21 Golden Reasons To Thank PMB

By Philip Agbese 

In my proud African-ness, I subscribe to the tradition of polygamy as inherited from my fore fathers. It is not because I am unmindful of the strains or sometimes, its near fatal consequences in a family. But only a polygamous man knows and can actually vouch on who among his wives is the best in whatever nuance.     

I celebrate Nigerian politicians, activists and public affairs commentators and even antagonists for their consciousness in enlivening public discourse on Any Government in Power(AGIP).  Straightforwardly, these revered personalities of different camps have tasted the previous administration in Nigeria and the current leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari. And like the proverbial two wives, they know which one is better.   

And I have read some refreshing consensus verdicts a long time ago, concluding that President Buhari is indeed, the better wife, if I am permitted to adopt this euphemism in my description of his leadership of the nation. The conclusion reminds me of  its blend with  an American writer, Elbert Hubbard who praised the concept of polygamy as “… An endeavor to get more out of life than, there is in it.”

Personally, I have no smidgeon of doubt about the steller leadership qualities of President Buhari and his impactful outings on Nigeria’s leadership rostrum in the near five years of his sojourn in Aso Rock. He has accomplished much and really made the difference in more ways than I ever imagined. But life and security of lives is everything in the existential struggle of nations and its leaders.

Therefore, I intend to appreciate and interrogate my write-up from the perspective of President Buhari’s courage and commitment in tackling insecurity, particularly, Boko Haram insurgency. I shall concentrate on popping up salient benefits Nigerians have derived from Buhari’s suppression of infectiously toxic Boko Haram terrorism in Nigerian and the compelling need to appreciate his Presidency in superlative  thankfulness.

Firstly, no one can dispute that the national capital of any country in the world is its symbol and pride. It expresses all such a country embodies. But we are all witnesses to the destructive fangs of Boko Haram terrorism on Abuja, Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT) before the Buhari Presidency. Bomb explosions and killings everyday submitted the country’s fate to boundless mourning.

Fear in Abuja residents replaced courage and the belief, even among ardent believers that God alone protects or that any Nigerian leader could eclipse this burden.  But President Buhari has transcended this challenge, as Boko Haram bombs   have ceased to explode anywhere in Abuja since he became leader of the nation. We owe him a debt of gratitude.

We should be glad that President Buhari has been able to curtail Boko Haram aggressive expansions, with   bomb explosions in the ancient city of Kano and Kaduna among others, where the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as well as other top personalities, worship centers and other places were regular targets of insurgents attacks.

Mr. President deserves our collective panegyrics for enabling the release of nearly 20,000 Nigerians silently held in captivity, including almost all the abducted Chibok and Dapchi schoolgirls by Boko Haram. More families under Buhari’s reign have had respite than sorrows after years of reunification with beloved ones severed by insurgency.

We should all be indebted to President Buhari for dislodging commercial Boko Haram agents and mercantile proxies, who invaded the forests and caves of Kogi state manufacturing Improved Explosive Devices (IEDs) and other devices. It was their avowed determination to create an easy transit route to export terrorism to Southern Nigeria.  

And I also think Nigerians should be grateful to the Buhari Presidency for ensuring religious and tradition leaders deposed   from their fiefdoms at the peak of insurgency are back home today. They were forced to take refuge in alien lands and their domains occupied by insurgents. But these deposed leaders have been reinstated in their kingdoms.

The Shehu of Bama , Kyari Ibn Umar El-Kanemi;  his  Dikwa Masa II counterpart, and many others  were some victims of insurgency  forced to desert their  communities  for asylum in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital.  But they have all returned to their domains because of the pervasive peace and security in the Northeast region. At the last Muslim feast of  Eid-el-Kabir, the  Shehu of Bama Kingdom confessed to elaborate  celebration of the festival in his domain with his people, for the first time in five years.

I am also excited with President for asserting the supremacy of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the independent state of Nigeria. Under the Buhari Presidency, 18 LGAs coercively annexed and occupied by insurgents, who declared Gwoza as their “Islamic Caliphate’s” administrative headquarters have all been reclaimed by the Nigerian Army. No part of Nigeria is under Boko Haram annihilation now.

Hitherto, I observed that Boko Haram insurgents made it a favourite past time to inflict pains and sorrows on Nigerians at special festivities like Sallah, Christmas and New Year celebrations by freely visiting horrendous atrocities on celebrants. These seasons were full of apprehensions, anxieties and phobia in Nigerians. But President Buhari’s expert handling of insurgency through the Nigerian Military has vanished these tensions. For years running, insurgents have become impotent to violently disrupt such festivities with blood and tears anywhere in Nigeria.  

The United Nations (UN) years back pegged the number of IDPs by insurgency at 2.4 million Nigerians. They were scattered in IDPs camps in Nigeria and neighbouring countries of Chad, Niger and Cameroun, while the number kept multiplying. We have to be thankful to Buhari for creating the enabling secured environment for the massive return of IDP to deserted communities and villages in the Northeast.  The returnees have not only settled down to eke a living, but are also picking up from the ruins and devastations caused by terrorism, as populations in IDPs camps depreciate thinner and thinner. 

