The Buoye Omuso (Brown) House of Finima have said that it would continue to provide the enabling environment and fast-track efforts aimed at attracting development to Finima Community in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The House further said it does not need to consult anyone before allocating land for developmental projects that would benefit the people of the area.
Chairman of Brown House Asawo, Tammy Brown, who said this in a telephone interview with Kristina Reports on Thursday, April 1, 2021, was reacting to controversies surrounding the Akusuugh Shopping Mall, a corporate social responsibility project by the Nigeria LNG, among other infrastructure in the Akusuugh area of the community.
He stated that Brown House are exclusive owners of lands in Finima Community, adding that this position is supported by court rulings to that effect.
“With regards to the Akusuugh Shopping Mall project, you heard that Finima Community gave the land for the project…of course, like I had repeatedly explained, lands are owned by families and, in this instance, Buoye Omuso Brown Major Duawari House is the exclusive owners of lands in Finima community as LANDLORD. I can say this with all boldness because there are court rulings to this effect.”
When asked why the two other houses in Finima Community, Attoni and Tobin were not consulted before the allocation of the said portion of land to the Nigeria LNG, the Brown House Asawo Chairman clarified that his chieftaincy house was not under any obligation to consult any other house before allocating land to anyone.
“Like I explained earlier, you cannot consult someone for something that doesn’t belong to him. First, remember that I said in one of my interview I granted Kristina Reports that the Tobin House had contested this in court and lost in all their attempts.”
“We have the ruling in 1972 and even very recently, where they also lost. So, is there any need to consult them in this situation? The answer is No.”
He further explained that the area popularly known before as Monkey Village was evacuated and temporary occupants of the place compensated to make way for the project, which was agreed on by the Nigeria LNG and Finima Community.
“If you also remember, for those that knew the Akusuugh area, you know the Akusuugh area was popularly known as ‘Monkey Village’ and when the Brown House allotted the land for the Finima Airstrip project, the Shop Mall was agreed on as the project for the community. On that basis, all the temporary occupants living there at that time were compensated and relocated.”
Tammy Brown, who is a member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) and Chartered Institute of Human Resources Management (CIHRM), among other professional bodies, accused the Tobin House of making unfounded claims on the land, asserting that when the area was evacuated and temporary occupants compensated, the Tobin House challenged the process in court but lost the case.
“So, we keep wondering how the Tobin House is now claiming ownership of the area when they didn’t have temporary structures previously and for those that had they were adequately compensated to move. Of course, if they had they would have equally been compensated alongside others.”
“In fact, they even went ahead to challenge the Brown House, including Mobil Producing Unlimited and Julius Berger Nigeria Plc. in the suit, for the land in question which is adjacent the existing Finima Airstrip and they lost the case.”
“So, tell me how they would now own a land in the same Akusuugh as they are claiming if not for their usual confusion. My biggest worry is that even those that know the truth have kept mute and watching things until it degenerates.”
“Some of them were involved when the late Chief Young Sunday Tobin and other members of Tobin House took late Chief Henry Buowari Brown, and other Wari-Alapu-in-Council of the Buoye Omuso (Brown) Major Duawari House of Finima to court on questions on the founding and ownership of Finima land and Tobin House lost the case. Yet they had decided to keep mute.”
The Buoye Omuso (Brown) House Chairman stated that the way forward was for all stakeholders to allow the project to go on given its expected intrinsic value to the community, adding that every indigene of Finima, irrespective of their chieftaincy houses, can approach the leadership of the Brown House to be allotted land to develop their property.
“My humble advice to the Tobin House is to allow the progress (Shopping Mall project) that is coming to the community that will benefit everyone to come, whether you are Brown, Attoni or Tobin, including our corporate and non-corporate tenants or return to court for redress, rather than disturbing the peace of the community all the times.”
He assured the CSR donor, the Nigeria LNG, and other multinationals, of a conducive atmosphere to continue on their value addition trajectory in Finima Community, urging to continue to be neutral on community-related issues while performing their roles as good tenants.
“Well, the CSR donor knows that the Buoye Omuso (Brown) Major Duawari House gave NNPC, and recently, the location of the Finima Airstrip including other areas of their interests. So, I don’t think they have issues with that just that as corporate entity they wouldn’t want to be seen as taking side. But they know the truth.”
“Talking about all-inclusive mechanism for resolving issues. You see when someone, whether neighbour or friends take you as a brother or sister, it is easy to bring him close and amicably resolve issues. But when it is the other way round and he or she sees himself as a big brother to the owner of the property. You will have no other option than to leave how he sees you.”
“You can imagine when a laudable project of such magnitude is coming to your own community and you cannot join forces to ensure it is successfully executed and you rather decide to chase the project away, then the community would consider you an enemy of progress.”
“Meanwhile, recently, their lawyer wrote and we convinced him with facts and evidences why the ownership of lands in Finima cannot be argued in our response to their concerns and queries. So, they have nothing to argue. However, like I had advised earlier, should they still have reasons to doubt the ownership of lands in Finima, they should go back to court.”
It’s a well established fact that the Buoye Omuso Brown Duawari Royal House of FINIMA in Bonny Kingdom, Rivers State, own all lands and there is nothing that can change that. The Tobin House should further retrace their steps in causing confusion amongst brothers. Alot of things have deteriorated in the community because the Buoye Omuso Brown House Royal stool has been vacant since the demise of Chief Dr. Yibo Buowari Brown till date and that does not mean we will allow anyone to make claims of our landed properties. Henceforth, the Buoye Omuso Brown Major House should stop having anything to do with the Jumbos in land given to Shell/SPDC by Finima Community.
Let’s allow the development to come, the distraction and confusion in the community has taken us backwards and we need to collectively progress as a Community. The Tobin, Attoni and Brown Houses, we are all Brothers and should concentrate on working in synergy and understanding with each other.
Thanks
&
Best regards
Patrick Brown