on ways of navigating the times.

“As the year 2025 sets in, the Bonny Kingdom Women Forum will some more attention to the cultural fidelity of our kingdom. We have seen and heard of so much desecration in this regard. No longer will we fold our hands to watch the mindless desecration of Iria, traditional marriage and other important aspects of our culture suffer foreign importation and intentional twisting.”   

The Bonny Women Forum Leader also addressed the need for women to rise to their feet in inculcating good morals to their children and why the cultural and moral behaviour of Bonny must not die in their time, just as she rolled out the achievements of the BWF, so far, which, according to her, includes skill acquisition trainings in catering, fashion designing, bead making and others.

In his royal message to the women, the Amanyanabo and Natural Ruler of Bonny Kingdom, His Majesty, King Edward Asimini William Dappa Pepple III, CON, DSSRS, JP, Edward I, Perekule XI, praised the Leader, Helen Jack Wilson-Pepple, the executives of the Bonny Women Forum, as well as all the women for their efforts.

Represented by the Vice Chairman of the Bonny Chiefs Council, Se-Alabo Hanniel Jack Wilson-Pepple, who is also the Chief and Head of Jack Wilson-Pepple House, the Monarch noted that leadership when independently chosen, unbiased and patriotic will produce excellent results, asserting that he is proud of the Woman Leader of the Kingdom, adding that God will continue blessing the efforts of the women.

In his goodwill message, the President of the Bonny Kingdom Titled Citizens Assembly, Furosia Wilcox advised the women to be futuristic in their efforts by guiding their children to pursue careers and excel in their chosen endeavours, noting that several Bonny women have acquitted themselves creditably in their chosen professions.

On his part, the guest speaker at the conference, Apoki Emmanuel enjoined the women to resourceful, entrepreneurial and innovative in identifying opportunities for investment, professionalism and social development, noting that women continue to play pivotal roles in societal development.

He pointed out that Bonny LGA possesses limitless opportunities and resources for investment, urging the women look inwards and harness them for business with a view to creating jobs, earning revenue and developing the land, expressing optimism that given the unity of purpose exuded by the women, the future remains promising.

In attendance at the conference were the Chairman, Bonny Kingdom Development Committee (BKDC), Amairigha Hart, a former Commissioner for Finance in the State, Israel Williams, and Secretary of the King Perekule Palace, Festus Pepple, a former Commissioner of Police, Margaret Hart, and Chairman/Managing Director of Bieusha West Africa Limited, Biekpo Chapp-Jumbo, amongst others.

Highlight of the conference was cultural dances, special displays, and handover of startup packs to beneficiaries of the empowerment program organised by the Bonny Women Forum earlier in the year.