Buhari’s administration has been able to halt the trend of Boko Haram’s free recruitment of thousands of our youths who were hypnotized and consecrated into killers for the Boko Haram sect. They served as insurgents’ foot soldiers and provided the manpower for a thriving terrorism.  But this phenomenon has been extinguished, thereby saving our youths susceptible to Boko Haram recruitment and an endangered life. Buhari deserve praises.

And closely related, everyone is aware hundreds of agile youths were already victims of Boko Haram’s charmed enlistment into the evil sect. They were trained by insurgents in the art of killings through bombs detonations and other murderous acts. But through the COAS and leader of the counter-insurgency, Lt. Gen. TY Buratai’s adoption of the “stick and carrot,” hundreds of these initiated Nigerian youths voluntarily denounced Boko Haram and surrendered to the Nigerian Army. Souls have been saved under this administration.

The Army has gone a step further to de-militarize and de-radicalize repentant insurgents after months in camps specified for the purpose. Therefore, the repentant insurgents have been re-absorbed into a sane society and reunited with estranged families.  It’s worthy of appreciation to President Buhari that his government has rescued some of our youths who went astray, and reoriented them, something akin to poet John Milton’s rendition in “Paradise Lost and Paradise Regained.”

It pained us that the Northeast region was completely ruined by the activities of Boko Haram insurgency. Aside gruesome killings, the quantum of destructions to public and private properties was awful. Schools, hospitals, roads, markets, banks, and offices were reduced to rubbles as Boko Harm held the Northeast region spellbound every day. But since Buhari has ensured the return of substantial peace and security, the destroyed public buildings are being rebuilt.  Through the Northeast Development Commission and Presidential Initiative on the Northeast, the arrested development denied populations of the region by insurgency is gradually being restored.

I must appreciate President Buhari for ensuring the return of peace and security especially in the trilogy states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa and with it, the animation of normal life in all spheres. Markets, banks, farms, nightlife and flocks of activities have resumed in these states, where Boko Haram was an everyday experience and surviving residents or natives recoiled into their shells for the fear of terrorists. Life is sweeter for a man physically and mentally free from any inhibition of fear.   

Our people have every reason to sing acclamations to President Buhari for warming his path into the hearts of Governments of Western nations who have accepted to sell combat equipment to Nigeria for the combat of Boko Haram terrorism. These previously hesitant foreign nations have also consented to extend military technical assistance to the Government of Nigeria. Such western nations declined the requests in the past citing human rights abuses by the military in the prosecution of the counter-terrorism war, against extant laws international laws.

But President Buhari’s diligent prosecution of the terrorism, with the Chief anchor officer, Gen. Buratai, dispensed it in accordance with international best practices, sacred respect for the human rights of Nigerians and strict adherence to the Rules of Engagement (ROE) by the Army has vacated the ban on arms sale restriction to the FGN.  Therefore, by 2020, America which was the first country to kick against sale of military equipment to Nigeria will supply 12 Tucano fighter jets to the Nigerian military to fight Boko Haram.  

And a few days back, President Buhari signed a military deal with Russia at the just concluded Russia- African Summit in Sochi for the renewal of Nigeria-Russia Military Technical Agreement. The agreement will  be a springboard of  Nigeria’s efforts to purchase military hardware from Russia on government-to-government basis. It will also nose at Russia’s military training of Nigerian soldiers on terrorism. Precisely, Russian President Vladimir Putin endorsed support of Nigeria with military equipment, Infrastructure and training facilities.

 Its apt confirmation that as difficult as the asymmetrical counter- terrorism warfare appears, President Buhari has scaled international standards on human rights violations, without which the country would have been continued to suffer pariah status on military aid and deprived of the necessary military assistance to finally terminate Boko Haram terrorism in Nigeria.  

What has gladdened my heart more jubilantly in the prevailing peace in the troubled Northeast region is the temperate environment it has created for internal development initiatives.  It raised the peaceful conditions for the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to work for the discovery of oil and gas in the Northeastern part of the country in commercial quantities at the Gongola Basin.

NNPC’s Acting Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr.  Samson Makoji  who broke the cheering news in a public statement said, the oil and gas discovered in  Gongola Basin will attract foreign investments, generate employment and increase government revenues for Nigeria. Every Nigerian should thank Buhari for this novel accomplishment in Northern Nigeria.

Why won’t Nigerians be grateful to President Buhari when he has ensured children in schools in the Northeast displaced by Boko Haram have returned back to learning centers’, under a better and conducive atmosphere? It is a remarkable departure with the past, when a daring or vicious Boko Haram sent more and more school age children out of school into IDPs camps, thereby mortgaging their future and that of the country.

And quite surprisingly, most of us are not aware that Boko Haram has graduated from a small gang of armed political thugs to terrorists of international backing from the Republic of Iran. Boko Haram factional leaders, Abubakar Shekau and Musab Al-Barnewi have both professed affinities with Iranian-based and globally recognized terror groups in the Middle East.

These include ISIS,  ISWAP, Al-Qaeda  and many others who provide cash funding  in foreign currencies and equipment supply to Boko Haram terrorists. It implies a strong and smoldering desire to takeover Nigeria at all cost. The desperation is palpable.

