About BONNY ISLAND, Nigeria. A Beautiful City Many Don’t Know About.[HISTORY&PICTURES]
|NAME: Bonny Island.
LOCATION: Rivers State.
COORDINATES: 4.4492° N, 7.2400° E
KNOWN TO BE: A Mini City.
ABOUT
Bonny Island is situated at the southern edge of Rivers State in the Niger Delta of Nigeria near Port Harcourt. In the early 1990s the Federal Government of Nigeria, in collaboration with 3 international partners, Shell Gas BV., CLEAG Limited [ELF] and AGIP International BV. started the multi-billion dollar project Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited (Nigeria LNG). Due to its strategic position, the island hosts various oil companies including Royal Dutch Shell, Mobil, Chevron, Agip, and Elf.
Port Harcourt is the closest city to Bonny Island. Ferries are the main form of transport to and from the island.
Public secondary schools on the island includes: Bonny National Grammar School, Government Girls Secondary School, Community Secondary School, Lucille Education Center, Kingdom Heritage with so many more very educative schools on the Island.
It’s been said the city is the only city in Nigeria which has a 24hour electricity for quite a longtime and still continuing.
HISTORY
The community is subdivided into two main segments – the mainland and the hinterland. The mainland is comprised of the Township, Sandfield, Iwoama, Orosikiri, Aganya, Ayambo, Akiama, Workers Camp, Finima and some outlying fishing settlements lying along the Bonny River’s coastline. The hinterland includes the villages that serve as home to indigenes of Bonny kingdom.
After the migration from Orupiri to Okoloama (Bonny town), the eldest of the group, Opuamakuba became the leader. When Opuamakuba became very old, the elders and priests persuaded him to hand over to Alagbariye who was then the high priest. When the Ibani left Orupiri, they brought with them to Okoloama, only a son of their national god, Kala Ikuba (Ikuba Junior). Opu-Ikuba.(Ikuba Senior) was left behind at Orupiri, Alagbariye served as high priest of Ikuba and succeeded Opuamakuba as ruler. Since there was no fresh water at Okoloama, the elders consulted oracles.
Religion
The Ibani people are Christians. Majority of the inhabitants of the area converted to Christianity in the early 1800’s. The Christian faith in Bonny was introduced by King William Dappa Pepple, who while in England elected to become a Christian King so that God will grant him power and wisdom to rule his people. King William Dappa Pepple was Baptised by Reverend G. H. McGill and later confirmed by Dr. Tait, the Bishop of London. At the behest of king William Dappa Pepple the Church Missionary Society in London sent Bishop Samuel Ajayi Crowther, the first Black African Bishop, to Bonny in 1864 to establish the Gospel of our lord Jesus Christ in Bonny.
Monarchy
Industry
Bonny Island-Finima is surrounded on the west and south by long stretches of beaches. The beautiful beaches attract tourists and fun seeking inhabitants alike on sunny days and festive periods like Christmas and Easter. On 26th and 31st December of every year, thousands of people visit the Finima beaches for beach carnivals.
Bonny beach carnival! biggest Beach carnival in the Niger delta holds at Bonny Island.
CULTURE
Today, there are several cultural groups in Bonny, for instance the “Nwaotam” carnival display which is a renowned and colourful display among men and women, young and old of the bonny community. Other cultural groups are also known in the communities which perform at various times in the year usually during the Christmas period.
BONNY ISLAND AERIAL-VIEW PICTURES.
BEAUTIFUL PLACES IN BONNY.
Bonny Nature Park
Bonny Nature Park, being developed by Nigeria LNG is becoming popular for eco-tourism. The park covers the rain forest, mangrove swamps and area of sandy soil with fresh water ponds and tall timbers between the swamp and beach. It harbours some creatures like the pygmy hippo and reptiles including crocodiles, monkeys and some different bird species.
Finima Nature Park is a remarkable achievement on Bonny Island. -. It is also a lovely place to go and visit and get a sense of what the Niger Delta was like before, everything. If you’d like to visit.
A BEACH IN BONNY ISLAND
BEAUTIFUL BUILDINGS/HOUSES
SOURCES: wikipedia.org,nairaland.com,grandbonny.org,travelingluck.com.