Skip to content Skip to left sidebar Skip to right sidebar Skip to footer

Month: January 2022

WhatsApp Image 2022 01 14 at 6.06.05 AM 1

INSTALLATION OF CHIEF OF BUOYE-OMUSO BROWN MAJOR HOUSE & AMADABO OF FINIMA

GOODWILL ADDRESS BY
ASEME ALABO, HRH, ENGR DAGOGO LAMBERT BROWN
TO MEMBERS OF BUOYE OMUSO BROWN MAJOR HOUSE OF FINIMA DURING HIS FORMAL INSTALLATION AS
CHIEF & HEAD OF BUOYE OMUSO BROWN MAJOR HOUSE &
AMADABO OF FINIMA Kongo XVII, Omoni-ye-Sughu I
on Wednesday 12 January 2022

I am indeed very grateful and still remain indebted to God Almighty for the undeniable demonstration of His mercy and love towards us in Buoye Omuso Brown Major House and Finima in general; considering the turbulent journey of life we have experienced, since the exodus from our revered ancient Community in 1991. It is highly desirable to always appreciate God’s timely interventions in the affairs of the House, in rescuing and preserving her from total collapse and disintegration.

I still acknowledge the grace of God that has preserved and secured us as a family to this point in life where we can still breathe to sustain, as well as enable us to organize and provide for ourselves an all-embracing Constitution to properly direct and prudently manage the affairs of the House. It is by the provisions of this Constitution that the exercise of producing the Aseme Alabo for the House was duly conducted and emerged with Amadabo-elect, fully backed by preponderant majority support, including well-meaning and prominent members of the House.

Let me pause here and look at the much matured faces of all the accredited members of Council of Warialapu and applaud their courage and resilience in executing this assiduous exercise of producing the Aseme Alabo for the House through an obvious stormy weather of obnoxious and futile litigation missiles. Yet you are able to surmount and silence all the opposing voices of error; for the will of God to prevail.

Today is a memorable milestone in our history as one of the aboriginal and founding Houses of Bonny Kingdom in the Ibani nation; being honoured to address this great ancestral founding House and the entire Community in the capacity as Chief and Head of the Buoye Omuso Brown Major House and Amadabo Of Finima; I am indeed most humbled as a chief servant to administer the will of Almighty God for my people.

My emergence as Chief and Head of the Buoye Omuso Brown Major House and Amadabo of Finima is not and can never be a personal achievement; BUT a huge victory for the House over age long satanic manipulations and oppressions. It is a way forward Victory for the Buoye Omuso Brown House. It is a Victory with Axes and Swords to cut off and terminate all forms and fashions of resistances and repressiveness for the total recovery and restoration of every broken wall in the House.

I strongly believe that my divine emergence as a Chief servant; is the outcome of my over 40 years of consistent service and close interaction with all our past and recently demised leadership of the House and from which affinity I imbibed certain basic norms and values of the House; that had groomed me to become emotionally attached and sensitive to the yearnings and sentiments of the average Buoye Omuso Brown House element. As a chief servant to this great House, the application of servant-leadership principles shall be my best fit to actualize the beneficial deliverables for our people.

I will continue to serve my people with selfless zeal, unalloyed loyalty and genuine passion for the stability and peaceful coexistence of the House, as well as ensure the prudent management of her resources.
Over 30 years of my meaningful engagements with the oil and gas business in Nigeria, has afforded me huge work life experiences, as well as exposed me with the necessary global tour and relevance. Apt with our Community and the Buoye Omuso Brown House in particular, being the landlord to all the oil and gas outfits in Bonny Island; I have the experience relevant with their modus operandi, which is key to us as a family and Finima people.
My constant key outlook for the Buoye Omuso Brown House is to evolve sustainable stability of the House, through the deployment of administrative systems that will run all the existing structures and leadership strata in the House, such that no single Head, including my humble self can have the freedom to run any personal agenda to the detriment of the House and the Community.

