1940 – 2022
EULOGY by Charles OGAN
“Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints”
- Psalm 116:5 (NIV)
Jim Reeves the country music legend rightly said, “This world is not my own, I’m just passing through, my treasures are laid up somewhere beyond the blues”
His Lordship Rt. Rev’d. Gabriel Okomiema Herbert Jack-Wilson Pepple, late Bishop of the Diocese of Niger Delta, spiritual leader of impeccable integrity, astute administrator and peace maker was precious in the sight of the Lord. He was a strong believer in the Christian faith, a fearless defender of the Anglican doctrine and in his time stood against any form of adulteration of the Anglican tradition. His Lordship was a visionary and pragmatic prelate with a masterclass reputation for stainless service. He was a master ecclesiastical matters strategist with deep intellectual fortitude. He was highly spiritual, disciplined and principled, a builder of people, a good listener, and tenaciously stubborn to his beliefs.
Rt. Rev’d. Gabriel Herbert Pepple was the fifth occupant of Bishop Samuel Ajayi Crowther’s throne in Saint Stephen’s Cathedral, Bonny, the first Cathedral in Nigeria and the Second in West Africa, after Saint 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. Bishop Crowther was consecrated on St. Peter’s Day, 29th June 1864 at Canterbury Cathedral, England. He was Bishop of the Niger Mission, even though at consecration he was designated “Bishop of the countries of West Africa beyond the dominion of the Queen”, a position he held responsibly until his demise in 1891.
During the 1998 Lambert Conference of the world-wide Anglican Communion which Bishop Gabriel Herbert Pepple attended for the first and last time, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II decided to host all former Church Missionary Society (CMS) Missions to a dinner. In the sitting arrangement after the Queen, the next was the Archbishop of Canterbury followed by the Archbishop of York. The 4th seat was reserved for the occupant of Bishop Ajayi Crowther throne and the right was for the Bishop of Niger Delta Diocese, eventhough the Primate of the Church of Nigeria was present. When invited to the reserved seat, Bishop Gabriel Pepple out of modesty screamed “how can I Gabriel sit with the Queen of England?”, that he was not qualified for such privilege. That is the kind of man he was: A man of velvet humility and a man of uncommon courage and candour.
Rt. Rev’d. Gabriel Herbert Pepple walked through the doors of time 82 years ago when he was born on July 11, 1940. This period coincided with the outbreak of the second world war that involved virtually every part of the world from 1939 to 1945. He was born in Bonny, the cradle of Christianity in the Niger Delta area and a commercial and cultural hub in Nigeria. From time immemorial, Grand Bonny kingdom was a centre of culture and commerce in Africa. By the beginning of the sixteenth century AD, Bonny was described by historians “as a town already engaged in internal long-distance trade to the hinterland, and in overseas trade with the Portuguese.
He was christened Gabriel Okomiema Herbert Jack Wilson Pepple by his father Chief Herbert Opuwaribere Jack-Wilson Pepple, a prominent Chief, community leader and trader. His mother was Emily Tariofori but she preferred Emily Tariwariofori Jack Wilson-Pepple. A kind hearted and industrious woman, fishing was her main occupation. She went out with other women for fishing. Her industry combined with her husband’s trade in wood sustained the family and ensured the children were given sound moral upbringing. Both were devoted Christians of the Christ Army Church, Nigeria (CACN), founded in 1916 by the charismatic cleric Garrick Sokari Daketima Braide of Bakana. He was named Gabriel in honour of his father’s friend the Bishop of Christ Army Church, Nigeria Rt. Rev’d. Gabriel Yambi, who on Episcopal visit to their village Kalama, Bonny decided to pay an unscheduled visit to his friend Chief Herbert Pepple, unknown to him that his wife was pregnant. As he entered the house, Gabriel Pepple was born and he requested that the child be named after him and it was granted. The parents later converted to the Anglican Church, where the young Gabriel was baptized and confirmed.
