REPLY TO THE PUBLICATIONS BY SOME MEMBERS OF THE HALLIDAY MAJOR CHIEFTAINCY HOUSE AND OUR POSITION ON RECENT EVENTS IN THE HOUSE

REPLY TO THE PUBLICATIONS BY SOME MEMBERS OF THE HALLIDAY MAJOR CHIEFTAINCY HOUSE AND OUR POSITION ON RECENT EVENTS IN THE HOUSE.

In response to the rejoinder published in Kristina Reports on 27th September 2025, by a group who refer to themselves as ‘majority members of the Halliday Major Chieftaincy House”, we hereby debunk this claim, and the outright lies peddled through their rejoinder to deceive the unsuspecting public.

It is instructive to state that all the legitimate descendants of Chief Charles Nwachu Halliday are united in our principles and resolve for due process to be followed in the House, and to state that true-blooded descendants of our ancestors are neither treacherous nor traitors. We are also supported by some forthright members from other Burusu in the House, who know their roots and demand due process to be followed based on the established pillars and customs of the Halliday Major House that have endured for over a century. Also, it is an established fact that at least twenty (20) Burusu in Halliday Major House have their origins traceable to Chief Charles Halliday including nine (9) of them created for his adopted sons and subjects. (Subjects used in the sense were people under Chief Charles Halliday’s authority and owed their membership (through their respective Burusu) of the Halliday Major Chieftaincy House to him. The narrative of these self-serving opponents has been to incite the adopted sons of late Chief Charles Halliday against his biological offspring.

It is irreverent to equate Chief Charles Nwachu Halliday with any other person in the House, especially for the opponents’ acclaimed Chief, Elder Phillip Oseleakisoma Halliday, without any known historical traces, legacies, or heritages in Halliday Major House. From known history, Elder Phillip Oseleakisoma Halliday was never a Country Chief of the Halliday Major Chieftaincy House known to Bonny Kingdom. Warisenibo Phillip Oseleakisoma Halliday acted as Chairman of Halliday Major House for a short period between the rule of two sons of Chief Charles Halliday, namely Chief James Tamunoitemebara Charles Halliday and Chief John Charles Halliday. Warisenibo Phillip Oseleakisoma Halliday was forced to resign due to his non-acceptance by members of the House; his resignation was communicated through a canoe on which was inscribed ‘resignation” In their wisdom, the ancients probably reasoned that unlike all the other bona fide Bonny Country Chiefs, a time will come when the brief stint of Warisenibo Phillip Oseleakisoma Halliday would become an issue, hence their rejection of him.

We have also noted and we frown at the reckless name-calling and campaign of calumny against our Wariseniapu who stand against the dishonest behaviors of a cartel in the House. We are a descent of integrity, achievements and contribution to the Halliday Major Chieftaincy House, unlike some others whose main interests are the acquisition of titles, power, and the control of Halliday Major House purse.

1. MATTERS IN THE COURTS

As it relates to our matters in court, we have clearly stated our position in our previous publication, one of which is on appeal, and the other, a committal proceeding against Mr. Adiesigha John Phillip Halliday. Atypically, our opponents in their rejoinder conceded to the commencement of action of the Court cases with the intention to exclude us from the affairs of Halliday Major House, having previously lied to all that we were the ones who took them to court. ‘Truth is strong and sometime or other will prevail’.  Another important fact that they failed to disclose to the public is that the House lost an entire generation of six elders while the case lasted at the Court of first instance.

2. CONSTITUTION OF EXECUTIVE COUNCIL AND INDUCTION OF ‘WARISENIAPU” ELDERS IN THE HALLIDAY MAJOR CHIEFTAINCY HOUSE.

The recent induction of Wariseniapu or elders was full of anomalies, and we object to them in all material facts. The Halliday Major Chieftaincy House like other Houses in the kingdom is composed of Burusu as fundamental units for representation and identity and cannot be subjected to the manipulations and prejudices of Mr. Adiesigha John Phillip Halliday.