 But President Buhari through the Nigerian military held have remained firm and assertive in combat of terrorism.  With Gen. Buratai in the trenches, Boko Haram insurgents have spiritedly and fruitlessly attempted to retake territories reclaimed from them by the Nigerian Army, much less expansion. Nigerians should be excited with Buhari , without him Boko Haram would have overran Nigeria by now and so easily like floods.  

There is no doubt in my mind that President Buhari is a leader, who knows where the nation aches deeper and how to apply the soothing balm for peace and security. He is my metaphor of a South African proverb which says, “ A clever king is the brother of peace,” or like the Ethiopians would say, “Even in the monastery,  there is occasion for songs and merriments. Nigerians, let’s celebrate President Buhari, my iconic leader on counter-terrorism.

Agbese is a researcher in human rights laws and contributed this piece from the United Kingdom.

Agrippina Complex And The Lulu-Briggs Family Crisis

“Give not thy strength unto women, nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings” Proverbs 31:3 (KJV)

Introduction

History is adorned with exploits of women; some heroic and valiant; others atrocious and villainous. Women build men and empires and bring down kings and kingdoms.

Apart from the overriding love for God and humanity, the other driving force that propelled High Chief O. B. Lulu-Briggs from the proverbial grass to grace; from a hand truck pusher to a household name and from an agricultural labourer to an oil mogul - the unquenchable zeal that propelled him through his checkered life history, was the institutionalization of the Lulu-Briggs family within the pantheon of the Young-Briggs chieftaincy stool and the Oruwari Briggs House of Abonnema.

High Chief O. B. Lulu-Briggs spearheaded a renaissance that restored the pride of place to the Young-Briggs stool and the Oruwari Briggs House of Abonnema, recounting history and erecting monuments, whilst announcing the strong presence of the Lulu-Briggs family among the great families and houses in Kalabari Kingdom.

All of these are at the brink of destruction and are about to be consigned into the dustbin of history, ruined by the ongoing feud within the Lulu-Briggs family since the death of the patriarch.

The family is entangled in a succession and inheritance battle to determine who is the proper person to spearhead and ensure the permanency of the Chief O. B. Lulu-Briggs legacy.

But history is replete with stories of how Kingdoms, communities and families go into long and arduous search for worthy successors to uphold the cherished legacies of forbearers and ancestors.

King Saul was anointed because he was head and shoulder above his peers and King David was chosen because he had fought off lions from devouring the family herd. King Amachree was a warrior King that led his people to war against enemies.

But the conflict in the Lulu-Briggs family is that of “minimalization”, the act of reducing the bar, even when there are ready and very capable hands to fly the family flag. Unfortunately, those who are propagating these aberrations, cling on to feminist and anti-cultural sentiments, without also upholding truth and rectitude, even as they say that they are pastors.

At the center of the crisis are the second son of the late High Chief O.B. Lulu-Briggs, Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs, who is the incumbent chief of the family and the all-powerful widow of the late High Chief, Mrs. Seinye Lulu-Briggs.

How did Mrs. Seinye Lulu-Briggs acquire so much powers and influence in her husband's family, to the extent of pushing for her younger children to supersede the older sons of her husband, considering that she was married to Chief O.B. Lulu-Briggs for only 16 years of his 88 years on earth and got married to him when he was already well established at 72 years old and she in her early 40s.

Agrippina complex and the Lulu-Briggs family crisis: Comparative analysis

The story of Empress Agrippina of Rome sheds light on the puzzle in the Lulu-Briggs house of Abonnema. How Agrippina schemed to marry Claudius, lured him to adopt her son Nero, allegedly killed her husband and ultimately installed her son as emperor over Emperor Claudius' biological son, Britannicus.

The term “Agrippina Complex” is used here to encapsulate the complicated and difficult behaviour of a woman, as exhibited by Mrs. Seinye Lulu-Briggs, in her uncontrollable desire for wealth and power, often of suicidal proportion, that destroys everything in its path to achieve that desire.

It is adapted from Sigmund Freud's “Oedipus Complex” which the Austrian psychoanalyst derived from Sophocles Tragedy (drama), "Oedipus Rex" in which King Oedipus of Thebes unwittingly fulfilled a prophecy to kill his father and marry his mother.

The Agrippina story has a lot of similarities with the ongoing crisis in the Lulu-Briggs family. Julia Agrippina was a Roman Empress who lived from A.D. 15 to 59. She was the mother of Emperor Nero and was overwhelmed by the uncontrollable desire for wealth and influence which brought unspeakable sorrow on the Roman Empire.

The quest to make her son Emperor, saw Agrippina scheming her way to become Emperor Claudius wife in an intriguing story full of betrayals and murders. She was ruthless, ambitious, violent and domineering but physically very beautiful and was a woman of means.

Following the killing by Emperor Claudius of Messalina (his third wife), who was his wife for 10 years, Agrippina became Emperor Claudius wife. She was recommended to the Emperor by one of his advisers, Marcus Pallas, who was Agrippina's lover at the time. Claudius had accused Messalina of treason.

Agrippina's marriage to Claudius was not based on love, but for power. It was her third marriage and the fourth for Claudius and she became an Empress and the most powerful woman in the Roman Empire.

Agrippina came into the marriage with a son from her previous marriage and lured Claudius to adopt him. Claudius did and renamed him, Nero. This is significant because Agrippina would exert great influence over Claudius regarding the advancement of her biological son, in spite of being the stepmother of her husband's children from previous marriages, prominent among them were a female, Octavia and a son, Britannicus, children of the slain Messalina.

