A title citizen of Bonny Kingdom, accomplished businessman, family man, and community leader, Dagogo Tobin, who holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Administration from the University of Port Harcourt, Choba, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, is lucid, factual and refreshingly illuminating when it comes to issues related to the history of his homeland, the Ibani nation, which comprises Bonny and Opobo Kingdoms in Bonny and Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Areas of Rivers State.

In this interview with Kristina Reports Publisher/Editor-in-Chief, Godswill Jumbo, Tobin elucidates on the historical facts surrounding the status of chieftaincy houses in Bonny Kingdom, the relationship between the Tobin, Attoni and Brown Houses in Finima, Bonny LGA, among other issues. Enjoy the excerpts:

What is your take on the controversy over the land being disputed between Jumbo and Brown Houses?

If the land you are talking about is the land being occupied by Shell, it is the parcel of the land between Bonny and Finima. That is why the Jumbo House is involved. If it is just Finima land, Jumbo House wouldn’t have been involved. You are aware that Jumbo House is not part of the Finima Community. So, it is proper to say that a part of the land belongs to Finima and the other part belongs to Jumbo House. If you look at the judgement, it said that the land is between Finima and Bonny, it is not exclusively Finima land only. That is why Jumbo House is involved. The Finima land is owned by three chieftaincy houses: the Tobin, the Brown, the Attoni. Tobin House is a creation of the 19^th century, the forefathers of the Tobins founded Finima. At that time, we never had Chieftaincy Houses.

Also read: Bonny-Bodo Road: Tobin House lauds Bonny LGA Chairman over peace moves

So by this, you are saying that the land founded by Tobin predates the coming of Buoye Omuso?

Talking of Omuso. Buo is his father. That is why Brown House is called Buo ye Omuso. Put it another way, Buo the father of Omuso. Buo gave birth to Omuso.

Like we have it in the Bible: Abraham begat….

Simple. You got it right. That is just it. The Brown House is founded by Omuso. The Brown Chieftaincy House is a creation of the Perekule throne. Like every other chieftaincy house, all chieftaincy houses in Bonny Kingdom are the creation of the Perekule throne. Before the coming of Perekule there were no chiefs. We had only elders in the whole of Bonny Kingdom. If you take your mind back, you know the first chief was Allison. You get the point now? Now, before Brown, Tobin, and Attoni Chieftaincy Houses were created, they were all living together in Finima.  

Were they Aborigines?

Yes, they are Aborigines. Before the creation of chieftaincy houses, members of these three houses that are chieftaincy houses today were living together in Finima. The present day Finima is the new Finima, which was the old Finima, Ikpakpayo; that was actually our ancestral home. Before we moved to where NLNG is today, which is now the old Finima. But we came back to our ancestral home, which is now the new Finima, which is the original Finima, where our ancestors first landed

Also read: Divisive Companies in Finima will soon face our wrath – Security Adviser

Now, about the Duawari, which houses are the Duawari and how did we come about the Duawari?

What do you mean by Duawari? Let those who claim to be Duawari come and explain to us what they mean by Duawari.

Brown House claims to be one of the Duawaris. Is this true?

The Brown House has to explain how they claim to be a Duawari. We read in Bonny history who the first chief of Brown House was. We also read in Bonny history how, as a small boy, he was redeemed by King Fubara when King Fubara went for inspection of a ship. How he was handed over to Captain Hart and raised by Captain Hart and was presented to Native Council by Captain Hart to be made a Chief. So, we need explanation by them how they came about being a Duawari. There are even documents recently to that effect.

One of the history books said that when they moved from the Ijaw area and got to the Igbo area, that other groups joined them and that on the way down to this part of the Niger Delta a decision was made that Okpara Ndoli should lead the group. Is this correct?

There are several versions of the history of the Ibani people with several contradictions. Let us make reference to those history books.

Also read: Bonny Chieftaincy Houses are creations of Amanyanabo of Bonny – Community Leader

The Buoye Omuso Brown House say Kongo is their ancestor?

The Brown House needs to do more research on their history to get to know their true lineage.

But talking about the ownership of Finima that has been trending…who are the real owners of Finima?

The ancestors of Tobin House are the founders of Finima. Kongo and his entourage moved from Central Ijaw, present day, Bayelsa State, and got to Bregede. Kongo died at Bregede and his son, Ala-Owi moved with the people and landed at Ikpakpayo, which is the present day new Finima. Ala-Owi is the ancestor of the present day Tobin House because his descendants founded the Tobin Chieftaincy House.

The Brown House claims the NLNG, Mobil and others are their tenants. Is this position correct?

NLNG is on Finima land, Mobil is on Finima land, Chevron is on Finima land. And Finima land is owned by the three chieftaincy houses in Finima. The land where NLNG is today was acquired by the NNPC, which in turn handed it over to NLNG to carry out their business. The land where Chevron has their facility was given to Chevron by the Finima people. The three houses jointly leased the land to Chevron for use.

How about the land given out to Julius Berger for use as a temporary site for the Bonny-Bodo road project that is being disputed by the Brown and Jumbo Houses?

That piece of land that was given to Berger is owned by Finima. The Tobin House is not against the King of Bonny giving that piece of land to Julius Berger for use.

But we understand that the late King Captain Secondus gave out the land to NEPA and other persons. Was it the three houses that gave him the land?    

As the King he took some decisions which we never questioned and these are coming to haunt us now. But we are not averse to him giving out the land for the benefit of the kingdom. You know when an event takes place and you don’t do anything about it or say anything to the contrary, it will later come and haunt you.  

The Workers Camp land was also in the news as being disputed by Brown and Jumbo Houses?

The Workers Camp land belongs to Finima though we had issues with ourselves over compensations that were paid by TSKJ because of the divide and rule tactics of these multinationals and greed amongst us. The matter went to court and was yet to be resolved as at now. The truth of the matter, however, is that the land was given to TSKJ by the Finima community.

Where does the Jumbo House come in? All this while where was the jumbo? TSKJ used the land from the inception of train 1 until the end of train 6 project.