Growing Up
From childhood, the life path of Bishop Gabriel Herbert Pepple was littered with challenges. At age four, he fell into a well and remained there for 12 hours, but he survived only by God’s grace. He began life as a petty fisher man with his elder brother in addition to petty wood trading at the age of eight. At the age of eleven he partnered professional fishermen to fish offshore in places like Kalabara Toru, lodging at the Iborokiri (fishing port). He was not to be sent to school at all, but for intervention of his father’s faithful friends. One of them was Chief A.T. Allison, the Headmaster of Boyle Memorial School, Bonny. He thus started his elementary school at the late age of thirteen in 1953 at Boyle Memorial School, Bonny, an iconic citadel established in 1867 by the Niger Delta Pastorate Mission of the CMS. He obtained his First School Leaving Certificate in December 1958 with flying colours. He was a man of prodigious talents but was not opportune to further his education.
A Sailor, Cook and Steward
With no hope of going beyond primary education, Gabriel Herbert Pepple took his destiny into his hands. He had been taught by his parents to be obedient, honest, hardworking, tenacious and self-reliant. Determined to succeed, he joined the Don Cino Company and served as Houseboy, Water boy and Kitchen boy for Gijo Oparandi, the Italian Manager of the Company. This company was the first Italian company that came into Bonny and was one of the companies that constructed the Bonny Oil Tank Farm of then Shell BP (now Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited – SPDC). He was diligent and professional at his job. The expatriate senior staff loved a certain Italian delicacy. His master, Mr. Gijo Oparandi was a bosom friend of the Captain of a Tanker stationed near the Italian ship. One day, aware that his steward Gabriel could prepare the delicacy, he invited the Captain and his friends for lunch. They came and the lunch was delicious. They were impressed that a black African could prepare such special European dish. As they left, the Captain dropped one pound with Mr. Oparandi for his Steward in appreciation. Gabriel used the one pound to buy a Holy Bible. He read the Bible from the Book of Genesis to Revelation and after reading it, “I didn’t like anything again unless I go to Church to pray”, Bishop Pepple said. He was overcome by the spirit of God and brought a turnaround in his life.
A call to divine service
He later served in the same capacity as a sailor and steward in the Netherlands Shipping and Engineering Group of Companies in Bonny. But the Bible he bought with one pound as a cook at Don Cino Company, continued to influence his spiritual life. He became spirit filled and began to exhibit unexplained tendencies. These were signs of his calling to serve the Lord. He saw visions and spoke in tongues. His behaviour was misconstrued and misunderstood by his parents and relations. He was tied, beaten and tortured to exorcise the perceived “evil” spirit. But he went through it all and survived. His perceived strange behaviour was early sign he had been cut out to serve the Lord.
Meeting his wife
While working as a Cook and Steward in Don Cino, Bishop Gabriel Pepple fervently prayed for a wife who will tolerate and understand his new type of life in Christ. He found one: Opuibinyingibo Lucy Gabriel Herbert Pepple, a paragon of beauty in 1962 and they got married. Opuibinyingibo is Ibani for a great beautiful mother. And she has been a great mother to both the family and the Church. The marriage of sixty years is blessed with ten, but nine surviving children.
A Trainee in Shell BP
A highly intelligent young man, Gabriel Herbert Pepple gained corporate exposure as a trainee Crude Oil Terminal Gauger in Shell BP (now – SPDC). from 1966 and rose to the rank of Senior Gauger. He worked in the Tank Farm of the company in Bonny before the outbreak of the Nigerian Civil War 1967 -1970.
A Cathedral Yard Man
Gabriel Herbert Pepple had a lucrative career in Shell. Following the liberation of Bonny Island, Shell resumed partial operations in Bonny in late 1967. He was called back by Shell into his former position. But the urge to answer the call of God was paramount. So, rather than remain in Shell, he decided to apply to work as a Yard Man in Saint Stephen’s Cathedral, Bonny. His application was read and approved by the Parochial Church Committee on November, 1, 1967 to be the Cathedral temporary yard man. He combined this job with serving as a Church Teacher in the Cathedral, teaching the Bible at Sunday School and Bible Classes.