Empress, Agrippina eliminated anyone from the imperial court who she thought was loyal and dedicated to the memory of her husband's former wife, Messalina. She also eliminated or removed anyone she considered a potential threat to her position and the future of her son.

Agrippina systematically took control of the Imperial government while Claudius was left to appear as a figurehead in front of his wife's real power.

Meanwhile Agrippina's son, Nero continued to be advanced as the heir to Claudius while she deprived Claudius biological son, Britannicus of his heritage and further isolated him from his father and succession to the throne.

By the time Emperor Claudius repented marrying Agrippina and adopting Nero and began to favor his son, Britannicus, and preparing him for the throne, it was too late.

By 54 AD, Agrippina was secured enough in her position, and that of her son, that she no longer needed Claudius to rule the empire. She took matters into her own hands. On October 13, AD 54, Claudius died while attending a feast.

There are conflicting reports on how Claudius died but most indicated that he was poisoned by tainted mushrooms, even though Claudius had reached the venerable age of 64 (quite advanced for the ancient world, though not uncommon among the aristocracy) and had shown a history of poor health.

Regardless, the scheming of Agrippina proved fruitful and the 16-year-old Nero was immediately hailed as the new Emperor without any consideration for Claudius' biological son, Britannicus.

Like Agrippina, Seinye the wife of High Chief O. B. Lulu-Briggs is physically beautiful and is a woman of means. She has shown evidence of ruthlessness and a domineering character as can be adduced from some of her recent posturing in the ongoing family dispute, especially her blatant refusal to release the corpse of her husband to his family of origin and to his chiefs.

The manner Seinye became the wife of Chief O. B Lulu-Briggs after the ousting of his wife of seven years, Madam Udakwu Lulu-Briggs, nee Obiora, is reminiscent of the introduction of Agrippina to Emperor Claudius.

Like Marcus Pallas, Dumo Lulu-Briggs was the matchmaker who brought Seinye to his father straight from the cell of the Olu-Obasanjo police station in Port Harcourt where she was allegedly locked up by the W.W. White family for financial impropriety. Seinye was Dumo's friend but not his lover like Agrippina was to Pallas. Dumo and Seinye were friends all the same.

The choice of Seinye by Dumo has brought untold crisis to the Lulu-Briggs family just as Pallas choice of Agrippina brought a terrible twist of fate into the life of Emperor Claudius and the Roman Empire.

Like Agrippina and Emperor Claudius, Seinye married Chief O. B. Lulu-Briggs as her second husband and became the fourth or fifth wife in his life and the most powerful person in the family, although she has two daughters of her own out of wedlock.

Like the marriage of Agrippina to Claudius, the marriage of Seinye to the ailing Lulu-Briggs who was 72 years old at the time, was said to be more for what she can get than for her love for the old man. This is supported by how Seinye brought in a grown child into her new marriage and like Agrippina, she is advancing her own biological daughter over her husband's older sons. Seinye would not have married O.B. Lulu-Briggs if he were a pauper.

Seinye is scheming to make her own adopted children the inheritors of Chief O. B. Lulu-Briggs estate in total exclusion of his older biological sons, Senibo, Dumo and Sofiri, just like Agrippina made Claudius to adopt her son as his heir.

Another trait of Agrippina exhibited by Seinye is the maligning of the older sons; accusing them of abandoning their father just to cast them in bad light and claim her husband's estate for herself and her children.

Above all, Seinye systematically took over the Lulu-Briggs business empire while High Chief O. B. Lulu-Briggs was still alive and made him play the role of mere figure head while she wielded all the real powers.

Just as Emperor Claudius, in his last days, regretted adopting Agrippina's son Nero and began to prepare his biological son, Britannica as heir, Chief O. B. Lulu-Briggs began to favour Dumo as his heir but like Claudius, Chief Lulu-Briggs also had to die.

Chief O. B. Lulu-Briggs and Emperor Claudius both died in controversial circumstances. Claudius was alleged to have been poisoned at the age of 64 which was quite advanced for the ancient world and Chief O. B. Lulu-Briggs died at over 88, buoyed by modern medical sciences; Claudius had a history of poor health so was O. B. Lulu-Briggs.

©Sotonye Ijuye-Dagogo

What Is Seinye O. B. Lulu-Briggs Still Afraid Of?

It looks like Oraye St. Franklyn Esq. has settled into his new job as Spokesman for Mrs. Seinye O. B. Lulu-Briggs and has as of 18th October, 2019, published a response to the Graphic Online report on Mrs. Lulu-Briggs’ challenge of the Order for an Inquest granted by the Kaneshie Magistrates Court. The said response is however fraught with presumptions and inaccuracies, and is unfortunate to say the least because the whole article was about putting out facts.

First of all he “presumes” that https://www.graphic.com.gh/, the online portal for Ghana’s national newspaper is a “Ghanaian online tabloid”, and this is disrespectful to the Ghanaian media, which he obviously has little regard for. Also, he seems to think that an autopsy is the only basis for an inquest into the suspicious death of a person under the Coroners Act, 1960 (Act 18) and goes to great lengths to conclude that the autopsy was conclusive on the cause of death of a High Chief O. B. Lulu-Briggs, when there has not been an inquest as legally required, to determine the cause of death.

