The skyline of Finima Community in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State lit up with excitement on Thursday, January 2, 2020 as the Banquet and Awards Night organized by the Finima Youth Congress (FYC) brought together notable personalities in Bonny Island and beyond to celebrate the individuals and corporate entities that have positively impacted the community over the years.

Notable among this was Victor Odi, a native of Ikpide-Irri in Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State, who was declared the Finima Man of Year 2019.

Victor Odi is an Okada (commercial motorcycle) rider, who daily spent two hours between 5 and 7pm each day to control traffic with the aim of ensuring workers returning home are not held up in traffic on their way back from work.

Odi told Kristina Reports that he was overwhelmed that a personal initiative of his which was done pro bono on a daily basis was recognized and rewarded, explaining that “this is something I do because of the joy it gives me to serve my fellow men to make it easy for them to get home early to meet their families”.

“I ride my Okada from morning to 3 O’clock then I park it and go to control traffic. I do that from that time to evening but most times it is from 5pm to 7pm and then I go home. By that time, the road has cleared.”

“I was not doing it for any reward that is why I am surprised that I am being recognized and celebrated like this. May God bless the Finima people, especially, the Youth Chairman for this recognition”.

The event saw the recognition and conferment of meritorious service awards on past leaders of the Finima Youth Congress (FYC) including past Chairmen: Young Christopher Brown, Tamuno-Opubo Hart, Abietogha Apiafi Brown, Isobonye Tobin, Soala Apiafi Brown, Duma Jack Brown, and Aladiokuma Henry Hart, who, incidentally, is the current Chairman of the Bonny Integrated Recruitment Centre (BIRC).  

Others were former Caretaker Committee Chairmen of FYC namely, Nyofagha Prince Brown, Idatonye Lambert Brown, Evans Brown, Benson Brown, and Innocent Brown.  

A former lawmaker representing Bonny Constituency in the Rivers State House of Assembly, Aye Pepple was conferred with a Special Recognition Award for building the Finima Youth Centre, which currently houses the Secretariat of the FYC.

Evomec Global Services Limited (EGSL) was conferred with the Most Supportive Company of the Year 2019, while FYC’s Director of Empowerment and Social Welfare, Amienye Prince Brown was conferred with the Most Active Executive of the Finima Youths Congress in 2019.  

About time efforts of past leaders are appreciated – Youth Chairman

The chief host of the event and Chairman of Finima Youth Congress (FYC), Charles Brown declared that it was long overdue to appreciate the efforts of past leaders of the body, noting that it was important to reward their hardwork and commitment which has sustained the youth body over the years.  

“Since they left office, all the leaders that have served the congress, there has never been a time when the community or the congress called them to appreciate them. No matter how they performed, I believe they performed well because leadership is succession. And if not for the way they led the Finima Youth Congress we would not have gotten to this level.”

“So, I believe it is good to honour them for the very first time since they left office. Some of them have left office since 10 years ago and no thank you has been given to them. So this is a very good avenue to appreciate them and honour them.”

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He offered some words of advice to the youths of Finima: “they should understand that people are watching you and one day there will be a time when you will be rewarded. For instance, when people tell me I have done well, I don’t see myself that way because I believe that there are people that have gone ahead of me, my predecessors, and what they managed to achieve.”

“So, by the time I have finished my tenure, by the time I have left office, when people look back at all I have done, they will now decide if indeed I deserve to be thanked the way we are thanking the past leaders of the Finima Youth Congress today.”  

FYC Awards celebrates victory over challenges – Ex-House of Reps Member

In a chat with Kristina Reports, a former member of the House of Representatives, Randolph Brown said the awards were a celebration of the triumph of reason over conflict, noting that for the Finima Youths Congress (FYC) to pull through the several challenges it encountered highlights the resilience of unity, love and understanding over centrifugal forces.    

“This particular award is very significant because when they were ruling there were some contentious issues and it bordered on interest but we were able to overcome it. Many people did not know what was happening as at that time. But few of us who were at the background, we will say the kingmakers, know really what was because the community was in disarray as at that time. You will be surprised that we will be meeting almost every night to make sure that the community is stable, situations are stable and the community is moving forward.”

“So, to a large extent, this award is celebrating the victory of reasonableness over conflict and we are happy that they are appreciating the good works of past leaders because it is usually very difficult to appreciate good things. We are happy that they are being appreciated.”    