A School and Church Teacher
During the war, the Rivers State Government reopened schools in liberated areas of Rivers State like Bonny, Okrika and Port Harcourt in early and mid-1968. Someone he could not remember his name, one day met Gabriel Pepple at the Cathedral compound and asked why he was cutting grass. The man asked him to apply for a teaching job in Government. He did and the next day he was employed and posted to Peterside, a Bonny community, as a teacher. That was how he left the work of cutting grass and started working as a Pupil Teacher in Peterside. He was at the same time a Church Teacher, because the Catechist at the Anglican church in Peterside left during the war. But the salary was meager to fend for his young family. In order to make ends meet, he left teaching and joined the British Survey Ship Harry Morgan as a Chief Steward.
A Game Changer
The life of Gabriel Herbert Pepple was to turn around for better when providence brought him into contact with Chief Harold Dapa Biriye, a nationalist, champion of minority rights and prominent citizen of Grand Bonny Kingdom. During the war, an army officer from Peterside died. He was married to Chief Biriye’s sister and his corpse was brought home to be buried at Peterside. There was no Pastor to conduct the funeral service and they had to bring Gabriel Herbert Pepple, a former Church Teacher there to conduct the funeral Service. Chief Biriye was in that service. He was impressed with the general conduct and sermon by Gabriel Pepple and thereafter offered him scholarship to enroll with Rapid Results College. He started studying and sending his answers to London from the Harry Morgan British Survey ship. He was a steward and cook and was studying at the same time inside this Ship. He studied several courses including Bible Knowledge and English Literature and passed the Rapid Results College examinations with distinction by correspondence. It was a game changer in his life career.
A leap of fate
With higher qualification from Rapid Results College, London, Gabriel Herbert Pepple gained admission into the Archbishop Vining Christian Leadership Training Centre, Akure in 1976, where he trained as a Catechist with his wife. He was commissioned Anglican Catechist and was posted to St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Bonny on January 2, 1978. A faithful Cathedral Yard Man had returned to the same Cathedral as a Catechist. It was a leap of Fate, divinely ordered from above.
A humble ambition
Bishop Gabriel Pepple’s life ambition was modest with three simple desires – to be licensed to teach the word, to preach the word and to administer the Holy Communion. To fulfill the last desire, Gabriel Herbert Pepple proceeded to Trinity Theological College, Umuahia in 1979, where he obtained the Diploma in Theology and the West African Theological Institutions (WaTTI) Diploma in Theology.
Diaconate to Priesthood
Following his successful completion of training at the Trinity Theological College, Umuahia, Bishop Gabriel Herbert Pepple was made a Deacon in July 1983 and ordained a Priest in July 1984 at St. Cyprian’s Church, Port Harcourt by the Rt. Rev’d Samuel Onyeukwu Elenwo, then Bishop of the Diocese of Niger Delta.
Hands on the plough
As a Deacon Gabriel Herbert Pepple first served briefly at St. Cyprian’s Church, Port Harcourt and was later posted to Saint Stephen’s Cathedral, Bonny where he further served for five and half years from 1983 to 1988. While at Bonny, he became the pioneer Ports Minister, serving as Chaplain to Seamen under the auspices of the Missions to Seamen programme.
From 1988 to 1995, he served at St. Michael’s Anglican Church, Buguma as Vicar and Superintendent of the Buguma District and as Chairman of the District Church Council (DCC), and at St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Opobo town as Vicar and District Superintendent of the Opobo District. In these two stations Gabriel Herbert Pepple left indelible imprints. At Opobo, he was instrumental to the construction of the present St. Paul’s Church, Opobo town and encouraged many young men to go into priesthood. He also strived to sanitize and save the Church from cultism through his epic battle against powerful cult and secret societies. His uncompromising stand on this issue encouraged the faithful and brought about revival in the Anglican Church in these communities.
In 1992, while serving at Opobo District he was preferred and installed a Canon of Saint Stephen’s Cathedral, Bonny.
