Calmly vocal, resolutely realistic, powerfully pungent is some cool ways to describe Partner Benjamin Brown as he elucidated on the trending issue of employment in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State. He took on the questions with equanimous resilience and frontal factuality, in some areas invoking the witness of the deities.

In this interview with Kristina Reports’, Godswill Jumbo, and Ann Hart in his home, Finima Community, Partner Benjamin Brown, an entrepreneur, community stakeholder, opinion leader and several other things gave clarity to issues raised by his kinsman, friend and brother, Soala Brown on the employment crisis in Bonny LGA. He went down memory lane to locate the origins of the now special purpose vehicle (SPV) to manage employment in the area known as Bonny Integrated Recruitment Center (BIRC). Enjoy the read!

Kristina Reports: Some days ago, one of your brothers, Elder Soala Brown granted an interview to Kristina Reports and kind of gave a background as per these employment issues, 60/40, the role of the local government and all of that. Now, before we go into that let’s first of all know you can you introduce yourself.

Partner Benjamin Brown: First of all, my names are Partner Benjamin Brown, I’m from the Iyariari Burusu of the Buoye Omuso Brown House in Bonny Local Government Area.

You say Iyariari Burusu, is that the same Burusu where Hon. Randolph Brown comes from?

Yes, yes, in fact, Randolph Brown is my first cousin.

Some say that family is rich with all the notables; I don’t know how you people achieve that…

Of course, of course…should I say that Brown House is synonymous with Iyariari. Chief Idamieibi Brown is also of the Iyariari extraction.

So, going back to these issues under review, can you give some clarity as to your position on what Elder Soala Brown said?

Thank you very much. First of all, I hold Soala in a very high esteem. Soala is my very good friend and I still respect him. So, I wouldn’t come here to tell lies concerning Soala because most of the things I have achieved, I achieved them during Soala’s youth chairmanship. Even after this interview, I will still be friends with him, that’s the way I hold Soala. But I was shocked at all he has said concerning this employment matter because most of the things he said there were not true.

Can you be specific?

Okay, now let me go down memory lane a little, we were all living in old Finima before the advent of the NLNG project. We all know that before this LNG project was sighted here there was no much employment in Bonny as a whole. We had only Shell. It is only Shell and the mode of employment at that time, which everybody knows, is that you will go and show your skill before you will be employed. But thank God for what is happening now. They can employ anyhow and also make you to have skills. Now, we came to Finima in 1991 officially and in 1992 we had some in-house chieftaincy problem. First of all, I want to categorically state here that there had been no time in the history of Finima that either the chiefs or the elders had indulged in employment because prior to this time, we just go to company gate whenever we hear that there is any company around. We just go to the company gate all over Bonny, they will pick you there. Sometimes, the white man will look at your physical appearance and then they will pick you. Everybody knows that from MCC to Mothercat, to this time the NLNG came.

So, during that problem we had this Ida Idama project; that was the first employment arrangement we had here in Finima. Willbros came and when this Willbros came, because we had this chieftaincy issue there was no clear leadership in Finima as at that time, we, youth, came together and picked two members from each side of the divide – two from Idamieibi and two from the other side. We called them the principal members of the house. I happen to be amongst those picked from the principal members. I, Ebenezer Brown, Walson Brown and Fred Kalada Iwo Oruene Brown, junior brother to Randolph. We were the four persons in charge of employment. We were all youths then. I was barely within 29 and 30 years old, I was still a youth. That was how we managed that employment and things went seamlessly because the youths always have had an understanding in Finima. When it comes to the development of Finima, the youths always rallied around ourselves. So, that is the situation, that was how we were employing ourselves. It has been the youths all along. Now, that arrangement continued until we now decided – because there was no clear leadership – to form a formally registered youth movement and the Finima Youth Movement was formed and chaired by one Christopher Brown as at that time. I know that one Omubo – we call him ‘Baba Shady’; Mr. Raphael, who was representing us in the employment matters. I am mentioning his name let him come and deny it. So, all along it has been the youths. But something happened – there was an incident that took somebody’s life – and Soala became the de facto youth leader. When the struggle was going on, we decided to have another youth movement because all the youths had run away from the ensuing problem. So, we, of the principal members extraction, were remaining in the community and we still decided to go on with the youth. Hence, we decided to make Soala Brown the de facto youth chairman.

Why, was there was no election?

No, there was an election. Why I called it de facto is because the whole youths were not in Finima as at that time. So, it was me, Partner Brown, now Warialabo Elder Airigha Goni Brown, this Evans Brown, and one Loving Brown. We were the persons that stood and made Soala the youth chairman at Dupuyo. The name of the youth movement was Council of Finima Awo, youth in bracket. Subsequently, I will give you some documents where he soala shortlisted us for work. For me, I worked with Willbros in Ida Idama project, it was Soala who shortlisted me.

