A newly detailed genealogy from Abonnema’s royal lineage has reignited debate over the status and legitimacy of the Duiyenala Chieftaincy Stool in the Kalabari Kingdom, challenging long-standing claims that the house has gone extinct.
The genealogy, compiled from ancestral records associated with the family of His Royal Majesty, King Disreal Bob-Manuel, presents what proponents describe as an unbroken line of descent from Chief Duiyenala, popularly known as Black Jim. Chief Duiyenala is revered as a foundational patriarch whose lineage, according to the records, intersects with several royal and chiefly houses across Abonnema, Buguma and the wider Kalabari Kingdom.
According to the account, Chief Duiyenala married Iseleminaro and fathered Ada, whose descendants include notable figures such as King Amachree I, Prince Awo, Owukori (Manuel), and other early architects of Abonnema’s royal structure. The genealogy further asserts that the Owukori (Manuel) Chieftaincy Stool—widely recognised as the royal stool of Abonnema—originates directly from the lineage of Chief Duiyenala.
The records also document instances of adoption formally sanctioned during the reign of King Amachree I. Such adoptions, the genealogy notes, were culturally recognised practices within Kalabari tradition and contributed to the expansion of the Duiyenala House. From this process emerged prominent figures including Chief Awoye-Kio, Chief Amabibi (Don Pedro), Chief Alambo, and other descendants who later became kings, chiefs and war leaders within the kingdom.
In addition, the genealogy traces the Oruwari (Briggs) House of Abonnema to the same ancestral root, linking it through the Duiyenala, Akialame and Ekpe lines. It records that Chief Oruwari (Briggs II) ascended a chieftaincy stool created around 1836, during the tenure of Chief Akpanaye-Benebo as head of the Duiyenala House. Advocates say this timeline further demonstrates that the Duiyenala lineage was active, recognised and institutionally established during that period.
The document also challenges narratives of extinction, stating that Chief Duiyenala survived the wars and conflicts of his era, was neither captured nor killed, and left behind children whose descendants, it claims, remain traceable across Kalabari society today.
On the strength of these genealogical links, renewed questions are being raised within Abonnema over assertions that the Duiyenala Chieftaincy Stool or House no longer exists. Observers argue that a stool created under the reign of King Amachree I cannot simply disappear from history without clear cultural, legal and traditional processes.
Beyond the genealogy itself, the unfolding debate has also drawn attention to the perceived silence of respected elders and leaders of Abonnema. Figures such as Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs, Chief Marcus Georgewill and Alabo Tammy Wenike Danagogo are widely revered within Abonnema and across the Ijaw nation for their wisdom, influence and leadership.
Community voices are now asking why such leaders have yet to publicly address an issue many consider central to Abonnema’s history, identity and kingship. For critics, the matter calls for guidance, clarity and moral leadership from those entrusted with preserving tradition.
As discussions continue, stakeholders insist the controversy goes beyond personalities or current occupants of the throne. At its heart, they argue, is a broader question of truth, heritage and justice—and whether Abonnema is prepared to openly interrogate its past in order to safeguard its future.
For a people whose identity is deeply rooted in lineage and tradition, the growing call is clear: let the facts speak, and let responsible leadership rise to the moment.
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