A Rivers State Customary Court has stopped a ceremony wherein Finima Kingdom is to be declared with the inauguration of Finima Council of Chiefs with an order to the Inspector General of Police and Commissioner of Police, Rivers State to ensure the event does not hold.

Chairman of the Bonny Customary Court, Waribani Banigo issued this interlocutory order on Wednesday, April 9, 2025 while ruling on suit number: BNCC/RS/2/2025.

In the suit, Hamilton Papana Brown and Moses Brown, suing for themselves as concerned bluebloods of Brown Chieftaincy House of Bonny Kingdom, are the claimants.

The defendant in the suit is Abinye Owen Brown, referred to in the suit as a “self-acclaimed Wari-Alabo of Abebo also known as Abobo House Unit now purportedly described as Abobo Chieftaincy House, Miemienye-Gosi, Orlu and Akara Chieftaincy Houses of Finima, Grand Bonny Kingdom, for himself and all dissident members of the Brown Major Chieftaincy House of Grand Bonny Kingdom”.

The Court ordered that neither the defendant, Abinye Owen Brown, or anyone else should be installed, crowned or presented as Wari-Alabo of Brown Major House of Finima Community in Bonny Kingdom, nor parade himself or themselves as Wari-Alabo in Finima Community or Bonny Kingdom.

“UPON THIS MATTER coming up for Motion before your Honours W. M. Banigo Esq. (Chairman), S. C. Jumbo Esq. and I. I. Hamlet Esq. (Members) of the Customary Court, Bonny. AND AFTER HEARING Sydney Tamunotonye Ben-lwo Esq., Counsel to the Applicants.

IT IS HEREBY ORDERED AS FOLLOWS:

1.            An Order restraining/stopping. the Defendant cither by himself, privies, agents, servants or collaborator or in any name whatsoever from installing, crowning and presentation of the Defendant, ABINYE OWEN BROWN himself or any other person as a Wari-Alabo in Brown House, Finima Community of Bonny Kingdom on the 26th day of April, 2025 or any other day pending the hearing and determination of the substantive motion on notice.

2.            An Order restraining the Defendant, ABINYE OWEN BROWN from parading and representing himself/themselves as a Wari-Alabo in Finima Community and Bonny Kingdom pending the hearing and determination of the motion.

3.            An Order of this Honourable Court directing the Inspector General of Police and office of the Commissioner of Police, Rivers State to ensure compliance with this Order.

GIVEN at the Customary Court, Bonny under the seal of the court and Hand of the Chairman, W. M. BANIGO ESQ this 9th day of April, 2025.”

Kristina Reports has sighted several invitations by various families within the Brown Major Chieftaincy House, also known as Buoye Omuso Brown Major Chieftaincy House of Finima in Bonny Kingdom calling on members to come out enmasse for the induction of their family Heads into the Finima Council of Chiefs.

Checks by Kristina Reports indicate that this Induction Ceremony and subsequent Inauguration of the Finima Council of Chiefs is reportedly aspects of the ceremony wherein Finima Community will be declared as a separate Kingdom, effectively breaking away from Bonny Kingdom.

The event is scheduled to hold by 2pm on Saturday, April 26, 2025 at the Palace of the Amadabo in Finima Community, Bonny LGA.

Responding to an enquiry by Kristina Reports when the virtual news medium got wind of this development, the Chief and Head of the House, Aseme Alabo Dagogo Lambert Brown dismissed it as mere rumour, saying “there is no such thing. These are the handiworks of our brothers in the neighbourhood who do not want anything good for Finima”. 

Additional information reaching Kristina Reports suggests that this development is generating angst in Bonny Kingdom with some concerned persons are asking if the Brown House has the capacity to withstand the backlash of this action from the remaining 33 Chieftaincy Houses of Bonny.

Incidentally, the Counsel to the claimants, Sydney Ben-Iwo told Kristina Reports that his law firm, Deeds Chambers has written to the Inspector General of Police, the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Chief of Defence Staff and the Rivers State Sole Administrator, urging prompt action to ensure adherence to the court order to forestall any breakdown of law and order and the protection of lives and properties in Bonny Kingdom.

It remains to be seen if the Inspector General of Police, Dr Kayode Egbetokun, and the State Commissioner of Police, Olugbenga Adepoju, would ensure compliance to the order as mandated by the Court.