Secondly, he says that the Kaneshie District Magistrate Court lacks the jurisdiction to order an inquest on the death of High Chief O. B. Lulu-Briggs because matter is before a High Court in Ghana. The Coroner’s inquest is within the exclusive jurisdiction of the District Magistrate court as conferred by Act 18 and no other higher court for that matter. Oraye St. Franklyn Esq has obviously not apprised himself of the contents of Act 18 and yet speaks about it as if he was so knowledgeable, which is again unfortunate.

Thirdly, the matter in the High Court in Ghana is NOT an inquest into the cause of death of High Chief O. B. Lulu-Briggs. It is a matter concerning the rightful person to take the mortal remains of the High Chief O. B. Lulu-Briggs for burial. In the said case before the High Court, commenced by Mrs. Lulu-Briggs, she is claiming that the mortal remains of her husband should be given to her, which assertion is contrary to the customs and tradition of the people of the Kalabari Kingdom of Rivers State, Nigeria. She has further filed a motion for injunction to restrain anyone, particularly the Chief of the Family, from taking the mortal remains of High Chief O. B. Lulu-Briggs for burial apart from her. It is these court cases instituted by Mrs. Lulu-Briggs that have delayed the burial of High Chief O. B. Lulu-Briggs. Inspite, of her actions, her recently appointed Spokesman maintains that “The accusation that she …. is unwilling to release it [the body of High Chief O. B. Lulu-Briggs] for interment is untrue.” Interestingly, Mrs Seinye Lulu-Briggs has further challenged the constitutionality (compliance with the Ghanaian Constitution) of the said customs and tradition of the people of Kalabari Kingdom of Rivers State, Nigeria in the Supreme Court of Ghana, much to the chagrin of the Kalabari people.

Fourthly, Oraye St. Franklyn Esq. published information about the conduct of the autopsy, which are manifestly false. He said that the “other two pathologists were from the Ghanaian Police”, when it is trite knowledge that the Ghana Police Pathologist, Dr. Osei Owusu-Afriyie and the Nigerian Police Pathologist were denied access to the autopsy theatre by Dr. Lawrence Adusei. And were not present at the autopsy. Also, there was no “Ghanaian Prof. Akosua B. Domfeh of the Yale University School of Medicine” present at the autopsy as Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs’ second pathologist. Perhaps, Oraye St. Franklyn Esq. has not had the chance to get a proper briefing from his client or read about this matter, before penning the publication which he has put out in the Nigerian media. Or perhaps this is all deliberate.

The major issue arising out of the publication is the erroneous suggestion that the Order for an Inquest granted by Her Worship Mrs. Mrs E.K. Barnes-Botchway is a predetermination of the cause of death of the High Chief O. B. Lulu-Briggs, when the Order only signifies the commencement of the enquiry into the cause of the death. Perhaps a little refresher on the legal requirements for an inquest is necessary for Oraye St. Franklyn Esq., who is himself a lawyer. The learned judge ordered that the autopsy report be submitted to her so that she can, along with other circumstantial evidence which had been presented to her by Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs in his Affidavit, determine the proper cause of death of High Chief O. B. Lulu-Briggs. The determination by the learned judge that the deceased had died an unnatural death is only a preliminary determination, much like determining that a prima facie case had been established, for the inquest to commence. The, learned judge is about to start the conduct an evidentiary hearing in the matter to settle the issue of the cause of death. It unclear at this moment, why the Order for the Inquest has cause such fear and panic to Mrs. Seinye Lulu-Briggs.

Curiously, the publication refers to a preliminary report on the autopsy. This report has however not been shared with the Ghana Police, the court or the family of High Chief O. B. Lulu-Briggs, and seems to be in the bosom of Mrs. Lulu-Briggs. Or perhaps, she is the author of the said preliminary report on the autopsy, same as she authored the purported Will of High Chief O. B. Lulu-Briggs.

What is even more curious is that the widow of High Chief O. B. Lulu-Briggs, who was one of ten persons on the fatal and last journey of High Chief O. B. Lulu-Briggs, is the only person who seems to have a problem with the enquiry into the death of High Chief O. B. Lulu-Briggs. The rest of the persons have been silent, perhaps because they have nothing to hide. One would think that the widow would embrace the opportunity for an evidentiary hearing in the matter, so that she can be possibly vindicated and the matter can be laid to rest, once for all time, but alas not. Her actions since her husband died, have defied all reason, and have formed the basis for the request for an inquest into the death of High Chief O. B. Lulu-Briggs. There are abundant contradictions in the various statements she has made to the family of High Chief O. B. Lulu-Briggs, the Nigerian Police, and in documents filed in the Ghanaian courts. She has left no doubt in the minds of right thinking members of society that there are questions to be answered regarding the circumstances and death of High Chief O. B. Lulu-Briggs, and those questions can only be answered by law, in a Coroners Inquest. Mrs. Seinye Lulu-Briggs deprived the family of her deceased husband the right to know the true circumstances of his death in December 2018, when he died and she continues, almost a year after his death, to fight every rightful attempt by the family led by the Chief of the Family, to look into the matter, including alleging bias against 2 honourable members of the Ghanaian judiciary. She continues to also hold the mortal remains of High Chief O. B. Lulu-Briggs hostage with her various applications to the courts of Ghana, currently numbering five (5), which have denied the Chief of the Family the right to set a date for the laying to rest of the mortal remains of their dear patriarch, at his hometown.

