Our attention as natives and bona-fide members of Tobin (Konibo -Ye-Awanta) Chieftaincy House in Finima Town in Grand Bonny Kingdom of Rivers State has been drawn to the outrageous, vexatious and very provocative and self-serving statement made on the 27th day of November, 2022 by the following persons:

i. Darlington Adango Tobin

ii. Fimienye M. Tobin

iii. Barasua J. Tobin

iv. Golden D. Tobin

v. Benneth Tobin

vi. Asamawari Y. Tobin.

2. They claim among other things to be:

a) Wariopuseniapu and heads of six(6) Burusu (Family units) of Tobin House and the only traditional authority to authorize the representation of our family both in Court and elsewhere.

b) They purport to disown and strip the authority of Amaopusenibo Jonathan Tobin to represent Tobin House in Court and elsewhere.

3. The statements are false, deceptive and capable of causing chaos and anarchy in the family.

4. The signatories are not Wariopuseniapu as they claim to be. Indeed, the last Chief of our House Chief Young Sunday Tobin did not appoint any Wariopusenibo in Tobin House throughout his reign. Amaopusenibo Jonathan Tobin has our mandate to on behalf of our family institute and maintain legal actions in Court over our chieftaincy and other leadership matters concerning our family.

5. The only surviving Wariopusenibo in Tobin House today is Wariopusenibo Dagogo Sunday Tobin (not Amasenibo Dagogo Afanyemonia Tobin who is in Court with Amaopusenibo Jonathan Tobin). All the others are dead. They did not at any time constitute themselves into a Council of Wari-Opuseniapu. The late Wariopuseniapu that existed with Late Chief Young Sunday Tobin are:

a) Wariopusenibo Gladyn Mark Tobin

b) Wariopusenibo Diriwari Gentle Tobin

c) Wariopusenibo Joseph Afanyemonia Tobin

d) Wariopusenibo Michael OtobaraTobin

e) Wariopusenibo Balafama Mark Tobin

f) Wariopusenibo Iyala Tobin

6. There is no Council of Wari-Opuseniapu in the history of Tobin Chieftaincy House. The signatories and Amasenibo Dagogo Tobin have fabricated the so-called Council of Wari-Opuseniapu to cause trouble in the House and serve their delusive interests against our customs and traditions.

7. The signatories have no authority whatsoever to challenge or withdraw the right of Amaopusenibo Jonathan Tobin to represent the House both in Court and any forum in Bonny Kingdom. Amaopusenibo Jonathan Tobin is the most senior Titled Citizen of our family. He has brought succour and dignity to our family and the entire Bonny Kingdom.

8. We vehemently refute the said Statement by the signatories as most irresponsible and a denigration of our people. Such a statement cannot stand against our illustrious son:

I. Who served at the top echelon of Central Bank of Nigeria and retired meritoriously;

II. Upon whom the Committee of Governors of the Central Bank of Nigeria reposed so much confidence when it carefully appointed him the Executive Director of Corporate Services representing the Central Bank of Nigeria/ the Federal Government of Nigeria on the Board of Directors of the Bank of Industry;

III. To whom was entrusted over N220,000,000,000:00 (Two hundred and twenty billion Naira) MSME Fund which he administered successfully without blemish;

IV. Who was the pioneer Project Manager of the celebrated multi-Million Naira CBN Anchor Borrower’s Kebbi Rice Project.

V. Who helped over twelve (12) Bonny people including Tobin House Members to be gainfully employed at various levels of public service in Rivers State and the Federation.

Who during Covid-19 pandemic provided palliatives in cash and kind using Darlington Adango Tobin (who is one of the satanic signatories) to coordinate the programme. We know that Darlington Adango Tobin personally benefited greatly from the largesse and we are disappointed at his association with the said statement.

VI. Who during the Covid-19 pandemic also attracted and availed Federal Government of Nigeria’s N30,000 (thirty thousand Naira) palliative package for each of 1,800 (one thousand eight hundred) families in Bonny.

9. It was our own Amaopusenibo Jonathan Tobin that helped the family with funds for the entertainment of Chiefs and titled Citizens who came to commiserate with the family during the burial of late Amaopusenibo M. T. Tobin. Also, he provided funds for the burial of late Warisenibo Endwell Tobin. Indeed, he made us proud; he also did not forget to take care of us as the hosting family.

10. Again, Amaopusenibo Jonathan Tobin has readily rescued us from family embarrassment on several occasions. For instance, when Dagogo Afanyemonia Tobin did not deliver the N1,000,000:00 (One million Naira) which he gave him (Dagogo) for payment to our family Lawyer and our Lawyer threatened to withdraw from the case for non-payment of the said money to him our illustrious son intervened.

11. The last time the General Congress of Tobin (Konibo-Ye-Awanta) Chieftaincy House met was shortly after the funeral ceremonies in respect of our last Chief, namely, Chief Young Sunday Tobin. At that meeting we only reviewed the funeral activities and considered the general welfare of the House. We did not and have not considered the appointment of the Chief of the House, any Wariopusenibo and or Head of any Burusu. None of the six (6) signatories to the statement in issue was mandated to make or sign the said statement. Such a decision or resolution of the House can only be made at our Opuwari and not in any person’s personal property.

12. We are expressing our unalloyed confidence in Amaopusenibo Jonathan B. Tobin as an illustrious leader of our House. We also dissociate ourselves from the defamation in the said statement.

13. Finally, we urge everyone to respect the Court and stop misconducting themselves vis-a-viz the authority of the Court.

Long Live Awanta Chieftaincy House

Long Live Finima Town

Long Live Grand Bonny Kingdom

Long Live Rivers State

Long Live Nigeria