I cannot claim to be able to do all these alone without ensuring relative harmonious working relationship amongst us as brethren that dwell from one family pot. I also do not know it all, nor claim to have solution to all the issues in the House; but the evident grace of God upon my life, has built in me the capacity of harnessing the enormous human and material resources in the House for her benefit.

Let me also humbly appeal for the genuine support and collaboration of all members of the House both at home and abroad as brethren of one family; in joining forces together to consolidate our unified stand on whom we are, where we are and what we have in our God given space on this Earth in the continent of Africa, in Rivers State of Nigeria and in Bonny Island.

I deliberately would like to express few basic facts for the benefit of our fast growing youths, to avoid being misled.

  • Finima was founded by the ancestors of the Buoye Omuso Brown Major House, being the first arrivals on the island far before Bonny came to stay. (See G I Jones pg. 105)
  • Finima is owned by the Buoye Omuso Brown Major House and has remained so from genesis. (See Suit No. PHC/174/72)
  • Finima is not a three Chieftaincy Community.
  • The Buoye Omuso Brown Major House has three Minor Chieftaincy Houses namely; Adum (Tamunobere), Attoni (Doughubo) and Tobin (Konibo) Chieftaincy Houses.
  • The Chief and Head of the Buoye Omuso Brown Major House is the Paramount Chief of Finima, otherwise known as the Amadabo Of Finima.
  • There are currently thirteen sub-family units in the Buoye Omuso Brown Major House, whose headships constitute the Council of Warialapu of the House.
  • These sub-family units include; Akpa, Cross, Dupuyo, Eli, Goro, Goni, Hart-Brown, Iyariari, Owari, Owupele, Papanye, Sughu and Tamunobere.

This information must be fundamental as key basic facts for all sons and daughters of the Buoye Omuso Brown Major House of Finima.

Let me use the opportunity of this maiden address in my capacity as the Chief and Head of the Buoye Omuso Brown Major House to formally reaffirm the use of the tittle of Warialabo and or Warialapu for all subsisting members of my Council in line with the provisions of our Constitution. Accordingly, I hereby direct all Warialapu to constitute their Burusu Wariseniapu as soon as possible for subsequent presentation to the Amadabo-in-Council. This is aimed at closing out the squabbling in this direction.

Indeed, the stable governance of the House calls for an all-inclusive collaboration from all well-meaning members of the House both at home and abroad. I will provide the enabling environment of cross-pollinating resourceful initiatives /ideas, as well as sieving them and translating such outcomes into beneficial realities for the House and the entire Community.

May I sincerely appeal to our brothers that are currently in court against the House to please sheath their swords and return home for harmonious resolution. Our continuous contentions in courts have not in real terms resolved issues for us, rather than continuously drain the resources of the House. I personally see every financial drain to court litigation as a limiting radical to the number of our secondary, university and post graduate students that the House is presently supporting. It is preferable to exhaust all options of dialogue and arbitration within the reach of the family before entering the lane of court litigation. No two or three persons can be Chief and Head the House at the same time. It is only God Almighty that divinely chooses one through people, just as He assigned us to our parents; because no child is given the opportunity to choose parent. Leaders are ordained by God at every point in life. We necessarily do not have to like them. They are placed to fulfil God’s purpose. I hereby beseech us as brethren of this great House to eschew all manner of bitterness and rancour detrimental to our betterment and peaceful coexistence as one indivisible entity

In same vain above, I also extend genuine hand of fellowship to our Doughubo and Konibo brotherhood, as Minor Chieftaincy Houses that sprang from the Buoye Omuso Brown Major House; to avail themselves for progressive dialogue and collaboration that will benefit us all as Finima people. The essence of equity amongst brethren is better comprehended with a sincere pursuit of purpose. Otherwise when equity is misconstrued for equality amongst brethren, then rebellion is inevitable. It therefore means that continuous engagements amongst brethren are key to a better understanding of their individual differences. May I state here that my Warialapu and I are available and open to such healthy engagements that will progress us a Community.

