After Court Sacks Jumbo House Elders Council, Chief Dan-Jumbo Breaks Silence on Next Move
The protracted crisis rocking Jumbo House in Bonny Kingdom has entered a fresh legal and traditional phase following a recent Customary Court judgment on the status of the Elders Council in the absence of a substantive Chief. In this exclusive interview with Kristina Reports, Chief Clinton Dan-Jumbo challenges the Council’s authority to act for the House while addressing the leadership vacuum in Jumbo Main House and the controversy surrounding SPDC terminal funds.
He dismisses allegations that his intervention is driven by an alleged ₦800 million demand, insisting his concern is Dan-Jumbo House’s share of terminal revenue. He also questions the reported payment of substantial House funds as consultancy fees, arguing the money should instead support scholarships, skills acquisition, business development and the completion of the House’s Opuwari.
Speaking with Godswill Jumbo, Chief Dan-Jumbo outlines what he sees as the only path forward—ending the legal battles, restoring accountability and creating the conditions for Jumbo Main House to produce a Chief. He also expresses confidence that the Okrika High Court will help resolve the leadership impasse and pave the way for reconciliation within the House.
Chief, you reacted to a recent judgment by the Customary Court has declared that in the absence of a Chief in the Jumbo House, the Elders Council does not exist being an advisory body to the Chief, why? Given that you’re Dan-Jumbo Chief not Jumbo.
My brother Godswill, I am a member of Jumbo House, I am not a member of Jumbo main House or as they now call it Jumbo Major House. There are 3 Houses in Jumbo House – Jumbo main House, John Jumbo House and Dan-Jumbo House. The Chiefs of these 3 Houses and the representatives of the 8 Opuburusu, form what is known and referred to as the innermost cabinet or Nucleus of Jumbo House, with the Jumbo main House Chief as Chairman. Like I have always said, it is good to read, because when you read you know. What I have just said here is contained in the complete constitution of Jumbo House, not the incomplete one that is brandished about. What this simply means is that, as Chief Dan-Jumbo, I run the Dan-Jumbo House without interfering in the way Chief John Jumbo or Chief of Jumbo Main House run their Houses, but when we come under the Jumbo House umbrella, we all have a say in the things that commonly affect us, such as land and the money from SPDC terminal. As you may be aware, I have been accused of asking for N800m from Sodienye and his team and that I went to court because they did not give me the money. Only an idiot will believe their story. Yes! I demanded for Dan-Jumbo’s part of the money they shared from SPDC terminal payment. It will interest you to know that until the death of my grandfather, who was the Chief Dan-Jumbo before me, Dan-Jumbo House was receiving its share of this same money. So how come that after he died we stopped getting the money. That was the money I demanded for in writing. I also drew the attention of the Bonny Chiefs Council to the matter insisting that if it is not addressed I will go to Court. As I speak with you, I have not gone to Court on that matter.
The judgment left an obvious lacuna with the ousting of the Elders Council, leaving the Jumbo House without a leadership. Does this bother you?
I am aware of the lacuna created by the judgement and I believe the Okrika High Court will resolve that Lacuna.
What do you see as the way forward for the House which has been embroiled in crisis for years now?
My dear brother, the only way forward is for the elders to work as a team to provide a Chief for Jumbo Main House. This is all I am asking for. If the elders love this House, I challenge them to go and withdraw the countless number of cases they have in Court so we work together to produce a Chief for the House. You cannot have someone like me as one of the Chiefs of Jumbo House and expect me to fold my hands and watch elders hold the House hostage. Let me tell you how I knew about the Okrika High Court matter. Two lawyers from my law office went to Okrika to represent one of our clients. They finished our clients case and were about to leave the Court when the Court announced the case of Jumbo House, which Sodienye took to Court. The Court was asking them why Mr Darlington is being paid over N200m of the House money and they replied that it was his constituency fee. They were then asked what sort of consultancy would warrant this huge sum of money and people started laughing in Court. My lawyers said to themselves that this is about their Oga’s House and they must let me know. You can see for yourself how stupid they take us for. Money that should be used to provide scholarships for our youths, introduce training for people who need it, set-up businesses for house members and even complete our Opuwari is given a fanciful name (consultancy fee) and given to one man. You can now understand why the youths are selling House land to survive.
Some persons have suggested that you should consult with the elders of the House to chart the way forward. Do you agree with this?
To people who are saying I should consult with the elders, I can assure them that I have consulted. Were you not the person who orchestrated a meeting between Sodienye and myself? The truth is if someone has an agenda and your involvement will frustrate his agenda, no amount of consultation will make him work with you. I believe that Sodienye and his team have an agenda, which is to collect the next Shell terminal payment and share like they have done to the earlier one, which is simply why they don’t want the House to have a Chief. Besides, my presence threatens their agenda, so they won’t want to work with me.
We understand you’re heading to the Okrika High Court for more cases. Aren’t these endless litigations still part of the crisis the House has been subjected?
I didn’t start the Okrika case, Sodienye started it, I am only trying to stop it and other cases which is why I applied to join it and inform the Court that the Elders Council lacks the impetus to bring an action in the name of Jumbo House because it is an advisory council, which cannot operated without a Chief. Besides, some well meaning elders of the House who are working with me have already signed a document to withdraw all the cases, so we can go ahead to see how the House can get a Chief.
What should members of the Jumbo House comprising Jumbo Main House, Dan-Jumbo House and John-Jumbo House expect going forward?
Members of the House should expect positive news from the Okrika High Court and as soon as this is done, I assure members of the House that within three months, members of the Jumbo main House will select their own Chief. I will not be involved in the selection process, I will only create the enabling environment, including providing them with heavily armed security to peacefully select their own Chief.