We refer to the rejoinder and the false claim that Chief Charles Nwachu Halliday left behind fourteen (14) Burusu including Okpofori and Ibezim Ofo Burusu at his death. This is untrue as Okpofori and Ibezim Ofo Burusu never existed in the House. There is no material fact in the House by way of internal documents, practices, customs and traditions that have referenced or recognized the existence of any of these purported Burusu since the reign of Chief Charles Nwachu Halliday. They were all contrived as an afterthought, perhaps due to their experiences in the ongoing Court cases.  Therefore, it is deceitful, and fraudulent to present Burusu that never existed as though they have been in existence.

Also, to conceal a material fact, their rejoinder deliberately excluded the legacy Burusu of the nine (9) male offspring of the Paramount ruler, Chief Charles Nwachu Halliday. Rather, they listed the Burusu of his adopted sons and the three independent Burusu in the House at his death. Our Burusu increased to 11 as the offsprings of our ancestor became Chiefs of the House after him. This is a fact they acknowledged in the documents they submitted to the courts, which predated their rejoinder.

These actions go to buttress the fact that “one lie requires a thousand lies to cover it up“ The fiction of Okpofori and Ibezim Ofo Burusu was exposed in the draft Constitution for the House they commissioned under the Chairmanship of Mr. Adiesigha John Phillip Halliday. Then, there was no thought or mention of Okpofori or Ibezim Ofo as Burusu. Suddenly, on seeing the odds against them, they have become desperate, and are now fraudulently rewriting our collective history, by tampering with the existing structures of the House. As is typical of them, they are mischievously inventing anything that can be used to justify their planned outcomes.

Under Article 7, Section 1 (EXISTING BURUSU IN THE HOUSE) Pages 8 & 9 of the Draft Constitution (A copy is annexed) neither Okpofori nor Ibezim Ofo Burusu was on the list of the twenty-five (25) Burusu listed. The clear reason is that these so-called Burusu never existed in the House. To present them now as existing Burusu is deceitful, and fraudulent. Their draft Constitution rightly recognized and listed all the eleven (11) Burusu of the blood line descendants of Chief Charles Nwachu Halliday as follows (1) Nwachu Charles (2) Tamunoitemebara James (3) Ibifubara John (4) Dagogo Emmanuel (5) Amafiri Festus (6) Nnagha (7) Willie Adagogo (8) Harry (9) Fagan (10) Ibiogo Rogers (11) Tamunoiyeowuna Mathew.

Evidentially Okpofori and Ibezim Ofo Burusu do not exist in the House. All the statutory Burusu in the House have their history of origin, predecessors and elders who have occupied these Burusu stools at the elders’ council of the House to the present times. Any claim of the existence of an ancient Burusu that does not meet these yardsticks cannot be taken seriously by those conversant with the history and customs of the House.

By his manipulatory actions, Mr. Adiesigha John Phillip Halliday is fundamentally restructuring and altering the composition of Burusu in the House to undo our Burusu’s numerical superiority. He did not only fabricate the Okpofori and Ibezim Ofo Burusu but his appointments have revealed his lopsided partiality and discrimination. He appointed and recognized Engr. Christian Okata Richard Halliday as a statutory Warisenibo for the non-existent Ibezim – Ofo Burusu and one Mr. Temple Richard Halliday as a statutory Warisenibo for the non-existent Okpofori Burusu.

It should be made clear that Mr. Adiesigha John Phillip Halliday has no power to fabricate Burusu and randomly appoint people as Wariseniapu in the fashion of a tyrant. Here is a poser for Mr. Adiesigha John Phillip Halliday: What are the genealogies of these fabricated Burusu? Who were the elders that occupied these Burusu stools in the last century and who were their kindred family members that presented the appointees for induction as statutory elders?

Engr. Christian Okata Richard Halliday is the sibling of Warisenibo Ray Okata Richard Halliday and Amaopusenibo Victor Okata Richard Halliday, all grandsons of the late Warisenibo Richard Halliday of the Okoronkwo Halliday Burusu.  They all belong to the Okoronkwo Halliday Burusu in the Halliday Major Chieftaincy House and are entitled to only one statutory elder (Burusu) stool at the executive council of the House.

