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OB Lulu-Briggs: Kalabari Chiefs urge Dumo Lulu-Briggs Never to exclude stepmother and Monipulo boss from Oil mogul’s burial
Modupe ASUDO
Late Chief Olu Benson Lulu-Briggs and wife Seinye Lulu-Briggs
PORT HARCOURT-AS the controversy rages over the burial of oil Mogul and founder of Monipulo Petroleum Development Company, Late Chief Olu Benson Lulu-Briggs, Elder Statesman and renowned business mogul, Chief Ferdinand Alabraba has called on Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs, son of the deceased in a three paged letter in which the Governor of Rivers State and the King (Amayanabo) of Abonnema were copied, to work towards a very peaceful and successful burial in which all stakeholders will fully participate, and also refrain from plans to exclude his step mother and Executive Vice-Chairman of Moni Pulo Petroleum, Dr. Mrs Seinye Lulu-Briggs from the burial arrangements.
Similarly, the families of Chief Dodo West Elebike of Buguma and Daibisrama Iniikeiroari Young-Briggs of Abonnema also wrote a petition to the Acting Paramount Head, Oruwari Group of Houses, Abonnema, demanding that the family of High Chief O.B. Lulu-Briggs do the right and proper thing with regards to his widow and his in-laws in respect of the burial plans. The petition which was signed by Chief Alaiyi Tom-West and Chief Obrasua Ernest Francis Briggs stated that the families of the deceased’s widow have not received any formal message ‘oku’ regarding funeral arrangements in accordance with the culture and traditions of the Kalabari people, neither has the late High Chief’s daughter, Solate been incorporated by the elder sons to perform her traditional rites at the funeral.
In pursuant of a peaceful burial ceremony for the late Lulu-Briggs, Chief Ferdinand Alabraba urged Dumo to shelve plans to exclude his stepmother, Seinye and his Sister from the burial plans. Alabraba in a letter he personally signed on the aforesaid subject matter said, “it is alleged that as a result of the anger over your father’s Will, you decided to exclude your dad’s widow and daughter from the burial plans, thus denying them the right to perform their customary roles to honour him in death.”
In the said letter, Chief Ferdinand Ngogo Alabraba, queried among others that “it is alleged that as a result of the anger over your father’s Will, you decided to exclude your dad’s widow and daughter from the burial plans, thus denying them the right to perform their customary roles to honour him in death. That time-honoured Kalabari culture cannot be ignored and must be respected, otherwise, the burial of our most respected High Chief will be incomplete.
In addition, he said, “Please ensure that your dad’s widow and his first daughter are duly restored in the burial plans so that they can carry out their customary roles in line with Kalabari tradition.”
The full transcript of the letter read thus: “Dear Dumo, My Son It is now less than three weeks to the burial of your late father and our brother, Chief (Dr.) O. B. Lulu-Briggs and seeing the way plans are unfolding, it has become necessary for some of us not just to sit and watch but give our honest advice “openly” so that outsiders will know that not all the Elders in the family kept quiet when things were not going well.
Recall that not too long ago, you were nominated as the leader of Young Briggs House and, only recently, installed on your personal Chieftaincy stood, thus making you a leader of the Young Briggs and head of the Chief O. B. Lulu Briggs family. You are, therefore, uniquely placed to unite the Chief O B Lulu Briggs family, bringing everybody on board in the burial plans so that as a united family, you can give your dad the befitting burial you have promised the world which he truly deserves. Unfortunately, the O B Lulu Briggs’ family still remains divided and as we move closer to the burial date people have started talking, insinuating things and blaming you for the lingering state of affairs, and rightly too because everybody knows and sees you as the face of the Lulu Briggs family.
My son, please know that your dad can only be buried once and if you allow anger to rule your emotions in working out the burial plans, you will be susceptible to serious mistakes which will remain a source of regret for the rest of your life. That will not be your portion by God’s grace, so kindly eschew bitterness and embrace all members of the family for a successful burial.
There are some misconceptions being peddled against you and you must act to correct them: (i) On your Chieftaincy titles, it is alleged that when you took custody of your father’s mortal remains you deliberately held it back not only to pursue chieftaincy titles for self-aggrandizement but also to challenge his Last Will and Testament in court and with the bitterness resulting from your failed court action you called the press conference to announce the burial date, just to play to the gallery and no real intent to give your father a befitting burial.