It looks like the events leading to the death of High Chief O. B. Lulu-Briggs on that fateful December day, have caught up with people involved. The report of the death of High Chief O. B. Lulu-Briggs, which was required to be made by the widow, to the Ghana Police on the death of her husband outside of a medical facility, and which report was not made because Mrs Lulu-Briggs feared that an inquest would be made into his death, has been eventually made by the Ghana Police to the Coroner, after 6 months of the occurrence of the death. Finally the true circumstances surrounding the death of High Chief O. B. Lulu-Briggs will be known, in order that his family can get some closure. Perhaps, High Chief O. B. Lulu-Briggs, who was himself a defender of the rights of persons, and the Christian faith while he was alive, is fighting his own killers, even after his death.

Oraye St. Franklyn Esq, in his frenzy and zeal to please his new boss , wrote all manner of lies against the Ghana Coroners Court through the respected Nigerian newspaper Guardian Nigeria newspapers https://guardian.ng/news/why-i-am-against-court-inquest-order-on-my-late-husband-seinye-lulu-briggs/

What Is Seinye Lulu-Briggs Afraid Of?

High O B Lulu-Briggs and Children and family members at his 88th Birthday before his death in December of 2018.

Re: https://www.pmnewsnigeria.com/2019/10/18/seinye-lulu-briggs-media-trial-facts-vs-fiction/ by Mr Oraye St.Franklyne

One can only laugh at the level of amusement caused by the writers imagination and belief that he can twist facts of a simple matter as to mystery surrounding the demise of High Chief Olu-Benson Lulu-Briggs who was reported dead in December 2018 on Ghanaian soil  as claimed by the deceased’s wife Mrs Seinye Lulu-Briggs.

Mr Oraye St.Franklyne who has been recently hired by Mrs Seinye Lulu-Briggs to do the dirty job of misinforming the public and paint High Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs as the person stopping the burial of his late father in his imaginative fictional write up said thus; “ The Ghanaian Police carried out the said order and has conducted an autopsy. The preliminary report of that autopsy was that the deceased was not murdered but died of Cardiac Arrest. However, the full Autopsy report including the Toxicology report is being awaited.”

It is indeed amusing that same Ghanaian Police he claims had already carried out the order for an autopsy is the same Ghanaian Police who wrote to the Coroners Court in Ghana asking for inquest into the death of the deceased High Chief Olu Benson Lulu-Briggs.

If that is the true position of things then why is his principal Mrs Seinye Lulu-Briggs doing everything within her powers to stop the coroners inquest into the death of her husband if she has nothing to hide? https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/lulu-briggs-widow-moves-to-stop-inquest-into-husband-s-death.html

See attached a copy of the order from the coroners court which debunks the lies being peddled by Mr Oraye St.Franklyne on behalf of his principal .

On the order of the Coroners court in Ghana, the court ordered thus;

1: An inquest should be conducted on the death of the deceased , Chief Olu Benson Lulu Briggs because I ordered for an autopsy to be undertaken on the deceased following an application by the Ghana Police Service (C.I.D Headquarters).

The report is yet to be submitted since July 2019. With this additional information to the one that forms the basis of the Police application, I have reasonable cause to believe that the deceased did not die a natural death and I therefore deem an inquest necessary and accordingly order for one to be done.

2. The Ghana Police Service (C.I.D ) is ordered to make available to this court all processes and documents in their custody including the autopsy report.

Given this simple order, one is forced to ask, “WHAT IS SEINYE LULU-BRIGGS AFRAID OF?”

If the Ghanaian Police as Mr Oraye St. Franklyne claimed in his fictional story, carried out an autopsy, why is the report not before the Coroners Court since July 2019 till date ?

Facts of the matter:

Mrs Seinye Lulu- Briggs is no doubt the wife of the deceased and rightly so too. That is not inn contention. However, one is also forced to ask some questions given the circumstances and facts gathered by the Nigerian Police Force and the Ghana Police Service and the InterPol .

Mrs Seinye Lulu-Briggs claims she and her husband, now deceased were travelling for holiday to Ghana and they hired a chartered plane from Port Harcourt International Airport. She also claims that same pilot/Captain of the chartered flight who had permit/authorization to land in Nigerian airport suddenly had no permit to land in Ghana Airport? To the point that the pilot had to depend on his passenger to get a landing permit for him from Ghana and kept the deceased on board the aircraft for upwards of 5 hours and 30 minutes before take-off?

Why did the pilot/captain of the aircraft, refer to the deceased as “cargo” instead of passenger when he asked his other passenger Mrs Seinye Lulu-Briggs of she could get a cargo landing permit for him to be able to land with a “cargo” in Ghana airport? Could it be that the High Chief was already dead on board? Is that what Mrs Seinye Lulu-Briggs is afraid of that it may be found out?

