Nationnewslead report that The Brown Major House of Finima Community is greatly dismayed by the deliberate resolve of the Bonny Royalty such as the revered Bonny Chiefs’ Council of ancient Grand Bonny in its recent flagrant and brazen disregard of the Order of a court of competent jurisdiction in Suit No: PHC/329/CS/2022.
It is of common knowledge that one Mr. Evans Brown did hold himself out as the Chief and Head of the Buoye Omuso Brown Major (Duawari) House of Finima Community. This unfortunate claim of the self-styled chief was promptly challenged in court and in respect of which an interlocutory injunction was sought and secured restraining the said Mr. Evans Brown from parading himself as such. For ease of reference, the Order reads in part:
Former BOBH Asawo Chairman, Tammy Martins Brown
“It is hereby ordered as follows:
(1) That the Defendant/Respondent, his servants, agents and privies or through the Bonny Chiefs’ Council, the Amanyanabo of Bonny – His Majesty, King Edward Asimini William Dappa Pepple, Perekule XI or any other person whatsoever or howsoever are restrained from parading, presenting or holding out Defendant to government, non-governmental organizations, all the companies and agencies operating on Finima land including NLNG PLC, Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd, Elf Petroleum Nig Ltd., Mobil Producing Nig. Ltd, etc. or any third party by whatever name as the Chief and Head of Buoye Omuso (Brown) Major House of Finima community or in any manner whatsoever… ”
It is not only mind boggling but startling to note that even in the face of the above copious Order of court, which has been duly served and for which all the affected/named actors particularly the Bonny Chiefs’ Council is duly aware of, yet the same Council in utter disregard of the above Order of court still proceeded to publicly hold out, introduce and present the said Mr. Evans Brown as the Chief and Head of the Brown Major House of Finima Community.
For precision, it will be recalled that on the 24th day of January, 2023, the Governor of Rivers State, His Excellency, Chief Barr. Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, CON and his entourage visited Bonny for the flag off of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Rivers State Governorship Campaign rally. It was in this event of national coverage, the said Mr. Evans Brown was invited, introduced and presented as the Chief and Head of Brown Major House contrary to the clear and subsisting Order of court which specifically named and restrained the Amanyanabo of Bonny and all of his privies from doing so.
Whereas the Brown House see this unfortunate and recalcitrant move as an affront and a horrid invitation to anarchy, a deliberate attempt to truncate the enduring peace in Finima. Howbeit, Finima as a people look beyond the narrow and puerile decoy to see same as a clear act of contempt and shall accordingly explore available machinery to have it so treated. This is even more disturbing when checked against the background that the same Bonny Chiefs’ Council which now takes delight in disobeying court Order truly understand the meaning and potency of same and have themselves sought similar succour in Suit No. PHC/1518/CS/2022 where they sought an injunction to restrain Aseme-Alabo, Engr. Dagogo Lambert Brown, Amadabo of Finima from parading or acting as Paramount Ruler or Amadabo of Finima Community with a view to give advantage to Mr. Evans Brown to do their biddings. Painfully, when that which they sought is now issued against them, their reaction is simply that of recalcitrance, dissidence, obstinacy and a show of outright disobedience to court and the institution of the State at large.
While it is no longer news that Finima Community and, particularly, members of the Brown Major House may have lost all love from the traditional and Local Government leadership, it is most incredible that a Throne such as that of ancient Grand Bonny Kingdom with all of its pristine encounter with civilization and knowledge of the functioning of the judicial system will today so recklessly violate, ignore and refuse to obey an Order issued by a court of competent jurisdiction. Indeed, such a time we had of it.
A consummate consideration of the very many acts of the Throne leaves one with the inescapable conclusion that indeed, the traditional institution is bent in creating division, confusion and break down of law and order in Finima community and in particular the Brown House as it has succeeded in almost all other Houses/Families in Bonny Kingdom who are all in court pursuing one cause or the other. This conclusion is not far-fetched as same draws from the series of other events ranging from the mindless attack by some Bonny youths who were mobilized to invade and attack innocent Finima youths (men and women) including children who went for a peaceful protest at NLNG gate on the 10th June 2021. The said Bonny youths took to various dangerous weapons with which they launched deadly assault and inflicted various degrees of injuries on Finima children, youths and women. As if this was not enough, the same traditional institution on the 21st January 2022 against the wish of the Finima people sought the aid of thugs and hoodlums who tried to smuggle Mr. Evans Brown into Finima to forcefully install and impose him on the Brown House. This desperate and primitive move was sternly resisted and almost took the lives of many ebullient Finima youths if not for providence.
Amidst this subtle move to subjugate Finima, rather painful is the fact that the Bonny Local Government Chairperson whom we thought would have been neutral in managing this fragile and volatile situation was so quick to direct the Bonny Integrated Recruitment Centre (BIRC) to split the employment quota meant for Finima youths thereby denying the youths their employment opportunities for more than a year now. We heard she had recently reversed her directives to release Finima 40% employment quota though it’s still not clear to me. The question that came to mind was why now, if not for political reasons? I will state categorically that I still do not trust the motives of this decision, especially, now that she frequents Finima every other day canvassing for votes for her party.
Again, I see her motives as a deliberate attempt to continue to create disaffection in Finima Community, cause enduring economic hardship and to continue to punish the youths for no reason, especially, given the fact that the Local Government was duly served with the same Order of court. Interestingly, in all of these, may I state for an umpteenth time that Finima youths are peace loving and law-abiding youths and so no matter the height of provocations they will continue to persevere and give heed to wise counsel as they have done at all times. Continue Reading
Signed:
Tammy Martins Brown
Former BOBH Asawo Chairman
Contact: Nationnewslead.com