So, in effect, you were saying that whatever were the arrangement with the companies with regards to employment had never had an intervention of any chief?

No chief, no elder.  

Not Tobin Chief, not Attoni Chief, not Brown?

Right from the beginning, no time, it has always been the youths.

Even before Soala became youth chairman?

After Young Christopher Brown, as youth chairman, was Gbenye Apiafi Brown, Opus Tamunotopu Hart, and Duma Jack-Brown, all these persons during their reign, it was the youths.

This were all before Soala

No

After Soala

Some before him, some after him all and up till now and even now because for me as I am speaking now am not seeing whoever is in charge of employment expect the that has been appointed by the youth as I stand here now I am 58 years old plus I can never talk lie let Soala come and tell us

But looking at what you are saying and looking at the position of the law, employment issues are under the federal and state governments…

Constitutionally, yes.  

Now this arrangement you were having in Finima that was being managed by the youth were you doing them in partnership with the legal authorities like the local government and whoever was in charge?

In as much as the youth body was registered, I should think constitutionally we are right…

Are you referring to the Finima Youth Congress?

Yes, the Finima Youth Congress.

It is one thing to be registered under the constitution, it is another thing to be recognized as a body representative of the Finima people to manage employment by the government. Is there any such arrangement?

Well, I wouldn’t dwell on that but I know is that since when we have been handling this employment, we have had no problem either with the government or any security agencies.

Let us fast-track to now, don’t you think that these issues is playing out now because, in effect, there are two chiefs now in Brown House?

No, there are situations that has been worse than this one, yet…

Where you have had dual leadership?

Yes, dual leadership, yet it is the youth – none of these leaders ever dabbled into employment matters, not even the elders. The youth were always together. So, each time there is a problem, the elders settle their issues.

So, you are saying that even now with issues of the chieftaincy of the Brown House, the employment issue with the youth is not affected?

Yes, nobody is aggrieved. Look, something about employment you must understand is that not everybody can be employed the same time. So, if you are aggrieved because at certain periods you’ve not been employed does not mean the employment system is not working.

But there are fears that the current leadership of the Finima Youth Congress is loyal to Chief Dagogo Lambert Brown.

That is capital NO, NO, NO; Chief Dagogo Lambert Brown has not been made a Chief when this youth body was brought into power. So, the Chief cannot influence them. Wait, let me tell you about Finima, the chiefs and elders do not interfere with the youth movement. We don’t agree with them.

Okay let assume that the don of Soala Brown or anybody close to clement brown comes to youth center now as we are sitting here now goes to the youth center now and say I am coming for an employment maybe I am a QA/QC technician or expert, they will be treated equally like every other youth

Nobody will harass them? Nobody, I stand here to speak, where I am standing is an ancient ground.

Are you saying that no matter which camp anyone belongs, if he goes to the Finima Youth Center as a Finima person, his rights will be respected and nobody will bother which camp or faction he belongs to?

Yes. I have not seen any such thing. Let me tell you, I was in Chief Yibo Brown’s camp then but I was working. I worked under the youth; I worked in the EGGS project under the youth. I was a staunch member of Chief Yibo’s camp. I was not even talking to some of my brothers but yet I worked in the EGGS project.

…and nobody beat you up nobody harassed you?

Yes, when I worked on this slot catcher project, nobody harassed me. Every youth is moving around Finima.

So, in effect, you are saying all allegations of intimidation are all unfounded.

Yes, they are all unfounded, they are baseless. Let me tell you something, it is not everybody that will be happy with a system. But not being happy with a system does not mean that you will just throw everything to the dogs. Soala Brown was the Secretary of the Constitution Drafting Committee, Chief Yibo appointed him.

The current constitution you are using?

Yes, the current constitution. Chief Yibo appointed him as at that time. So many people did not recognize Yibo but yet when everybody came together, they did not remove Soala as Secretary of the Constitution Drafting Committee. He still finished his tenure. So, that is how we live in Finima, especially, the youths.

Now, has it ever happened that instead of the chieftaincy houses nominating someone to the BIRC, it was the local government that appointed?

For me, I think that, constitutionally, employment resides with government but if you look at Bonny, we are a peculiar people. There are so many things that happen in Bonny that does not happen in any other place. It’s because we respect that throne so much, the Amanyanabo’s throne. We respect him so much because he is our King, that is why when he comes up with anything, we just follow and that is how it has been concerning the employment bureau. There was no bureau before we started it in Finima. These four people I mentioned here, me, Partner Brown, Walson Brown, Ebenezer Brown and Kalada Iwo Oruene Brown, we started the employment system.

