The installations of Dagogo Lambert Brown and Evans Clement Buoye Brown as Chiefs and Heads of the Buoye Omuso (Brown) House of Finima in Bonny Kingdom, Rivers State, Nigeria, have been declared faulty and not holding water as both ceremonies were said to have fallen foul of the custom and tradition of the chieftaincy House.   

This position was adduced by the eldest male descendant of the lineage of Omuso, the founder of the House, Senibo Allwell-Brown, FCA, in a Press Statement he personally signed and made exclusively available to Kristina Reports on Friday, February 4, 2022 in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

“I am SENIDO ALLWELL BROWN, an Elder in Buoye Omuso (Brown) House, a direct and the eldest male descendant of the lineage of the founder of the House and a great-grandson of Chief William Jack Brown. I am also the Head of Chief Max Allwell Brown Dynasty and the Chairman of Chief Jack Omoni DUPUYO POLO (Aboriginal) Family of Finima.”

He stated that the Taa-Furo Awo (direct descendants of the lineage of Omuso, the founder of the House) were not involved in the processes through which each of the two men emerged as Chiefs and Heads of the House, stressing that “both chieftaincy installation exercises were lacking the much cherished and enduring best practices of Buoye Omuso (Brown) House custom and tradition”.

Dagogo Lambert Brown was installed as Chief and Head of the Buoye Omuso (Brown) Major House of Bonny Kingdom and Amadabo of Finima, Kongo XVII, by the Council of Wari-Alapu (family unit heads) of the House on Wednesday, January 12, 2022, in Finima, Bonny LGA.

In a dramatic twist, Evans Clement Buoye Brown was also installed as the Chief and Head of the Brown (Buoye Omuso) Chieftaincy House, Omuso IX, on Friday, January 21, 2022, at the Captain Hart House Opuwari (community hall) in Bonny, by the Chief and Head of Captain Hart House, Se-Alabo Reginald Abbey-Hart, MON, JP, Captain Hart XIII.

Evans Clement Buoye Brown was later presented to the Amanyanabo of Bonny Kingdom, His Majesty, King Dr Edward Asimini William Dappa Pepple III, CON, JP, Perekule XI, at the King Perekule Palace, Bonny for induction into the Bonny Chiefs Council (BCC) on Saturday, January 22, 2022.

The Council of Wari-Alapu of the Buoye Omuso (Brown) Major House stated that the installation and proclamation of Dagogo Lambert Brown as Chief and Head of the House was in compliance with the provisions of the Constitution of the House.

However, Se-Alabo Reginald Abbey-Hart said the installation of Evans Clement Buoye Brown was in adherence to the agelong convention of Bonny Kingdom wherein the Chief of Captain Hart House caps and presents the Chief of Brown House to the Amanyanabo of Bonny Kingdom.

The Taa-Furo Awo Leader thumbed down both processes, informing that Dagogo Lambert Brown’s installation was in violation of the same Constitution referenced by the Council of Wari-Alapu, pointing out that Chapter 4 Article 5(1) and 5(2) of the Constitution of Buoye Omuso (Brown) Major House of Finima 2016, was not complied with.

“5(1) The ascendency to the throne of the Aseme-Alabo of the Buoye Omuso (Brown) Major House of Finima shall be through the male lineage of the founder of the chieftaincy stool of the House (Buoye Omuso)’

‘5(2) The Aseme-Alabo of the House shall be a male descendant of the lineage of the founder of the chieftaincy stool of the House and shall in addition meet all the requirements listed below. Provided that, where the throne is vacant and there is no competent and acceptable male descendant of the lineage of the founder of the chieftaincy stool of the House at any given point in time, then, any other competent and acceptable male member of the House, who must be a member of the House by birth and who shall in addition, also meet all other requirements listed below, shall be chosen to ascend the throne.”

He averred that Dagogo Lambert Brown was not a direct descendant of Omuso, the founder of the Buoye Omuso (Brown) House, thus a non Taa-Furo Tuwo and unqualified by birth to be the Chief of the House, adding that the ‘election’ that produced him was “alien to our custom and tradition”.  

He further averred that despite the fact that amongst the three – Gogo Philips, Dagogo Lambert Brown and Dima Buoye Brown – the latter being a Taa-Furo Tuwo (direct descendant), they ignored him and went on to install a non-direct descendant as Chief, which he noted was a contravention of the same Constitution they relied on to do the installation.

“Despite the above constitutional provisions and the availability of a qualified and competent male descendant of the lineage of the founder of the chieftaincy stool of the House (Taa-Furo Tuwo), whom they unilaterally nominated and endorsed, the Council of Elders curiously chose not to keep faith with the spirit and letters of the constitution which they promulgated.”

“Instead of declaring the male descendant of the lineage as the Chief-elect and installing same in conformance with the 2016 Constitution, they decided to embark on an “election” (which is alien to our custom and tradition) that purportedly produced a non Taa-Furo Tuwo. This is a contravention of the said 2016 Constitution.”

On the installation of Evans Clement Buoye Brown, the revered financial expert, who was the first Chartered Accountant ever produced by Bonny LGA and third in the old Rivers State, asserted that the processes of nomination were not consummated thus rendering his installation null and void.

“By our custom and tradition, in the absence of a Chief, a Caretaker Committee comprising Elders and Principal Members is usually appointed to run the affairs of the House, through the convocation of a Town Hall meeting of all members of Buoye Omuso (Brown) House.”

“It is the Caretaker Committee in consultation with the direct descendants of the lineage (Taa-Furo Awo), that receives nomination and recommendation of an appropriate candidate for confirmation and installation in conjunction with Elders Council and subsequent proclamation and presentation to the Amanyanabo-in-Council.”