As the battle rages for the soul of Finima Community with diverse interests pulling at her very foundation, Igbiwari Prince Brown took the occasion of elucidating on the Tourism advantages of putting cultural and traditional footprints by way of agelong community structures such as the Gigi Wari that was recently commissioned in Finima to advance his appeal to the young and old in Finima Community to coalesce to mveo the community forward.

In this interview with Kristina Reports’ Godswill Jumbo and Collins Jumbo, Brown clarified the historical antecedents of the edifice which also houses the Office of the Buoye Omuso Brown House Asawo, the agelong conviviality among the Attoni, Brown and Tobin Houses in Finima Community, asserting that they flow from one ancient family. You will enjoy the read.

Kristina Reports: Please, let’s meet you, Sir

Igbiwari Brown: I am the Chairman of Brown Major House of Finima Asawo; the adult male folks. My name is Mr. Igbiwari Prince Brown.

We are in your office and it’s such a wonderful place and it’s part of this beautiful edifice we understand that was commissioned a few days ago. Can we have some highlights as to what this building is all about?

Actually, this is a replacement of what we had at old Finima. So, what we did here is an upgrade. It was commissioned on the 26^th December 2022 and it’s called Finima Gigiwari. This is where the ceremonial boat is being kept, which is generally called Gigi. It’s also a place where the Asawo of the House converge for a meeting or for any eventuality or emergency. This is our base. So, let me digress a little. While we were in old Finima, we had a structure then and that structure wasn’t like this. It wasn’t in this form. The then Chief, Israel Idamieibi Brown, of blessed memory, now reconstructed the building and then that place wasn’t initially used by traders, it’s a place where market boats coming from different places berth and for the traders to sell their goods, just like what we have in Bonny at Igoni Polo. So, because it is a place where boats normally come and stay, it was called aruwari or boat house; and then when we moved down to this place, we had jetties. We now decided to put up that name: Finima Gigiwari.

That’s reverting back to the original…

Yes, to the original name because the market boats and other boats no longer reside or berth at this location. They already have jetties; almost three jetties. The place is now exclusively for the Gigi.

When we spoke with your Chief, he said you introduced some technology, particularly, to how this Gigi is operated. What informed that decision?

Okay, initially. When we want to use the Gigi, we pull it down manually using manpower. In those days everything is manual. If you want to put the boat back to the house, you will organize the Asawo and then they use their physical strength, their energy to pull it down, to bring it up; and so, we looked at it and said we need to improve. We need to bring in new technology. So, we installed what we call a “come along”. If you go to that place you will see it. Now the essence of that is we don’t want to use the manual way of bringing the Gigi down to the water and then bring it back to the house. When the tide comes up – with the latest technology that is installed now – we just pull the safety pin and then the roller takes it down straight to the water and after which we return it back with the ‘come along’. We now made it easier for the men because bringing it down manually and the same people will have to paddle it is overstressing them. We need to come up with a new technology. I think that was the idea and it has been installed. If you go to the place, you will see it.

Talking about the Gigi and Gigi Wari, is there a Tourism dimension to it?

Yeah, of course, yes. Just looking at it. If you go outside there, you will see the sculpture, the symbol of the Gigi and the upgrade and also the new technology of pulling it down and all of that. It’s something that anybody can come to see. So, it attracts foreign people, tourists. Some people take photographs; like yesterday, while I was passing by, I saw someone taking photographs (chuckles) but before while we were in old Finima it wasn’t like that but because of the new improvement and innovation, it attracts the people to come closer.

So, if you were to talk to your fellow Asawo Chairmen, like the Kalaibiama, Ayama and other communities, do you think this represent a way of celebrating Ibani culture, ethnics, Ibani history and legacy

Yeah, I think we as an Ibani people, we need to improve. In bonny it is not all houses that have Gigi or aruwari and I don’t think it is compulsory that all houses should have them. I think basically major houses ought to have Gigi and aruwari. I believe they have. In Finima, it is only the Buoye Omuso Brown House that has Gigi and Aruwari. The Attoni and Tobin Houses are all part of Brown House. So, if they have any function, they will come to us and we will assist them with the boat and every other thing. For example, during the installation and presentation if Chief Abel Attoni, the Attoni House asked and we supported. We used our Gigi to pull him down to Bonny.

Let me come in there. If before this time this Gigi was a property of the Brown House, now that you have named it Finima Gigi Wari are we still going to look at it as you supporting the other houses or it should be something that we can say ‘okay. this is belonging to us

We call it Finima Gigi Wari because our ancestors, our forebears are the founders and owners of Finima. Like I said earlier, Tobin and Attoni, they are all part of Brown House. We are one family, so naming it Finima Gigi Wari is for everybody, for all of us. Attoni is Brown; Tobin is Brown, irrespective of whatever is happening. Today, what is happening is just politics; initially, it wasn’t like that. I remember old Finima, during their meetings, you will see the Tobin led by Chief Sunday Owunabo Tobin, and then you will see Chief Abel Adafe, both of them are late now. All of them will be seated with the late Chief Brown at the Opuwari having meetings. I met them.  

Is it your desire that Finima comes back to that time when the three families can sit together and…

(Cuts in) Of course, that has been our desire, that’s why I took it upon myself to talk to the younger ones, the youths to educate them because if you don’t do that, they have poisoned their minds, redirected their mindset, bringing in sentiments and division because of selfish interest. We were not like that before. I am saying what I know. The late Chief Owunabo was the first Chief of Tobin House. Today, because of personal interest people start bringing different kinds of sentiments into the family and that is what is happening in Finima. So, as a member of the Brown House, I don’t think we have in any way looked at these other people as different from us; we are all Finima. And so today. If they have any function, of course, we have been doing it. We can say let’s assist.

Can we say that this Gigi Wari as Finima Gigi Wari should be seen as a symbol of unity?

Yes! Yes!!

As the Asawo Chairman of Brown House, alongside the Asawo Chairmen of Attoni and Tobin, what can the three of you do to close this gap and bring Finima back together as one family?

I think, first, I would want to appreciate those of them in Tobin House who have understood that we cannot continue this way. The Opuasawo led by Agomienye (Tobin) came and we spoke. Today, we are working together. The elders of Attoni House are working together with the Amadabo, whatever we want to do, they are together with us. They were all there during the annual Finima Day event. So, I want to encourage the rest of them who are still dragging their feet to retrace their steps and come back because this is their home, we are one people, one family. So, let them come back and let us continue the way it was at old Finima. Whatever comes in – of course, we believe in equity – it will go to the other houses, Attoni and Tobin. We have been doing it but like I said earlier because of personal interest of some persons who don’t want to see that unity. But I assure you that unity has come because we started it last year December. I personally called them and entreated that we work together and they have seen that this is a different phase. So, I want to urge those of them that are still struggling to come together and let’s work as one people because when we come together as one, nobody can break us. But once you try to bring in division and sentiments, you will see that we don’t give room to enemies, to intruders, who want to take what we desire to have from us. So, this is 2023 and I encourage them to turn a new leaf; we are starting the year in a good way and I pray that God will give us the enablement to actualize our dreams.