My dear brethren of Buoye Omuso Brown House, the vision of ‘‘Simini famam Finima’’ (meaning poverty has ended in Finima) in the midst of the giant hydrocarbon industries on our land can only be actualize by our collective resolve and determination to strengthen the development institutions being set up to represent Finima’s interest on developmental issues, such as Finima Development Committee and Finima Capacity Development Committee. As owners of Finima lands and landlord to all the multi-national outfits on the Island, it is therefore incumbent on us that we take ownership of Finima development matters, including the much heralded local content issue of ‘‘Finima NLNG Host Community’’ matter. All hands are therefore expected to be committed on deck for the realization of this vision.

Finally, I wish you all the best as I look forward to your positive response and cooperation now and always.

God bless us all
Long live BOBH
Long live Finima
Long live Bonny Kingdom

20220115 172146 scaled

INAUGURATION OF THE BUOYE-OMUSO BROWN MAJOR HOUSE ASAAWO

image 1
Newly Elected executives of the Buoye-Omuso Brown Asaawo: Left to Right: Boma Goni Brown (Asst. Sec.); Asoligha Alwell Brown (Provost); Michael Ibie Joshua Brown (Sec. Gen.); Igbiwari Prince Brown (Chairman); Dagogo Abietogha Brown ( Vice Chairman); Ala Henry Hart (PRO) ; Innocent Ago Hart (Financial Sec.); Tamunoipirinye Cross Brown (Treasurer)

INAUGURAL SPEECH DELIVERED BY IGBIWARI PRINCE BROWN, CHAIRMAN, ASAAWO OF BUOYE-OMUSO BROWN MAJOR HOUSE(DUAWARI) OF FINIMA ON SATURDAY THE 15TH OF JANAURY 2022

It is my pleasure my brothers, and fathers, on this very event because the newly elected Asaawo Sibibabo to state that we have now been made the chief servants to serve this magnificent fold and Buoye-Omuso Brown Major House (Duawari) at massive. In an adage that states “the journey of a thousand miles begin with a step.” I need us to know that this step is not only peculiar step, however a step in a proper route progressively. There are many proper steps in regressive route, and I pray ours won’t be regressive in Jesus’ Name, (Amen). Though, there had been relative divisions and leagues of factions amongst the Asaawo, our focus is oneness in uniqueness and brotherliness, and socio-cultural enchancment for neighborhood improvement and social integration, therefore giving the Asaawo the sense of belonging thus engendering synergy.
Our imaginative and prescient is individuals serving to individuals attain extra of their potential by way of well-rounded progress, private, skilled, and social. Our values are Leadership, Compassion, Integrity and Faith. This in flip brings our dedication to:

  1. Partnership and proactive responsiveness to develop innovative packages that meet the altering wants of the youths and the household normally, whereas contributing to the financial, civic, and cultural vitality of the neighborhood.
  2. Lifelong studying to intensify the attention of younger ones within the household to a number of paths for achievement, whereas serving to one another to pursue the alternatives most conducive to their particular person wants.
  3. Cultural range as a critically essential energy for teenagers and everybody to satisfy the altering wants of a multicultural, democratic society.
  4. Open entry to top quality complete vary of packages and providers acknowledged for excellence by leaders of business, trade and authorities will likely be inspired amongst everybody within the household as vital.
  5. Streamline the actions of the Ogbobiri-Asaawo of efficient synergy and coordinated operations.
  6. In line with the above, the membership of the Asaawo as acknowledged to be an integral of the entire Buoye-Omuso Brown House household each at home and in Diasporas.
    Today, we revel the triumph not of the candidates that received, however of a trigger, the trigger to maneuver Buoye-Omuso Brown House ahead in unison. No single looser on the pool misplaced. We all received collectively! It can also be pertinent to say that, I need to confess, the street had been tough, and the challenges had been excessive for the rapid previous excos, we subsequently solicit the assist and help of everybody to progress this nice House with out recourse to sentimentalities. I wish to implore all members, particularly my excos, to be diligent in no matter we’re doing, in order that our individuals can consider and think about us. With love, oneness, and God on our aspect, we will obtain the unimaginable.
    Leadership is our traits, Integrity is our watchword and Faith is what retains us going.