Dean of Saint Stephen’s Cathedral, Bonny
The Rev’d Canon Gabriel Herbert Pepple was collated and installed Dean of Saint Stephen’s Cathedral, Bonny on December 15, 1995. As Dean of the Cathedral, The Very Rev’d. Gabriel Pepple initiated a number of spiritual programmes and activities some of which were the Chapels. According to the present Dean of the Cathedral, The Very Rev’d. Richard Ibituru Hart, “he created about five Chapels where morning and evening services held daily. On Sundays, The Very Rev’d. G.H. Pepple and his clerics would go out and administer Communion every Sunday in the chapels spread all over Bonny Island”. Also, as Dean Gabriel Pepple inaugurated a School. It will be recalled that the first school established by Bishop Crowther himself in 1867, Boyle Memorial School was taken over by the Government. So, Bishop Pepple came and started a new school and by God’s grace, the school is now named after him, Bishop Gabriel Pepple’s School.
A Vicar-General
Following the creation of The Diocese of Niger North out of the Diocese of Niger Delta in May, 1996, Rt. Rev’d. Samuel Onyeukwu Elenwo was translated to the new Diocese as the inaugural Bishop. Consequently, the Dean of Saint Stephen’s Cathedral, Bonny The Very Rev’d. Gabriel Herbert Pepple was appointed the Vicar-General of the residual Niger Delta Diocese until a Bishop was elected and consecrated.
Election as a Bishop
To the Glory of God, The Very Rev’d. Gabriel Herbert Pepple was elected during the Episcopal Synod of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion held at Archbishop Vining Memorial Church (now Cathedral of Diocese of Lagos West), Ikeja, Lagos on September 22, 1996.
Consecration
After going through all necessary church protocols and with no objections to the election, Very Rev’d Gabriel Herbert Pepple was consecrated on Saturday November 30, 1996 being the Feast Day of Saint Andrew. He was consecrated in St. James Cathedral Oke-Bola, Ibadan, Oyo State of Nigeria at 11.00am by Most Rev’d. Dr. Joseph Abiodun Adetiloye, Archbishop, Metropolitan and Primate of all Nigeria.
Enthronement
The Rt. Rev’d. Father in God, Gabriel Herbert Pepple was enthroned as the fifth Bishop of the Diocese of Niger Delta on Sunday December 8, 1996. The Diocese of Niger Delta was inaugurated in Saint Stephen’s Cathedral, Bonny on April 27, 1952 with the Enthronement of the Rt. Rev’d. E.T. Dimieari as the first Bishop. He was consecrated in 1949 in London. The Rt. Rev’d Hubert Afonya was consecrated as the Assistant Bishop for Niger Delta Diocese at Saint Stephen’s Cathedral, Bonny in 1957. The Rt. Rev’d. Rogers Nathan Bara-Hart was the second Bishop of the Diocese of Niger Delta. He was consecrated in 1961 at St. Stephen’s Cathedral, Bonny. The Third Bishop of the Diocese was Rt. Rev’d Yibo Alalibo Fubara. He was consecrated in All Saints Cathedral, Onitsha in 1971. In 1972. Aba Diocese was created out of the Diocese of Niger Delta. Rt. Rev’d Hubert Afonya the assistant Bishop of Niger Delta Diocese was translated to be the inaugural Bishop of the See of Aba and St. Michael’s Church, Aba as its Cathedral. The Rev’d Canon Samuel Onyeukwu Elenwo, BA, JP. was consecrated as the fourth Bishop of the Diocese of Niger Delta in 1981 at St. James Cathedral, Ibadan. He was succeeded by Bishop Gabriel Pepple in December, 1996.
His Episcopacy
In his fourteen years episcopacy from December 8, 1996 to July 10, 2010 Rt. Rev’d. Gabriel Herbert Pepple was an inspiration and a beacon of peace and progress to the Church and community. His tenure ushered remarkable achievements in evangelism as well as in spiritual and physical growth. One of his cardinal objectives was proper training and development of Church workers. He was dedicated to Clergy training in theological schools and made sure they become fulltime Clergymen in the Diocese. Majority of the Church teachers he trained and Commissioned as Catechists and lay readers are now Clergymen in the Diocese. The number of priests trained during his tenure between 1997 and 2010 is commendable. He said his utmost aim was to make every locality within the Diocese to have a priest to give them a sense of spiritual direction. As a great servant of God, he made members of the Diocese to believe that there is a living God in the Anglican Church, and that there was no other place better than the Anglican Church. He believed in the efficacy of prayer.