Ex-Rivers Lawmaker elated with recognition, maintenance culture

To a former member of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Aye Pepple, who built the Finima Youth Centre, it was recognition of his people-centred interventions while in office, though coming years after but worth celebrating.

Represented by Elder Ibikunu Brown, the former lawmaker expressed appreciation to the leadership of FYC for acknowledging his efforts in putting up the edifice which has become a sort of resource centre for the youths of the community, applauding their efforts at maintaining the building over the years.

“Finima Youth Congress, for the first time, recognized the effort of Hon. Aye Pepple. This award means a lot to him. He will be extremely grateful just that he is unavoidably absent, otherwise, he would have been here himself,’ his representatives told Kristina Reports.

Awards based on merit, Evomec has been exceptional – LG Chairman

Chairman of Bonny Local Government Area, David Irimagha acknowledged that the awards were based on merit as the various recipients were deserving of them, expressing the optimism that it will spur the recipients to do more.

“It is a form of encouragement to spur them to do more, particularly, the one that was given to Evomec. I think it is an award well deserved. I just realized that all the awardees here were gotten based on merit. It is a way of telling them that they have tried and for others to also emulate whatever they have done.”

He used the opportunity to praise Evomec Global Services Limited (EGSL) for being a responsible corporate member of the community, giving it thumbs up for its corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives and impact of its social interventions in the community, calling on other companies in the area to emulate EGSL.

“I have seen a situation where some of the companies come here, bid for jobs and instead of going through the right process to make sure the members of the community are absorbed to do the jobs, they metamorphose into employment bureau and start employing people from where we don’t even know, thereby causing misunderstanding and disaffection between some of our people here.”

“I want to use this opportunity to ask Evomec, as a company, to keep doing what they are doing and that we are also seeing them and at the right time we will call them and reward them in the right way.”

We thank Finima Community for hosting us and rewarding our CSR – Evomec

Evomec Global Services Limited (EGSL) says it was delighted with the award as it was an indelible recognition of its corporate social responsibility towards its host community, which it described as “very supportive”.

In a chat with Kristina Reports shortly after receiving the award on behalf of his firm, Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) Adviser of Evomec, Talent Jumbo stated that “What I am seeing this evening is an eye opener because there is a saying that to whom much is given much is expected. It is in the DNA of Evomec Global Services to uphold the tenets of our CSR”.

“Since we came into the island, Finima community, the primary host community to our business, has been very supportive to our business and we have also reciprocated that gesture.”

“We hope to identify with them through the Finima Youth Congress in whatever project they are doing and those they wish to embark upon. Whenever we are called upon we will be there to support them.”

Finima Community’s appreciation well received – Ex-CTC Chairman

One of the award recipients, a former Caretaker Committee Chairman of Bonny Local Government Area, Isobonye Tobin described the award as “a meritorious one”, which was well received by him, observing that its importance is underscored by the fact that it was Finima Community’s way of appreciating his good efforts while serving as Youth Chairman.

Speaking to Kristina Reports through his representative, Christian Tobin, who received the award on his behalf, the former CTC Chairman said his antecedents bear him out because of what he has done for the Finima Youths Congress.

“Finima is a very unique community where whatever you do your community pays back because it is part of the norms of our community. Though we believe in receiving our reward in heaven, we, as human beings, are also ready to pay back what people have done for us.

“He is a very unique person and has done well for the community. The community has also remembered him today. We are happy. And what they have given to him is a show of appreciation from the community.”

Charles Brown-led FYC has raised the bar of leadership – Youth Chairman

For Tammy Brown, Team Lead, Human Resources, Pivot GIS, Bonny, the current leadership of the Finima Youth Congress (FYC) has raised the bar of performance and achievement and created a benchmark for assessing future occupants of the position.  

“Like you will hear me say, because of what the current Chairman has done, we are going to raise the bar for anybody that is coming to take over that office and I believe strongly and trust God that He will give us the right person to man that ship when we get to that time.”

Brown, who is also the Chairman of Ogbobiri-Asawo (Youths) of Buoye Omuso Brown House of Bonny Kingdom, commended the Charles Brown led executive for their achievements so far, noting that they were able to showcase sterling leadership qualities despite the daunting challenges they were faced with.

He expressed delight over their thoughtfulness in initiating the awards to recognize and reward the efforts of past leaders and other individuals and corporate bodies that have positively impacted Finima Community.