 Amaopusenibo Victor Okata Richard Halliday also from the Okoronkwo Halliday Burusu was inducted as an honorary Warisenibo by a previous Chief of the House. (An honorary Warisenibo title can be conferred at the behest of the Head of House). His aberrant assumption of the Chairmanship of the House has posed significant challenges to Halliday Major House, some of which are being addressed in the pending suits. Mr. Temple Richard Halliday, another grandson of Elder Richard Halliday from Okoronkwo Halliday Burusu was also appointed as a statutory Warisenibo of the non-existent Okpofori Burusu. The customs and traditions of the House did not confer such exclusive privileges on the Okoronkwo Halliday Burusu and the lineage of Late Warisenibo Richard Okoronkwo Halliday above others, which is a breach of the customs and traditions of the House.  There are no extraordinary circumstances, exploits, achievements and contributions to the House from the people concerned to warrant this travesty of customs and traditions of the House, without regard to threat to peace posed by such misadventures.

Let it be made clear that there is a difference between a statutory (Burusu) Warisenibo and an honorary Warisenibo which Mr. Adiesigha John Phillip Halliday has failed to understand. There is also no compelling reason for the invention of a fundamental unit or Burusu in a House with over 20 existing Burusu. There are also guidelines and procedures dictated by customs and traditions for the creation of a fundamental Burusu. It cannot be a whimsical action to score a cheap point or a power show.

In defiance to our warning, Mr. Adiesigha John Phillip Halliday has arrogated to himself the powers to impose Mr. Williams Adassa Kekebo Halliday as Warisenibo of Late Warisenibo Willie Adagogo Charles Halliday Burusu (one of the eleven Burusu of the descendants of Chief Charles Nwachu Halliday). Mr. Williams Kekebo Halliday is an interloper to the Burusu of Warisenibo Willie Adagogo Charles Halliday. We object to the desecration of the sanctity of our Burusu and our inheritance rights to produce our own Wariseniapu. Mr. Promise Halliday, another member of Okoronkwo Halliday Burusu was also foisted as Warisenibo of the Burusu of Late Warisenibo Emmanuel Nnagh Charles Halliday, by Mr. Adiesigha John Phillip Halliday.

Mr. Promise Omoni Halliday is not of Warisenibo Emmanuel Nnagh Charles Halliday lineage, and a total stranger to our clan. From our standpoint the appointee is an impostor sponsored to cause trouble in our clan and breach of peace in the House. We disown Mr. Williams Kekebo Halliday and Mr. Promise Omoni Halliday. We also warn that all involved in this illegality shall be held liable and accountable, including any benefits accruals to the Burusu which they appropriate to themselves on false identity, akin to obtaining by false pretense.

With these early anomalous actions of arbitrariness and wanton violation of our birthright and the alteration of the nucleus of our kindred families, Mr. Adiesigha John Phillip Halliday is afraid of the consequences of a stolen mandate.

The veiled threat to illegitimately derecognize the eleven Burusu of our clan is a pointer to his fear and clear intentions. Let it be known that Mr. Adiesigha John Phillip Halliday does not have such powers to abrogate our Burusu or any other statutory Burusu to someone else, for failure of a bona fide Burusu to recognize, or participate in their illegal and illegitimate actions. The presentation of our chosen Burusu elders for induction and investiture to the House is our exclusive customary right to exercise. The sanctity and inviolability of our Burusu are guaranteed.

We have constitutionally and traditionally guaranteed rights of existence and association in the House and Community of our birth. We cannot be discriminated against or outlawed based on clan, inheritance or ancestry amongst others. What else could be a greater threat to peace than clan hatred which normally precedes clan cleansing?

3. N40, 000,000.00 (FORTY MILLION NAIRA) AND OTHER MONIES OF THE HOUSE

Our first publication revealed the concealment and lack of transparency in the use of the N40, 000,000.00 (Forty Million Naira) received on behalf of the House. Since then, there has been other disbursement of money to the House by Bonny Kingdom Development Committee (BKDC) as compensation for the demolition of the Opuwari fence and renovation of structures at Bonny. The payment was alleged to have been received in a private account, and concealed from other members of the House, except the House cartel. No general meeting of the House has been held to discuss this disbursement and its use, especially after the death of the six statutory Wariseniapu. Some members of the House only knew about the amount of money in the possession of these so-called leaders of the House through our publication. On our demand for full disclosure and accountability for the House money, the reply of the Mr. Adiesigha John Phillip Halliday-led group was as hollow as it was diversionary. They replied as follows “The funds of the Halliday House which the renegades want to hijack the leadership structure of the house are being utilized for the best interest of the house” What a dismissive and irresponsible response to an important question about the finances of the House. We declare that any attempt to use/ misappropriate the finances of the House without statutory elders to the exclusion of our Burusu and others will be challenged.