I know that the Chieftaincies were intended to position you to lead the Lulu Briggs family in the burial arrangements and nothing more, so please don’t leave room for anybody to doubt your sincerity in giving your father a most deserving burial. (ii) It is further alleged that as a result of the anger over your father’s Will, you decided to exclude your dad’s widow and daughter from the burial plans, thus denying them the right to perform their customary roles to honour him in death.
That time-honoured Kalabari culture cannot be ignored and must be respected, otherwise the burial of our most respected High Chief will be incomplete. Please ensure that your dad’s widow and his first daughter are duly restored in the burial plans so that they can carry out their customary roles in line with Kalabari tradition. (iii) Chief O B Lulu Briggs was a member of the Abonnema Council of Chiefs and he died as the revered Head of Young Briggs House of Abonnema but in your press conference announcing his burial date, you referred to him as the “paramount head of Oruwari Briggs House”.
No doubt, he acted as paramount head of Oruwari Briggs House for a very brief period when the then incumbent was hospitalized for about two weeks but he was never installed by the Abonnema Council of Chiefs as paramount head. Why bring in this unnecessary controversy to reduce your father’s stature in death by decorating him with false/borrowed robes in spite of his robust profile and many accomplishments in life.
Please do not do anything to alienate the Abonnema Council of Chiefs from participating in the burial because the Council, headed by a learned first class King, will not undermine its integrity by participating in the burial of the so called “paramount head” who was not installed in his lifetime. In conclusion, I wish to remind you that your late father was a global personality and people will come from all parts of the world for his burial. Our dear Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has eloquently demonstrated his commitment to give him a State burial.
The Amayanabo of Abonnema, the Abonnema Divisional Council of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs, and the entire Kalabari Kingdom are critical stakeholders in the burial. So, kindly work towards a very peaceful and successful burial in which all stakeholders will fully participate.” A three-man committee set up by the Abonnema Council of Chiefs to resolve pending issues raised by both parties regarding the burial is expected to submit its report to His Majesty King Disrael Bobmanuel, the Amayanabo of Abonnema before the scheduled date of burial of the elder statesman High Chief Dr. O. B. Lulu-Briggs for 13th March 2021.
The Labour Party has commended former President Goodluck Jonathan for conceding defeat in the 2015 presidential election, saying his decision demonstrated that political power was not worth the blood of Nigerians.
The National Chairman of the Labour Party, Senator Nenadi Usman, made the statement on Tuesday in Bauchi State while speaking with journalists on the sidelines of the 2026 Goodluck Jonathan Foundation Democracy Dialogue.
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The event, organised by the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation, was themed, “Beyond Elections: Can Political Parties and the Judiciary Save African Democracy?”
Usman said Nigeria’s democracy survived the tensions surrounding the 2015 election because Jonathan chose to put the national interest above his desire to remain in office.
She said, “Nigeria’s democracy survived the doomsday predictions of bookmakers in 2015 because of President Jonathan’s concession of defeat in that year’s election, even before the final votes were tallied.”
According to her, Jonathan’s approach to politics was exceptional, particularly because he had consistently maintained that neither his election nor remaining in power was worth the blood of any Nigerian.
Usman stated, “Such a principled approach to politics had never before been witnessed on the Nigerian political horizon. Jonathan, from the inception of his presidency, consistently maintained that neither his election nor remaining in power was worth the blood of any Nigerian.”
She added that Jonathan demonstrated the sincerity of his position when the 2015 election tested his commitment to the principle.
The Labour Party chairman urged politicians preparing for the 2027 general elections to emulate Jonathan’s non-violent approach to politics, respect democratic rules and place national interest above personal ambitions.
She also questioned whether politicians seeking the presidency in 2027 would be prepared to make similar sacrifices for national unity, particularly amid inflammatory rhetoric from some political camps.
Usman further recalled the saying attributed to Warren Buffett that someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.
She argued that Nigerians are able to practise democracy today partly because Jonathan made sacrifices at a critical moment.
On the Labour Party’s preparations for the 2027 elections, Usman described the party as the most structured opposition political party in Nigeria.
She said the Labour Party’s relationship with the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress had strengthened its political structure nationwide.
Usman claimed that the party remained the only opposition party with a realistic presence across Nigeria’s 186,000 polling units.
She said, “With the combined strength of the NLC and the TUC, both of which are constitutional members of the party, no Nigerian political party is better positioned to show the APC government the exit door than the Labour Party.”