God Bless Aseme-Alabo of BOBH and Amadabo of Finima!

God Bless the Wari-Alapu of BOBH!

God Bless the BOBH Asaawo!

God Bless Finima!
ONE LOVE!

THE INVASION OF FINIMA WITH ARMED THUGS ON 22ND JANUARY, 2022 AT FINIMA

BUOYE OMUSO (BROWN) MAJOR HOUSE(…Bilafiene Kingifari…)POSITION STATEMENT BY THE BUOYE OMUSO BROWN MAJOR HOUSEON THE INCIDENT OF THE INVASION OF FINIMA WITH ARMED THUGS ON THEINSTRUCTION OF THE KING OF BONNY ON 22ND JANUARY, 2022 AT FINIMA

We, the council of Elders and members of the Buoye OmusoDuawari (Founding and Aboriginal) House of Finima hereby bring to your notice the invasion of our Community by armed agents of the Amanyanabo of Bonny Kingdom, King Edward Asimini William Dappa Pepple III, CON, JP, Perekule XI, (hereinafter referred to as the King of Bonny) to destabilise through violence and cause anarchy in Finima Community.

The King of Bonny and some members of his Chiefs’ Council in conjunction with some mischief makers and miscreants in Finima deliberately decided to engage in absurdity and action which broke down law and order, caused bodily injury and destroyed property in Finima Community.

On the 12th of January 2022, the Council of Warialapu (Family unit heads) and members of Buoye Omuso Brown House of Finima, in accordance with our custom and tradition and in line with the Constitution of the House proclaimed and installed the Chief of the House in the person of Aseme Alabo Engr .Dagogo Lambert Brown at the Palace of the Buoye Omuso Brown House. This exercise was peacefully done( as witnessed by some of the security agencies in Finima) with preponderant support of vast majority of members of the House.

It is very surprising to observe that in the morning of 21st January 2022, at the instruction and direction of the King of Bonny, some Chiefs of the Bonny Chiefs Council, namely Chief Captain Reginald Abbey-Hart, Chief Haniel Jack-Wilson Pepple and Chief (Amb) Claude Wilcox with a bid to destabilise our Community, surreptitiously picked and purportedly installed one Mr. Evans Clement Brown as a Chief in a bid to impose him on us as the Chief of Buoye Omuso Brown House of Finima which is absolutely contrary to all known custom and traditions of our people and all these took place at Captain Hart’s Opuwari (Hart House Palace). These actions have indeed culminated to violence and anarchy in Finima Community.

The King of Bonny in a bid to destabilise our House and create chaos in Finima to enable him control the economy of Finima Community, masterminded through direct instructions to fraudulently install and to forcefully impose the said Mr. Evans Clement Brown, a person of his choice on our people which is grossly averse to our custom and traditions.

At about 5.00 pm of 22nd January, 2022, after the presentation and reception of the purportedly installed Mr. Evans Clement Brown by the King of Bonny, the King armed some youths led by Dagogo Fanyeofori Jumbo alias Opumingi, Emmanuel Fine Country, Isobonye Brown-West, Emmanuel Hart, Michael Manila Pepple, Mackson Tolofari and Michael Alali Pepple with machetes, guns and other dangerous weapons with stern instructions to take the purportedly installed Mr. Evans Clement Brown to the Buoye Omuso Brown House Palace and sit him on the throne of our Ancestors as chief and head of our House. Nothing could be more annoying and provocative than the effrontery exhibited by the King of Bonny and his armed agents.