In Finima? Before BKEB?

Yes, in Finima, we started it. There was nothing like employment bureau in Bonny, in fact, people from Bonny comes to beg for employment in that our aruwari there. Of course, you know all the companies reside here in Finima. Finima is the treasure base of Bonny Kingdom because all the companies that are situated in Bonny is in Finima. So, most times when the companies arrive, they come to the shores of Finima and people come here to work. We decided to organize ourselves instead going to stand at the gates of companies to be employed or for a white man to look at our physical structure to employ us. So, something happened and one thing led to another the bureau went to Bonny because of small skirmishes like they are doing now. No matter what, it is not because I’m fighting with my brother, I will now burn our father’s house. I can never burn my father’s house where will I come to when I make peace that is what is playing out now.

Soala Brown and I fought together to bring this employment to Bonny. The King is alive, tell him that I, Partner Brown, I am saying it. Let the King hear because whatever I say, I can never tell lies. I respect him so much, he’s our King. Then he was the Chairman of Rivers State Council of Traditional Rulers during (Gov) Odili’s regime. Soala also led us, me, Partner Brown, Dagogo Philip Brown, Sunny Eli Brown, Owunabo Brown, and Sunny Papa Brown. I remember in one of those meetings, Sunny Papa was not talking, he was not smiling, the Amanyanabo jokingly said “Ah! Sunny laugh small na, abi you go kill me? I no be your King”. In one of those meetings, we were all joking. l was the person the Amanyanabo was begging in that meeting. In his very words, the Amanyanabo said “were it not for the fact that he was the King of Bonny, that he would have knelt down to beg us”. He said it, I am saying it, l swear by that throne saying this word – that how can we today come and separate the employment, that it is one kingdom. Then I, Partner Brown still asked him, “Your Majesty, you said we are one kingdom; now you know that in Commerce and Industry, if anyone particular entity has forty percent amongst the rest of the partners, that person automatically becomes the managing director of such company”. Amanyanabo said, yes. I asked him, “have you ever bothered since this employment bureau to employ a Finima son or appoint as chairman?” Soala was there, Dagogo Phillip Brown was there; all this names I mentioned were there, that was where we made a truce and he promised and it took the King about two to three years, then we shortlisted two or three names to him, we shortlisted one from Tobin, another one from Attoni and one from Brown – I am talking, let the King deny it – yet he refused to pick from these ones we recommended, rather he picked Vivian Brown. That was the first Finima person, because we have had only two Finima persons, in an organization that is supposed to belong to us. We did not fight Vivian because Vivian is also from Finima, we did not fight him irrespective of the fact that he did not pick from our recommendation, we are still respecting the throne, we never fight him. Very briefly, Vivian left, the second person, Ala was also very brief and ever since then, rather they want to divide us with this thing they are doing now.

They want to divide you like how?

You asked question here, people are trying to divide us, forces are trying to divide us…

But you have said that the youth are to remain as one?

We remain resolute, they can never divide us, they can never; we will never be divided.

I think the destination point should be a solution; so, what do you advise the as the way forward?

When two of your children are fighting, first of all, what you will do is to call both of them and ask them what their problem is. I expect His Majesty to do same – he is a great king, he is our king, he is our father – then, in your wisdom as a king, you might decide to pass judgement the way you see it after listening and let posterity and nature judge you.

How about the government, since it has the primary role of employment, what do you think should be the way forward?

We also know that a government cannot come to a place without recognizing the leadership, even in the colonial days; you know that when our colonial masters came, they recognized our leaders, rightly or wrongly. They dealt with our leaders. They didn’t just come in, that’s one thing you must understand.

We heard that the Local Government Chairman invited Chief Dagogo Lambert Brown, invited Chief Evans Clement Brown?

First of all, Evans is not a Chief in Brown House. I want to correct that impression because for me I won’t grant interview calling Evans a Chief.

In the eyes of the law?

Sorry, Sir, Brown House has a Chief who is in the person of Chief Aseme Alabo Dagogo Lambert Brown, he is our Chief, because i grew up in Bobby i told you that an close to 60years you know that in Bonny, the King is our King, before the king recognises any chief it is the people, it is the people, because even the king before he was made the king know as a Chief in George Pepple House, not in another house that is why I close my case I won’t speak any further thank you very much.

So, your final words now let’s keep the leadership aside whether chief government everybody now let consolidate on what you have said about the youth being divisible talk to the youth of Finima. What do you advise them?

I advise the youth of Fiona to remain calm because the status cue will always remain, we should not fight we know that the truth will always prevail, it has always been the youth that handle employment matters not otherwise that is my advice

Thank you very much, Sir.