The democracy dialogue attracted several political leaders and dignitaries, including former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan, former Vice-President Namadi Sambo, Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed, former Senate President Anyim Pius Anyim and Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
Others included former Plateau State Governor Jonah Jang, APC Deputy National Chairman, South, Dr Ben Nwoye, and the Emir of Bauchi, Dr Rilwanu Suleiman Adamu.
The dialogue provided a platform for discussions on strengthening democratic institutions, the role of political parties and the judiciary, and preventing democratic reversals across Africa.
Nigeria has recorded another major achievement on the international stage as the Mountain Top Chorale of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM) emerged champion of the 2026 World Choir Games in Helsingborg, Sweden.
The Nigerian choir clinched the gold medal in the Spiritual Category (C14), scoring an impressive 87.38 points in the competition conducted by Oluwasegun Okedunmola.
The feat was celebrated by the General Overseer of MFM, Daniel Olukoya, who described the victory as a major moment of pride for Nigeria and the ministry.
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In a Monday Facebook post, Olukoya wrote, “A CHAMPION’S SOUND! GOLD FOR MOUNTAIN TOP CHORALE!”
According to him, the choir secured two major honours at the 2026 competition, including the gold medal in the Spiritual Category and the overall championship in the Champions Competition.
He said the achievement went beyond music, describing it as a demonstration of “discipline, excellence, dedication, teamwork and the power of using our gifts to glorify God.”
Olukoya also commended the choristers, conductor, leadership of the choir and everyone whose sacrifices and commitment contributed to the success.
The World Choir Games, organised by Interkultur, is regarded as the world’s largest international choir competition. The 2026 edition is being held in Helsingborg from August 6 to 16.
The host organisation said about 8,500 singers from more than 40 countries are participating, with more than 160 choirs taking part in the competition, concerts and other activities.
The 2026 edition is also the first time the World Choir Games are being held in Sweden.
Mountain Top Chorale’s victory places the Nigerian choir among the top performers at the global choral event and further highlights Nigeria’s presence in international gospel and choral music.
Celebrating the achievement, Olukoya said, “From Nigeria to the world, Mountain Top Chorale has raised the banner high.”
He concluded his message by congratulating the choir and giving glory to God for the historic achievement.
Former presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to resign over what he described as “failure in governance,” drawing comparisons with political accountability in other democracies following the resignation announcement of UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
In a statement posted on his official X account on Monday, Obi said he had followed Starmer’s resignation speech and reflected on what he described as the importance of leadership responsibility in democratic governance.
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“As a keen observer of global politics, my primary interest lies in examining what successful nations do right and the structural factors that cause others to lag or struggle with governance and development,” Obi said.
He noted that Starmer’s decision followed growing public dissatisfaction over economic challenges, rising cost of living, and unmet campaign promises in the United Kingdom.
Obi then drew parallels with Nigeria, recalling that before the 2015 general elections, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had repeatedly called on then-President Goodluck Jonathan to resign over insecurity.
“During the Chibok school kidnapping incident, he demanded the immediate resignation of President Jonathan, arguing that the government had failed in its most fundamental duty of protecting lives,” Obi stated.
He also referenced campaign promises made by Tinubu during the 2023 elections, including commitments to improve electricity supply, tackle corruption, and enhance the welfare of Nigerians.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu made several promises, including improved electricity supply. He also challenged the electorate not to vote for him for a second term if he failed to deliver on those commitments,” Obi said.
According to him, conditions in the country have since deteriorated, with persistent power shortages, worsening insecurity, and deepening economic hardship.
“At present, however, these conditions have worsened. Electricity supply remains unreliable, insecurity has intensified in many areas, including kidnappings, and economic hardship has deepened rather than eased,” he added.
Obi further argued that other sectors, including infrastructure, transportation, and anti-corruption efforts, had also suffered setbacks, insisting that Nigeria is currently in “the worst possible condition.”
The opposition figure therefore called on President Tinubu to step down, saying such a move would promote accountability in public office.
“I, therefore, join Nigerians of goodwill in calling for the resignation of the President over monumental failure in governance,” Obi said.
He added that resignation would help foster “a political culture rooted in accountability and responsibility” and reinforce the idea that “public office is a sacred trust, not an entitlement,” stressing the need for what he called “a New Nigeria that is possible.”
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