Bishop Gabriel Pepple promoted the work of evangelism and missions by allowing the creation of the Diocese of Niger Delta West in 1999 and Diocese of Okrika in 2003 from the residual Diocese of Niger Delta. Bishop Pepple in his time planted many Churches; he did not only plant the Churches but also assisted the Churches financially to grow. He was able to reach out to all stations, Districts and Parishes in the Diocese yearly.
A rural evangelist.
Rt. Rev’d. Gabriel Herbert Pepple was conversant with most of the rural areas of the Diocese and visited all of them. He was devoted to grass root evangelism, committed to Sunday school activities and would always provide seed money to start the Sunday School Conference. He also supported all the arms of the Church and encouraged them to stand strong especially the formation of the Men Christian Association (MCA) now called the Christian Men Fellowship (CMF).
Rt. Rev’d. Gabriel Pepple was an astute administrator and a charismatic leader. He developed both human capacity and physical infrastructure. In infrastructural development, Bishop Pepple created positive and lasting impacts through the big projects he masterminded and he never started any project without completing it. He started and completed the multi-million-naira Diocesan Secretariat Complex and the Kings Chapel, Our Saviour’s Hospital, Bishop Johnson Street, Port Harcourt, renovated dilapidated duplexes and rented them out to support the Diocese financially.
A Social Reformer
Rt. Rev’d. Gabriel Herbert Pepple was a social reformer. In addition to evangelism, he believed in improving the quality of life. He renovated one secondary school, Nyemoni Grammar School and in collaboration with High Chief O.B. Lulu-Briggs of blessed memory, constructed and commissioned a modern secondary school at Sama in Asari Toru Local Government area of Rivers State. He also encouraged Parishes that can afford it to establish schools. As a result, many churches and parishes in the Diocese today run nursery, primary and secondary schools. By promoting education in his time, this Bishop was thinking of tomorrow today. He established Our Saviour’s Hospital, a 100-bed space medical facility that is today providing basic health care to Nigerians both Christians and Muslims.
“By promoting education in his time, Bishop Gabriel Pepple was thinking of tomorrow today”.
The Church and the Crown
During his tenure, Rt.Revd. Gabriel Herbert Pepple had the rare honour of performing the coronation of the two reigning Ibani Kings. In December 1996, he crowned His Royal Majesty King Edward Asimini William Dappa Pepple, Perekule XI, Amanyanabo of Grand Bonny, in one of his first official assignments as a Bishop. He also crowned His Royal Majesty King Dandeson Douglas Jaja, Jeki V, as Amanyanabo of Opobo Kingdom. The coronation of these two kings by Bishop Gabriel Pepple was an eloquent evidence of the strong relationship between Church and the Crown in the long history of Ibani people. Christianity was planted in Bonny by King William Dappa Pepple in 1861 and was fertilized by his son King George Oruigbi Pepple who ordered the destruction of the Bonny ancestral deity the reptile Iguana (Ikuba) and proclaimed Christianity as its national religion.
The 1952 Constitution of the Diocese of Niger Delta was revised and amended under Bishop Gabriel Pepple to reflect contemporary understanding of issues on faith and administration of the Anglican church.
Rt. Rev. Gabriel Herbert Pepple was a bridge builder. In the words of his Secretary, Dame Helen Justus, “he built consensus across all strata of the Diocese – priests, institutions, chaplaincies, the laity and ordinary workers. His Lordship took everybody along, recognized and valued everyone who worked with him as a bishop. He was a great servant of God, His Lordship’s life style of humility and simplicity made us to be humbler in this ministry of God”.
