The Konibo-Ye-Awanta (Tobin) Chieftaincy House of Finima in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State as distanced itself from the recent Finima Community Development Masterplan Workshop in Finima, Bonny LGA.

A statement signed by the Chairman and Secretary of the Tobin House Elders Council, Darlington Tobin and Golden Tobin, respectively, stated that the House was not consulted, did not participate and did not sent any representative to the event.

The statement further stated that the organizers do not have the endorsement or mandate of the Tobin House to represent its interest, warning corporate bodies such as the international oil companies (IOCs) to be wary of any such claims.

The statement is reproduced below:

“DISCLAIMER AND PUBLIC NOTICE

Our attention has been drawn to the Workshop or Programme titled “Finima Community Development Masterplan Workshop” which took place on the 21st – 22nd of July, 2023 at the Finima Town Hall, Finima Town, Bonny Island, and which Programme or Workshop was organized by Engr. Dagogo Lambert Brown of the Brown House of Finima Town, Bonny.

Adverting to the said Programme/Workshop, we, the Elders Council of the Tobin (Konibo-Ye-Awanta) Chieftaincy House, hereby vehemently dissociate the Tobin Chieftaincy House from the Programme/Workshop organized by Engr. Dagogo Lambert Brown and thereby state categorically as follows:

i. That, Finima Town in Bonny vest directly on the three Houses that makeup Finima, namely Konibo-Ye-Awanta (Tobin) House, Buoye Omuso (Brown) House and Attoni House.

ii. That, Engr. Lambert Brown does not represent the Tobin Chieftaincy House of Finima Town for the purpose of organizing the Workshop/Programme afore described.

iii. That, Engr. Dagogo Lambert Brown never had our permission, consent or mandate or that of the Konibo-Ye-Awanta (Tobin) House to organize the said Workshop/Programme in the name of Finima Community.

iv. That, Engr. Dagogo Lambert Brown does not in any way represent the interest of the Konibo-Ye-Awanta (Tobin) House in any Workshop/Programme organized or purportedly organized by him in the semblance of “Communal Representation” as a “Finima Project”.

v. That, the Konibo-Ye-Awanta (Tobin) House did not appoint or send or mandate any person or group of persons as her representative on her behalf for the purpose of the Workshop/ Programme.

vi. That, any representation or purported representation in the said Programme/Workshop by any member of the Tobin House is on a personal or private interest.

vii. That, the said Workshop/ Programme organized by Engr. Dagogo Lambert without the permission, mandate or endorsement of the Tobin Chieftaincy House, was tailored towards attracting unwarranted and unfounded recognition by the IOCs (International Oil Companies) operating in Finima Town, Bonny and other companies alike, to believe he represents the Finima Community.

viii. That, any Workshop or Programme relevant and being an embodiment of the Finima Community as a people must have the endorsement, mandate and participation of the three
ix. Chieftaincy Houses that make up Finima Community.

By this present, the General Public is put on notice that the Konibo-Ye-Awanta (Tobin) House of Finima did not endorse and will not take responsibility for any money donated towards or in the name of the Workshop/Programme organized by the said Engr. Dagogo Lambert Brown in the name of carrying out a “FINIMA COMMUNITY PROGRAMME OR PROJECT”.

SIGNED:
ELDER DARLINGTON TOBIN (Chairman, Tobin House Elders Council)
ELDER GOLDEN D. TOBIN (Secretary, Tobin House Elders Council)”

The Finima Community Development Masterplan Workshop, with the theme: “…Towards An Urbanized Finima Community” held on Friday and Saturday, July 21 and 22, 2023 at the Town Hall, Finima Town, Bonny Island, where the community’s development masterplan was unveiled.

Among the dignitaries and resource persons in attendance were the Rivers State Commissioner for Works, Dr Alabo George-Kelly, Director General, Rivers State Tourism Management Board, Yibo Koko, Professor Eucharia Nwaichi, former member of the House of Representatives, Randolph Brown, and former Executive Director, Bank of Industry, Jonathan Tobin, Eugene Abels, Nnamdi Mbata, Dr Robinson Sibe, Dr Abarasi Abbey-Hart, Dr Magdalene Iheme, and Ross Alabo-George, among others.