The Bonny Chiefs’ Council has condemned alleged threats by a section of the Brown Chieftaincy House to disrupt the Tobin Chieftaincy House’s annual cultural festivals and masquerade display in Finima, Bonny Kingdom.
The Council, in a statement signed by its Chairman, Se-Alabo (Amb.) Dagogo Soala Claude-Wilcox, a traditional ruler and retired military officer, and Secretary of the King Perekule Royal Palace, Festus Pepple, described the reported threats as unacceptable and capable of creating tension and breaching the peace in the Kingdom.
According to the Council, the Tobin Chieftaincy House is one of the 34 recognised Chieftaincy Houses in Bonny Kingdom and therefore has the legitimate right to preserve and perform its established cultural and traditional activities.
The Council said the Tobin Chieftaincy House’s Eremini and Fongu Mini Festivals are scheduled for Saturday, August 22, 2026, while its Masquerade Display is slated for Saturday, October 31, 2026.
“No individual, faction, group or section of another Chieftaincy House has the authority to unilaterally prohibit or interfere with the legitimate cultural activities of another recognised Chieftaincy House,” the Council stated.
The Council maintained that the customs, culture and traditions of Bonny Kingdom constitute the collective heritage of the Kingdom and should not be subjected to what it described as the unilateral interpretations or interests of any individual, group or Chieftaincy House.
It warned that the traditional leadership of Bonny Kingdom would resist any attempt to undermine, suppress, distort or interfere with the Kingdom’s established customs and traditions.
“The traditional leadership of Bonny Kingdom will resist with all vehemence, within the bounds of the law and established traditional authority, any attempt by any section of the Kingdom to undermine, distort, suppress or interfere with the customs, culture and traditions of Grand Bonny Kingdom,” the statement said.
The Council specifically called on the concerned section of the Brown Chieftaincy House to exercise restraint and avoid actions or statements that could provoke conflict or threaten the peace and unity of Bonny Kingdom.
It stressed that the Kingdom’s cultural heritage remained a shared legacy that must be protected, insisting that no faction would be allowed to erode or undermine it.
The Council also appealed to security agencies operating in Bonny Kingdom to ensure law and order and prevent any possible breach of the peace arising from the reported disagreement.
It noted that the need for vigilance was particularly important because Bonny Kingdom hosts several multinational companies and their subsidiaries whose operations contribute significantly to Nigeria’s economy.
According to the Council, any disruption to activities in the Kingdom could have wider economic consequences for the country.
The Bonny Chiefs’ Council reaffirmed its commitment to protecting and promoting the customs, culture and traditions of Bonny Kingdom, as well as maintaining peace and unity among the various Chieftaincy Houses.
The Council said it would take all necessary and legitimate steps within the law and established traditional authority to safeguard the Kingdom’s cultural heritage and peace.