4. THE STATUS OF AGBALAMA VILLAGE

The village known as Chief Charles Nwachu Halliday ‘Arugbana-Ama” called ‘ Agbalama” for short was established by Chief Charles N Halliday of blessed memory. Chief Charles N. Halliday started out at Mbisu until he was advised by other Chiefs of the kingdom to look for an alternative settlement because of the security risk of an outpost and isolated settlement as Mbisu. At that time, Bonny was at war with some of its neighbors. The Chief of old, who facilitated our ancestors’ acquisition of the place, is known to us. A look at the contiguous villages of Christy-Wilcox, Jackmay, and Henry-Longjohn clearly shows that these villages and settlements are of the chieftaincy era and not the ‘Ngiekirifajie” period, the fourteen aboriginal settlements of the kingdom including Mbisu which Awusa ruled. The postcode for Agbalama is Nwachu.

CONCLUSION

1. The actions of Mr. Adiesigha John Phillip Halliday in the House are a subversion of the Burusu and foundation of the kindred families. His recent actions are ultra vires of the customs and traditions of the House, with far reaching consequences that are trans-generational, which pose a major threat to peace and co-existence in the Halliday Major Chieftaincy House. He is setting up the House for implosion and is hereby advised to reverse these abnormalities.

2. We affirm that Okpofori and Ibezim Ofo Burusu never existed as statutory Burusu in Halliday Major House.  Furthermore, to present them as existing Burusu, is as fraudulent as it is an attempt to rewrite the history of the House. We do not recognize them as statutory Burusu of the House and demand their immediate invalidation.

3. We demand that Mr. Adiesighia John Phillip Halliday immediately reverses the vexatious overreach of imposing Messrs. Williams Kekebo Halliday and Promise Omoni Halliday as statutory elders upon our Burusu. They are impostors and unknown to us. Traditionally, Wariseniapu are selected unanimously by Burusu members and first installed on the Burusu chair before presentation to the House chief for induction and recognition. It is not the duty of a chief or anyone to impose a Warisenibo in such military fashion. That is not part of our customs and traditions; we vehemently oppose and reject it. The sinister plan to plant moles to infiltrate our lineage is devious and portends danger to the House. We cannot be divested of our inheritance and duties as a clan in the House.

4. We affirm that Mr. Adiesigha John Phillip Halliday lacks the power to outlaw any of our 11 Burusu in the House. They are both statutory and legacy Burusu that have existed until now. He cannot abrogate our Burusu to anyone else and cannot rule us out of existence in the House of our nativity.

5. Messrs. Williams Kekebo Halliday and Promise Omoni Halliday are impersonators and have no birthright claims to the headship of the Burusu of Late Warisenibo Willie Adagogo Charles Halliday and late Warisenibo Emmanuel Nnagh Charles Halliday respectively. They are not our nominees or representatives of the lineage of Chief Charles N. Halliday. These impositions are illegal and should be voided immediately.

6. We warn that it will set a dangerous precedent to target our clan for discrimination and victimization in the House of our birth because of ancestry, inheritance or principles. We warn that we are equal to the task and will stand to defend our Burusu anytime and anywhere.

7. We shall continue to demand that Mr. Adiesighia John Phillip Halliday and his group publicly account for the up to N50 million they have received on behalf of the Halliday Major House and spent. While others might choose to behave like the biblical Esau and for a morsel of bread and appointments accept unaccountability, we shall not turn a blind eye to the use of the finances of the House without accounting for it to the satisfaction of all and sundry. We demand probity and accountability.

Signed.

1. Warisenibo Reginald Dawari Charles Halliday
2. Warisenibo (Dr.) Dennis Fimienye Charles Halliday
3. Warisenibo Harry Adango Charles Halliday
4. Warisenibo Cousin Dabooju Charles Halliday
5. Warisenibo Amasenibo Charles E.J. Charles Halliday
6. Warisenibo (Engr.) Labonimiya Norman Halliday
7. Mr. Opuada Charles Halliday