Upon landing, the deceased was wheeled to the airport clinic where she Mrs Seinye Lulu-Briggs, reported him as being unconscious. Doctors on ground to receive them, checked for vital signs but could not find any and reported that the body had already set into Rigor Mortis. So, what really happened between taking off in Nigeria and landing in Accra airport?

Mrs Seinye Lulu-Briggs as custom requires anywhere in the world, upon demise of her husband has no business whatsoever in the planning of his burial without the family. As it is clear even in the marriage act, that at the point of departure, the mortal remains are released to the family of the deceased and the first son is referred to as the “Chief Mourner”. The woman is only to see the remains of her husband on the day of the burial and not before. But it is surprising that Mrs Seinye Lulu-Briggs has gone ahead since January 2019 and filed an application before a Ghana Court asking that the remains of her husband be not released to the family of the deceased. She filed this application and is the same person through Mr Oraye St. Franklyne, is claiming that High Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs is the one stopping her from burying her late husband. How? The deceased has grown children who are not less than 50 years old and can make decisions and plan the burial of their late father comfortably. So, the question yet again remains; WHAT IS MRS SEINYE LULU – BRIGGS AFRAID OF?

Between January and October 2019, Mrs seinye Lulu-Briggs has occupied herself with converting the assets of the deceased to her name and names of her children, but that is not even a problem to the family. All the family is interested in is for her to withdraw her application before the court and allow the mortal remains of the deceased to be handed over to the family so they can go ahead with plans to bury their brother and father and grandfather. Nothing more. 

A date was set for a ruling by a vacation judge in Ghana High Court for September 6, 2019 and on the set date, Mrs Seinye Lulu-Briggs goes to an appeal court and appeals that the matter be assigned to another judge and took a date for hearing for November 12 as date from the court in Ghana. Why all the rigmarole? All these actions of hers points to only one thing; Seinye Lulu-Briggs is hiding something concerning the suspicious death of High Chief Olu Benson Lulu-Briggs.

It is clear that High Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs is not accusing Mrs Seinye Lulu-Briggs of anything yet but as the popular saying goes, “the evil doer runneth when no one pursueth”. Mrs Seinye Lulu-Briggs has gone to all possible media houses and claiming that she is being accused of murdering her own husband whereas there has been no such accusation made anywhere by any member of the Lulu-Briggs family. All the family has been asking Mrs Seinye Lulu-Briggs till date is to release the remains of their son, brother, father and grandfather to the family so they can plan a proper burial for him as the customs requires in Kalabari kingdom.

Rather than resorting to cheap blackmail via spokespersons like Mr Oraye St. Franklyne, Mrs Seinye Lulu-Briggs should respect the memory of the man she called her loving husband and stop bringing his mortal remains to public ridicule because she wants to hide something.

Also it is important to note that contrary to claims by Mrs Seinye Lulu Briggs inone of her applications before a Ghana High Court, that the deceased and his children are estranged since 2004, there are proof that at no time did the deceased or any of his children become estranged except in the imaginary mind of Mrs Seinye Lulu-Briggs.

Mrs Seinye Lulu-Briggs, instead of employing these feeble tactics and purchasing of yeomen to spin tales on her behalf, should respect customs and traditions and respect the memory of her late husband and release the mortal remains to the family so the man can finally rest in peace.

Guber Poll: INEC Not Giving Confidence To Bayelsans

... Challenges Commission, Security Agencies to resettle voters chased out from Nembe, Southern Ijaw LGAs

...Calls for Constructive debates among candidates

Bayelsa State Governor, the Honourable Seriake Dickson, on Wednesday, said the Independent National Electoral Commission, has not given a convincing reassurance of it impartiality in the forthcoming election in the state.

Governor Dickson said that it was rather worrisome and shocking that INEC betrayed the confidence of the Bayelsa people by its collusion with security agencies to rig the last Presidential/National Assembly elections in parts of the state.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei, on Wednesday stated that Governor Dickson made the comment while speaking on political developments in the state especially the forthcoming election in a live media chat in Yenagoa.

The governor challenged INEC and other state institutions to exhibit a high sense of professionalism by conducting free, fair, credible and peaceful elections come November 16 in accordance with expectations.

The governor regretted that INEC declared manipulated results in Nembe Bassambiri where security agencies colluded with thugs to chase away voters during the last election to concoct results.

Governor Dickson also called on the security agencies to resettle all internally displaced persons in Bassambiri, Nembe Local Government Area and Peremabiri in Southern Ijaw stressing the need to prevent the disenfranchisement òf voters in the upcoming election.

He urged the leader of the opposition All Progressives Congress in the state, and Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, to collaborate with the state government in ensuring peaceful elections rather than promoting political violence.

His words:"The activities of INEC has not given confidence to Bayelsans. People were driven away from Nembe Bassambiri, and they allowed materials to go into volatile areas to declare manipulated results.

“INEC should do what is right rather than colluding with undesirable elements to perpetrate crime.

“The security agencies should do the right thing to return the displaced people of Nembe Bassambiri to their community so that they can vote in this election.

“The leader of the APC, Chief Timipre Sylva, should renounce political violence. He should collaborate with me to ensure violence free polls. He should respect our people, he should fear God, and not take Bayelsans for granted.”

“I condemn the reign òf brigandage, in the Bayelsa East Senatorial District. Those who carry out the crimes are not facing trial, and that could have a multiplier effect on other areas.”

