“The storm is over and O.B Lulu-Briggs could see the rising sunshine somewhere beyond the clouds. It was time for the LEGEND in him to be unleashed to the world. It was time to give back to the society that supported him in his moments of extreme lack and deep distress. It was time to build a country that can shield citizens from the harrowing experiences that he had to go through as a young man. He chose partisan politics as the next platform for his unquenchable zeal for service to humanity, coming after his impressive Labour Union activism at the Nigerian Ports Authority. Fortunately, the birth of the second Republic (1979-1983) was in the offing. The federal military Government headed by General Olusegun Obasanjo had set up a Constituent Assembly in 1977 to draft a new constitution for the Second Republic. The ban on political activities was lifted in September 1978. Nigeria was agog with intense political activities after twelve years (1966-1978) of military incursion in governance.
To begin this next phase of his life, O.B Lulu-Briggs retired voluntarily from NPA as Head, Industrial Relations, in the Eastern Port of Nigeria. His action was strange at the time because it was unheard of for a Nigerian to attain such an exalted position and resign voluntarily. But O.B Lulu-Briggs had a mission; he had a pact with destiny. He joined one of the five registered political parties, the National Party of Nigeria, NPN as one of the founding fathers and rose to the enviable height of Deputy National Chairman (South). He played the politics of equity and fairness founded on protecting the rights of the minorities in an indivisible Nigeria.
To actualize his burning desire to profoundly impact the lives of the people through purposeful political leadership, he contested the governorship primaries of the NPN in 1982 in the Old Rivers State and the Presidential primaries of the Social Democratic Party, SDP in 1993. Both attempts were unsuccessful. Politics did not give him the opportunities he sought to positively impact the lives of people. Toughened by the rough trajectory of his early life, O.B Lulu-Briggs never gave up on any worthy venture because of temporary setbacks. He changed from partisan politics to corporate life. He entered the business world at the end of the botched Third Republic.
HIS MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR —MONI PULO NIG. LTD DEBUT
In business, he was dogged as ever, setting up several companies, including the petroleum exploration and production firm, Moni Pulo Ltd which he built to enviable heights that earned him fame and fortune. He was now in a position to actualize his lifetime dream- to bring happiness to as many people as possible. In 2001 he founded the O.B Lulu-Briggs Foundation dedicated to uplifting lives and reaching the unreached with the milk of human kindness. For nearly two decades, the foundation has been active in five major areas. These are Care For Life, Education and Scholarships, free Medical Mission, Micro-Credit and Entrepreneurship and Access to Portable Water and Sanitation. At the time he passed to eternity on December 27, 2018, the story of High Chief O.B Lulu-Briggs had become an epic. His sojourn on earth had all the characteristics of an archetypal epic hero. He was born into royalty but thrown into poverty at an early age by the sudden death of his father. He went on a long tortuous journey to distant lands in Jos, Bida, and Lagos. He was exposed to the harsh elements but he exhibited doggedness and fortitude. Divine intervention restored him onto the path of recovery. He returned in grandeur to his home after so many years. He took his rightful place and brought prosperity and happiness to many people.
High Chief O.B Lulu-Briggs was listed by Forbes as among 40 Africa’s richest people. The African Independent Television AIT honored him with a Lifetime Achievement in Philanthropy. He had several awards for a lifetime and extraordinary achievements. He came, he saw and he conquered. Through hard work and sheer willpower, he became the captain of his own destiny. He set a course for greatness and worked without rest until his goals became a reality. He pulled himself by his bootstraps”.
THE MANY WOMEN IN THE LIFE O.B LULU-BRIGGS
The chief mourner, Chief Barrister Dumo lulu-Briggs in writing about his beloved father’s family life created with nostalgia stories about High Chief O.B Lulu-Briggs relationship with women as narrated below:
“High Chief O.B Lulu-Briggs was a devoted family man who loved his immediate family members and his extended family dearly. He did everything to make sure his family was happy and safe. He took care of his children and placed their needs above his own. Even in the difficult years of his life, he provided for his children as much he could. He ensured that his children grew into responsible members of the society. He instilled in them good values, including that sharing and giving to others what they have, no matter how little it may be.
He made sure that his children were all educated to the level of their abilities and desires.
Like the great Kalabari Chiefs of Old, High Chief O.B Lulu-Briggs had many women in his life but unlike his forbearers, he had his women one at a time. He was not a polygamist but a progressive monogamist. He had one woman at a time but several women in a lifetime.
He had several children too. The oldest is Senibo who was born on June 16th, 1950. The mother of Senibo Lulu-Briggs was Madam Abigail Daine Lloyd Jack. She was O.B Lulu-Briggs’ first Love when he was a fisher boy in Abonnema. The relationship was the chief’s admission to manhood. Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs, the Iniikeiroari VI and Head of the Young Briggs House of Abonnema is his second son. He was born on June 13th, 1964. Dumo’s mother, Madam Irene Iwo Sokari Danagogo was given to O.B Lulu-Briggs by her father, Late Chief I.S Danagogo in 1962 when all he could afford was “Ari Ibara EMI” and they went to live together as Mr. and Mrs. O.B Lulu-Briggs at No. 24 Adebola Street, Surulere, Lagos. They took with them, Senibo, his only child who was barely 12-years old. Chief O.B. Lulu-Briggs was a junior staff at the Nigerian Ports Authority, Apapa, Lagos and the union was blessed with a son Dumo, who was born at the Government Hospital, Ebutte-Metta, Lagos. Chief O.B Lulu-Briggs separated from Dumo’s mother in 1965.