A man of compassion
His Lordship Rt. Rev’d. Gabriel Pepple was a bishop with a heart of kindness. Despite his high office, he did not lose the common touch. He was a giver who loved hospitality, always ready to teach and reach out even from retirement. It will be recalled that when things became tough in the Diocese, he single – handedly paid the salaries of workers, from his retirement. His Lordship worked hard to make sure this Diocese became financially strong. His generosity included scholarship to brilliant students in the Diocese. In his time, he also found time to visit orphanages, old people’s homes and custodial centres (the Prisons)
“Despite his high office as a Bishop, Rt. Rev’d. Gabriel Pepple did not lose the common touch”.
Bishop Pepple touched the heart of every worker in the Diocese by teaching them how to worship God at all times, and being sensitive to their welfare. He also encouraged every member of this Diocese to identify with their home Churches by paying their class fees, supporting their home towns and also help in building their local home Churches. He revived the Friday bible study by teaching in the Bible class of whichever Church he visited, and also encouraged the teaching of catechism to children before confirmation. His Lordship loved singing praises and songs in vernacular (Boma Nume), although he was also versatile in Hymn singing. He was a Choir Boy at Saint Stephen’s Cathedral, Bonny. One of his favourite hymns is: Hymn Ancient & Modern 290. He also encouraged Christians to learn the use of local instruments and dialects in worships. He said “the culture of our people must be encouraged”.
A Community Leader
Rt. Rev’d. Gabriel Herbert Pepple was not only a spiritual leader, he was a community builder. His role in sustaining peace in Grand Bonny Kingdom is legendary. The Chairman of Grand Bonny Chiefs Council Se Alabo Ambassador Dagogo S.C. Wilcox recalled that when some of the Chieftaincy Houses had some challenges, Bishop Pepple intervened. “This is the kind of role he was playing in our community”, he said. Bishop Pepple had contributed to peace in Bonny Kingdom.
Rt. Rev’d. Gabriel Herbert Pepple was a selfless leader. The Venerable Amavey Abbey-Kalio was his first Chaplain. He recalled that “Rt. Rev’d Gabriel Pepple never went to Government House to ask for personal favours as a Bishop. Whenever he went to Government House, he presented the interest of the Church or other people’s matters. On three occasions, then Governor Peter Odili asked him, “My Lord don’t you have problem? Any time you come here you talk about other people’s problems”. At the height of militancy, civil unrests, insecurity and killings with Government appearing to be complicit, Bishop Pepple rejected many items from Government and its officials. He rejected expensive electronic organs donated by highly placed Government Officials in Port Harcourt and Abonnema. He told them “after killing everybody who will you govern? This organ you brought there is blood on it, take it away”. Bishop Pepple was a leading voice in Rivers State. Even in preaching, he was a fearless preacher and teacher. “Whenever he mounted the pulpit, the Church shakes, because he will tell you the truth. He was a defender of the faith”.
“Bishop Gabriel Pepple was a leading voice in Rivers State”.
Rt. Rev’d. Gabriel Herbert Pepple was a “special and unique” personality. Warisenibo Alwell Herbert Jack-Wilson Pepple is one of his only two surviving siblings. He said “in the family, Bishop Gabriel Pepple was a star. In the Bonny Kingdom, he was a unique personality”. As a husband he was faithful and loving. His ability to live with the wife of his youth for sixty years and have all his ten children by her is a special quality. As a father, he was caring and was a great provider. His ability to give direction has put his children on the right path of success. Though he is gone physically, his memory continues to glow, assured still that “for years the light he left behind, shall lie on the paths of men.”
Bishop Gabriel Herbert Pepple indeed had many notable qualities, but nothing defined him more than his humanity. He was a contented man, not for him the life of ostentation, greed and avarice. “He was modest in prosperity, honourable in status, and graceful in moderate opulence.” In the ultimate drama of life, Bishop Gabriel Pepple acted well his part as a teacher, preacher, peacemaker, father and friend and left the stage with his head high. To his numerous admirers, family and friends, he remains a treasure. He was gifted and was a gift by God to us. When Malcolm X died in February 1965, Ossie Davis praised him in his eulogy as a shining black star. Similarly, by his outstanding contribution, Bishop Gabriel Okomiema Herbert Jack-Wilson Pepple, is a shining star in the ecclesiastical and secular firmament. As the curtains close on his illustrious life today, may God grant his soul eternal rest.