Governor Dickson who also described the APC as a party in distress, challenged the governorship candidates to hold healthy debates on issues of governance to enable the electorate assess their capabilities.

He said that the decision of the leadership of the APC to give major appointments to defectors into their party could only point to a party without people and structures which is unprepared for election in the state.

He advised Bayelsans to ignore the sponsored reports of defections into the APC stressing that the elections are not about leaders but the people.

"I Will support a debate between the two leading candidates. We are not arguing for and talking enough. Let them talk so that we can assess them.Running a Government is a serious thing. It is beyond campaign slogans.” He added

The Governor who also commented on the Bayelsa International Airport, said the facility had been registered in the airspace with the technical requirements being concluded and would become operational the next two weeks.

Describing the airport as one of the best in the country, he said the facility will commence operational flights to and from Lagos and Abuja.

"The Bayelsa International Airport is going through the final stages. There are many technical issues to be handled. We should be through with the technical requirements very soon.

“The airport is one of the best, the facilities are among the best in the country, the runway is 3.5 kilometers.

We are rounding off the fencing and the final issues."

"The Yenagoa International Airport is registered in the airspace. We have entered into agreements with some air lines. Our plan is to operate flights to and from Lagos and Abuja."

On the issue of the minimum wage, Governor Dickson assured that his administration would not hesitate to implement any agreement reached on the issue it in line with what is applicable to other states.

Commenting on the collapsed Elebele bridge in Ogbia local government area, Governor Dickson assured that a temporary measure would be provided to alleviate the plight of the people pending when a permanent solution would be put in place.

Bayelsa Guber: APC Lacks Presence To Win Election

…Gov Inaugurates PDP Grassroots Movement for Yenagoa, Brass

Bayelsa State Governor, the Hon. Seriake Dickson, on Tuesday reiterated his position that the All Progressive Congress, APC, in the state lacks the political structure and presence to win the November 16, 2019, gubernatorial election.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei, quoted the governor as stating this on Tuesday when he inaugurated the Peoples Democratic Party Grassroots Movement from Brass and Yenagoa Local Government Areas of the state.

Governor Dickson said the APC in its usual character was putting its hope on luring members of the PDP to its fold with money and fake promises which would fail them.

He urged party faithful and the electorates not to be deceived by the antics of the party.

The Governor said that the APC was torn apart by unaddressed grievances from the party’s primaries which have made the original founders of the party in the state stay away from the party and its candidate, David Lyon.

According to him, the opposition party lacks the structure to adequately mobilise support to wrest power from the PDP, noting that a crushing defeat waits them in the forthcoming election.

The Governor said that it was quite interesting that the APC opted to field a candidate who lacks the experience and capacity to articulate issues of governance unlike the PDP standard-bearer, Senator Douye Diri, and his running mate, Senator Lawrence Ewhrujakpo who are tested and experienced with exemplary records in public service.

The Governor had earlier in the day received a prominent member of his party and former Caretaker Committee Chairman of Ekeremor Local Government Area, Mr. Tolu Amatu, who defected to the APC three days ago.

He lamented that the APC was banking on electoral fraud, through collusion with the Independent National Electoral Commission, and the use of violence and mayhem through use of the security forces to harass and intimidate innocent voters.

Governor Dickson who said the PDP abhors violence, expressed the confidence that his party would sweep the gubernatorial election in November 16.

He thanked them for their continued support for his administration in the past seven years and charged them to mobilise support in the various units, wards and communities and work with INEC and security forces to protect their votes during the poll. 

He said, “I want you to take the message to our people about the antics of the APC. The original founders of the APC, even those who worked for former Governor Chief Timipre Sylva in this state are not with their current flag bearer. There are more grievances in the APC and they are not doing anything about it.

“They are concerned about using Federal position and monies that they have, making promises and luring people, PDP stakeholders. Defectors do not win elections, political parties win elections, parties with structures and superior strategies and planning win elections,”

Use Bayelsa And Kogi Governorship Elections To Correct Your Past Mistakes; Group Tells INEC

A group of Civil Society Organisations under the auspices of Centre for Credible Leadership & Citizens Awareness has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to use the Kogi and Bayelsa State Governorship Elections respectively, to correct the mistakes made in the 2019 General Elections.

Addressing the media during the Civil Society Roundtable on Bayelsa and Kogi State Gubernatorial Elections on Thursday, 3rd October, 2019 in Abuja, the Director General of Centre for Credible Leadership & Citizens Awareness, Dr Nwambu Gabriel said that in Bayelsa State, some individuals are still planning to perpetrate Electoral violence in areas like Southern Ijaw, Ekeremor.

“The difficult terrain further makes some of these flash points even more vulnerable and susceptible to electoral related violence, Dr Gabriel said.

Among the issues discussed includes electoral violence, voters apathy, ballot box snatching, thuggery and falsification of elections result.

Other participants who spoke at the roundtable include Bafunso Tunde of Justice & Equity Organization; Funmilayo Akala of United Peace Foundation; Olatunji Abayomi of Entrepreneurship & Support Initiative; Grace Okonkwo of Youth Initiative and Peter Nwokolo, Coordinator of Centre for Credible Leadership & Citizens Awareness.