Where is Kalabari-born multi-billionaire, elder statesman and philanthropist, High Chief Olu Benson Lulu-Briggs? Is he alive or dead?

 

This is the question his kinsmen are asking, particularly, the traditional institution in his community, the Chiefs of the Oruwari Briggs House of Abonnema in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State.

 

After over five months in the news, doubts are emerging about his purported sudden death, they claim and are alleging that the Kalabari-born oil mogul may still be alive.

 

They further claimed that the rumours of his death was released by persons allegedly interested in manipulating the multi-billion estate of the ailing chief.

 

His multi-billionaire son, Dumo Lulu-Briggs has yet to make any comments on the issue of his father’s status or whereabouts.

 

The younger Lulu-Briggs was the candidate of the Accord Party in the 2019 governorship election in Rivers State.

 

There are unconfirmed rumours, that even if High Chief O.B. Lulu-Briggs was dead, he actually died in Port Harcourt and his corpse was hurriedly smuggled into the Republic of Ghana by persons who wanted to keep possession of his body and control proceedings of his funeral, an act which they cannot achieve under Kalabari custom, if the corpse were in the custody of the Lulu-Briggs family.

 

The murmurings are also growing loud that the Chief may have been killed (deliberately suffocated) in the aircraft by persons who were after his humongous wealth.

 

For the Chiefs of the Oruwari Briggs House of Abonnema, their kinsman, High Chief O.B. Lulu-Briggs may actually still be alive. Their position was made public in a document in circulation in which they clearly stated that:

 

“We, Chiefs of the Oruwari Briggs House of Abonnema, Rivers State are at a loss as to the whereabouts of the Head of the ancient War-Canoe House, High Chief O.B. Lulu-Briggs, OON, DCF, Emine 1 of Kalabari, since he was announced dead by his wife, Mrs. Seinye Lulu-Briggs on December 27, 2018 while traveling to the Republic of Ghana”.

 

The Chiefs of Oruwari Briggs House declared that they are not sure if High Chief O.B. Lulu-Briggs is dead or alive, insisting that:

 

“We are unable to decipher if our High Chief O.B. Lulu-Briggs is alive or dead because since Mrs. Seinye Lulu-Briggs reportedly traveled with him to the Republic of Ghana five months ago, knowing that his health condition had deteriorated, we have neither sighted him, his corpse, the mortuary receipts of the morgue where he is said to be kept nor his medical death certificate.

 

“The only unofficial information we have about the said demise of our High Chief is the one being circulated by his wife, Mrs. Seinye Lulu-Briggs, who was with him on that fateful day and who has kept the medical death certificate (that is if he has died) and the location of the corpse to herself, thereby keeping the family in complete darkness and in disarray about the whereabouts of High Chief O.B. Lulu-Briggs”.

 

The Chiefs of Oruwari Briggs House contended that the actions of Seinye Lulu-Briggs are unheard of and completely strange to Kalabari laws and custom, saying that:

 

“Her action is strange to Kalabari tradition, which clearly stipulates that a woman informs her husband’s family, as fast as it is possible, of his demise and reclines to her mourning role until burial ceremonies as organized by the family begin”.

 

The Chiefs accused Seinye Lulu-Briggs of singlehandedly planning the obsequies of her husband whose death she has not formally announced to his family, describing her actions as a disservice to the towering image of High Chief O.B. Lulu-Briggs.

 

“The Chief of Oruwari Briggs House hereby states unequivocally that Mrs. Seinye Lulu-Briggs has overreached herself by her actions in taking High Chief O.B. Lulu-Briggs, OON, DCF alive or dead to Ghana at a time his health shows that he is weak” they asserted.

 

Meanwhile, as the doubt increases on whether High Chief O.B. Lulu-Briggs is alive or dead, a farewell funeral service had already been organized for him in Ghana.

 

Efforts by Kristina Reports to reach Mrs. Seinye Lulu-Briggs proved abortive as at the time of this report.