In 1970, he married the very beautiful, Miss Evelyn Kariba Isokariari at the Anglican Church, Creek Road, Port Harcourt. Pretty, Mrs. Kariba Lulu-Briggs was a Nurse at the then General Hospital, Port Harcourt. On October 11, 1971, they were blessed with a son, Sofiri. They separated in 1972 and she moved to Enugu with Sofiri and later joined the Nigerian Airforce and retired as Wing Commander Evelyn Kariba Isokariari.
In 1974, O.B Lulu-Briggs married Miss Leticia Graham Lawson who was then a Staff of Barclays Bank, Port Harcourt. This union lasted only one year and in 1976, the chief met and married Miss Victoria David West and they lived together with the chief’s second son Dumo, at No. 28, Captain Amangala Street. Victoria came to the marriage with her pretty, young daughter, Owanate who was 6-years old then. Chief who loved children became a great foster father to Owanate and made sure that on August 5th every year, the family celebrated his foster daughter, Owanate’s birthday. This union lasted up to 1983 but was not blessed with biological children. In 1988, Chief met Miss Lolo Agolia in London, loved and married her in 1989 and quickly completed his house at No.17, Igbodo Street, Old GRA, Port Harcourt and together they moved to his new home. This union too was short-lived and in 1991 Lolo moved back to London. Chief was in his Living room when Lolo was packing her belongings and she wanted the chief to see whatever she was taking but he said she is his wife, it was her decision to go and she could leave with whatever she wanted.
In the same 1991, Chief fell in love with Miss Boma Wilcox and they had a great relationship that gave the O.B Lulu-Briggs family their first female child on May 25, 1992. Chief was so excited because up till that time, there was no female child in the O.B Lulu-Briggs family. Chief had Senibo, Dumo and Sofiri. Senibo already had six grandsons for Opuda namely, Tekena, Sotonye, Datonye, Nimi, Amieyeofori and Iniikeiroari (Papa). Chief O.B Lulu-Briggs’ joy knew no bounds with the birth of a female child and he named her Rachael, after his beloved mother and Matriarch of the family, Madam Rachael Kioba Harrison Ogari Lawson. The entire family was overjoyed over their only female member and on May 25th, 1989, Chief had a lavish first birthday for Rachael at his Igbodo Street residence.
In the same 1992, Chief had another romantic relationship with Miss Rita Don Pedro, the daughter of the Paramount Head of the Don Pedro War Canoe House of Abonnema. That relationship produced Chief’s fourth son, Date on November 29th, 1993. That same year, 1993, Chief married Barrister Udeaku Obiora, younger sister of his very close friend, Chief Ralph Obiora. Udeaku had a son, Chima, who was about the same age as Rachael, whom Chief adopted and named Onimim Lulu-Briggs. The union was dissolved in 2001. Udeaku was highly industrious and supported her husband in his business. They had no biological children.
On September 11th, 1999, when Dumo Lulu-Briggs got married to Data Inema Dawn Lulu-Briggs, nee Wokoma, Udeaku discharged her role excellently as his stepmother. She was with Dumo at the hospital-owned by his father-in-law, Late Alabo C.I.T Wokoma, when Dumo’s first daughter, Luluba was born on April, 9th, 2000. In 2002, at the age of 72, Chief married Mrs. Seinye Lulu-Briggs, nee Peterba Briggs. Seinye had two daughters Solate and Aima whom Chief loved very dearly and became a great foster father to them. In 2008, they adopted a son and named him Iyowuna. Chief and Seinye were married till Chief passed on December 27, 2018.
In 1998 High Chief O.B Lulu-Briggs performed the Kalabari “iya” ceremony on Senibo and Dumo. In 2013 he performed the same “Iya” ceremony on his daughter Rachael. He also performed the “Iya” ceremony on his last wife Mrs. Seinye Perterba Lulu-Briggs. In 2012, High Chief O.B Lulu-Briggs sent for his son, chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs to meet with a young lady who has just been shown to him as his daughter. During his sojourns to Bonny town, O.B Lulu-Briggs had met and had a relationship with Madam Marie Gogo Opusunju in early 1975. High Chief remembered the mother and also the romance they had in Bonny before they lost contact. He did not know that she gave birth to a girl on February 25th, 1976 named Nwanma Opusunju who is dark and heavily built like members of the Lulu-Briggs family. The High Chief asked her to change her name to Bensonba and he bought her a house in Port Harcourt in the name of Bensonba Lulu-Briggs which she still owns to date. Bensonba did not see the High Chief that much before he passed but he asked Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs to assist her as much as he could. High Chief O. B Lulu-Briggs, who, following the death of his only brother, Onyema, in 1949 became an only child, was blessed with several biological, adopted and foster children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren namely: Senibo, Dumo, Sofiri, Rachael, Dateim, Owanate, Solate, Aima, Onimim and Iyowuna (Children). Tekena, Sotonye, Datonye, Nimi, Amieyeofori, Iniikeiroari, David Daniel, Luluba Osure, Aoife Kala-Agbani, Angel Lolia all grandchildren. Ibilolia Lulu-Briggs, Onengiyeofori Adi Lulu-Briggs, Tamunoinimiteim Lulu-Briggs, Tamunobararibiye Lulu-Briggs, Tamunotonye Lulu-Briggs, Tamunobeleye Sophia Lulu-Briggs all great-grandchildren.
Like the Kalabari of old, High Chief O.B Lulu-Briggs populated his household and built a great family”.
-EMEKA AMAEFULA
