More than two years after his demise, the late business mogul, philanthropist, and industrialist, High Chief Olu Benson Lulu-Briggs will be finally laid to rest on March 13, 2021 according to an announcement by the Oruwari Briggs House of Abonnema in Akuku-Toru local government area of Rivers State.
Litigations had trailed his demise, including legal tussles in Nigerian and Ghanaian Courts.
The outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent restrictions by the federal and state governments as regards funerals and large gathering further elongated the final burial rites.
Addressing a press conference at Abonnema on behalf of the Oruwari Briggs House, Barrister Ibim Dokubo stated that when on December 23, 2019, a High Court in Ghana ruled that the body of the paramount head be released to the family led by Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs, the matter was appealed up to the Supreme Court before the body was finally brought on March 16, 2020, in the midst of Covid-19.
He said: “It is our pleasure at this point to break the news that the late High Chief Olu Benson Lulu-Briggs, OON, DCF, DSSRS, the Iniikeiroari V of Kalabari Kingdom and Paramount Head of Oruwari Briggs House of Abonnema will be committed to mother Earth on Saturday, March 13, 2021.
“He was a public servant, a labour leader, a politician, a businessman, a philanthropist par excellence and a very High Chief. It would therefore be a gross disservice to his memory to deny his legion of friends and associates the opportunity to honour him at his funeral.”
Also speaking, son of the deceased, Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs commended the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike for his untiring efforts at resolving contentious issues and for also approving a state burial for their father.
