Twon-Brass
Encyclopedia
Twon-Brass is a community on Brass island in the Nun River estuary of Southern Bayelsa State
, Nigeria
, in the Brass
Local Government Area.
The royal Chief is His Royal Majesty Alfred Diete-Spiff
.
At one time, the town was the main port of the Nembe Kingdom
, called by one historian "the Venice of the Niger Delta", and was dominant in the palm oil trade of the region. When the Royal Niger Company
became an increasingly strong rival in the trade, the town's economy was severely damaged.
In 1895 the Nembe King William Koko led a dawn attack of more than a thousand warriors on the company's headquarters at Akassa, which triggered a retaliatory raid that destroyed the town of Brass.
The British later established a consulate in Twon-Brass, from where they administered the area.
In the mid-20th century it was the base of several fisheries
and a center for the shipping of palm products.
There are plans for a multi-billion-dollar gas facility on Brass Island.
Agip Oil Company and Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas operate terminals in the town.
In February 2009 gunmen in two speedboats attacked troops guarding the Agip
oil terminal, but were repelled.
The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta
(MEND) had threatened to target Italian companies since Italy had apparently offered to supply two attack boats to the Nigerian military.
Tourist attractions include beautiful Atlantic Ocean beaches, the graves of British soldiers who died in the Nembe-British fighting of 1895 and the old consulate buildings, which were in use till the end of the colonial period in 1960.
Bayelsa State
Bayelsa State is a state in southern Nigeria in the core Niger Delta region, between Delta State and Rivers State. Its capital is Yenagoa. The language spoken here is Ijaw language and dialects of the Ijaw language such as Nembe, Atissa, Akassa, Ogbia, etc. However, like the rest of Nigeria,...
, Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
, in the Brass
Brass, Nigeria
Brass is a Local Government Area in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Twon-Brass on the coast. It has a coastline of approximately 90 km on the Bight of Bonny. Much of the area of the LGA is occupied by the Edumanom National Forest....
Local Government Area.
The royal Chief is His Royal Majesty Alfred Diete-Spiff
Alfred Diete-Spiff
Alfred Papapreye Diete-Spiff was the first Governor of Rivers State, Nigeria after it was created from part of the old Eastern Region, Nigeria. He held office from May 1967 until July 1975 during the military administration of General Yakubu Gowon....
.
At one time, the town was the main port of the Nembe Kingdom
Nembe Kingdom
The Nembe Kingdom is a traditional state in Niger Delta. It includes the Nembe and Brass Local Government Areas of Bayelsa State, Nigeria. The traditional rulers take the title "Amanyanabo"...
, called by one historian "the Venice of the Niger Delta", and was dominant in the palm oil trade of the region. When the Royal Niger Company
Royal Niger Company
The Royal Niger Company was a mercantile company chartered by the British government in the nineteenth century. It formed the basis of the modern state of Nigeria....
became an increasingly strong rival in the trade, the town's economy was severely damaged.
In 1895 the Nembe King William Koko led a dawn attack of more than a thousand warriors on the company's headquarters at Akassa, which triggered a retaliatory raid that destroyed the town of Brass.
The British later established a consulate in Twon-Brass, from where they administered the area.
In the mid-20th century it was the base of several fisheries
Fishery
Generally, a fishery is an entity engaged in raising or harvesting fish which is determined by some authority to be a fishery. According to the FAO, a fishery is typically defined in terms of the "people involved, species or type of fish, area of water or seabed, method of fishing, class of boats,...
and a center for the shipping of palm products.
There are plans for a multi-billion-dollar gas facility on Brass Island.
Agip Oil Company and Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas operate terminals in the town.
In February 2009 gunmen in two speedboats attacked troops guarding the Agip
Agip
Agip is an Italian automotive gasoline and diesel retailer established in 1926. It is a subsidiary of the multinational petroleum company Eni.In 2003, Eni S.p.A...
oil terminal, but were repelled.
The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta
Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta
The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta is one of the largest militant groups in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. The organization claims to expose exploitation and oppression of the people of the Niger Delta and devastation of the natural environment by public-private partnerships...
(MEND) had threatened to target Italian companies since Italy had apparently offered to supply two attack boats to the Nigerian military.
Tourist attractions include beautiful Atlantic Ocean beaches, the graves of British soldiers who died in the Nembe-British fighting of 1895 and the old consulate buildings, which were in use till the end of the colonial period in 1960.