What the king of Bonny and his agents have just done is a deliberate manipulation and distortion of History of the Finima people and the Buoye Omuso House in particular, aimed at actualising their obnoxious and parochial interest. Since the genesis of the Buoye Omuso Brown House, there had been no time that the Hart House crowns or caps the Head of Buoye Omuso Brown House. The worthy friendly relationship between Brown and Hart Houses stems from when Omuso was rescued from a slave ship by King Fubara. An act done by his jealous brothers. Omuso was handed to Captain Hart for guidance. Omuso was trained as Ship Captain, while in the abode of Captain Hart. He made Ibianga mina (Good relationship) with Captain Hart family members, some of who followed him upon his return back to Finima. This has nothing to do with Omuso Chieftaincy and was vividly clarified in our Finima ownership suit PHC/174/72, as well as A J Alagoa and Fumbo (Page 65) citing Omuso as being first Captain to King Opubo Pepple. We hereby challenge the King of Bonny and the Bonny Chiefs Council to show proofs of valid documents and pictures from Omuso to late Aseme Alabo Yibo Buowari Brown to corroborate their frivolous and untenable claims of the capping or crowning of Buoye Omuso Brown House Chief by Hart House of Bonny.

Buoye Omuso in ibani means Omuso the son of Buo. It is only pardonable for Ibo speaking Ibani Chiefs who struggle to understand even the meaning of the name of their House. How come you acknowledged our nickname – Brown only, without knowing our original Ibani names. This grossly exposes your ignorance and emptiness in our culture and history. You do not have the capacity to do any form of alterations to the name of our House. The Chieftaincy era in Bonny Kingdom commence in the reign of Omuso as the 11th Clan Head of Finima. It is by this reason we are Buoye Omuso (Brown) Chieftaincy House. It is noteworthy to state here that traditional leadership in Bonny Kingdom precedes Perekule Chieftaincy era. It is well known in Bonny history that before the Perekule dynasty other kings such Awusa (Halliday) and others including Ipuo (one of the ancestors of Buoye Omuso Brown House) have ruled Bonny Kingdom.

For the benefit of doubt, the leadership of the Buoye Omuso Brown House will not allow any external intrusion or interloping in the installation (or as the king and his council of chiefs called it capping) of the head and Chief of the House.

You may be educated, if you so desire of what you termed bogus (ASEME). Aseme in Ibani language means and referred to a prefix title peculiarly referring to elements or members of the aboriginal founding houses of Bonny Kingdom.

Furthermore there was only one chieftaincy house in Finima before 1936 which is the Buoye Omuso Brown House under which such subfamily units namely Adum, Attoni, Akpa, Goni, Cross, Eli, Owupele, Igbiosiagha, Goro, Sughu, Dupuyo, Konibo, Owari, Papanye, Iyariari and Fibibo and they all lived peaceably under one governance. At the visit of the early European explorers, they noticed the overwhelming control and distinguished leadership prowess of Jack Omini Brown and referred to him as the Governor General of Finima. To buttress the fact that the Attoni and Konibo (Tobin) were sub-faimily units under Buoye Omuso Brown House. Please see foot note on page 129 of G.I. Jones, Trading States of Oil Rivers and the affidavit of late Chief Samuel Owunabo Tobin in support of the suit number P/21/549 of 1959.

Further note that what the Bonny Council referred to as ‘‘Macabre dance’’ was actually the display of our true and authentic custom and traditions of the Ibani people in which the Council of Warialapu and preponderance of members of Buoye Omuso Brown (Duawari) House installed and coronated the Aseme Alabo of our House who is in person of Aseme Alabo Engr Dagogo Lambert Brown as the true and authentic head of Buoye Omuso Brown (Duawari) House of

Finima in Bonny Local Government Area. Ironically the farce of the clandestine installation in a secret location, later found out to be the Captain Hart’s Opuwari (Captain Hart Palace), of Evans Clement Brown is the satirical comedy of the macabre dance.

In conclusion we believe that respect begets respect. If the Amanyanabo in Council does not respect and recognise the Council of Warialapu (Family unit heads) of Buoye Omuso Brown House of Finima whose responsibility it is to nominate, proclaim and install the Aseme Alabo of Buoye Omuso Brown (Duawari) House of Finima, how do they expect members of Buoye Omuso Brown House to respect and recognise the tyrannical and despotic leadership of the Amanyanabo of Bonny and his Council of Chiefs.

image