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By Gogo Ada Rufus Mbere
Chief Dr. Olu Benson Lulu-Briggs, an illustrious son of Kalabari land, a detribalized Nigerian and an accomplished citizen of the world whose life of selfless service was second to none.
Born on 22 May 1930 in the ancient city of Abonnema, to parents of ordinary and promising means, young Olu obtained his education in Abonnema, Jos, and later the United Kingdom.
He commenced his working career virtually at the lowest rung of the ladder as a store keeper and accounts clerk at Mandilas and Karabaris, and later, the Nigerian Ports Authority, where his leadership qualities and acute concern for the plight of others were immediately recognized. Accordingly, he was transferred to the Industrial Relations Department, as Assistant Industrial Relations Officer,
He rose through the ranks to the position of Principal Industrial Relations Officer and later became the head of that division in the then Eastern Port of Nigeria, on which post he voluntarily retired in April 1978.
Olu Lulu-Briggs positively affected the lives of many young Nigerians who worked for that huge conglomerate. These men and women, some of whom are here today, have grown to become highly responsible individuals leading government and private establishments.
Lulu-Briggs did this by ensuring that the organization was fair in its dealing with its workers and that the welfare of all the workers in the establishment was regarded with utmost priority.
So it was that by the time Olu Lulu-Briggs moved out into the larger society to establish businesses of his own and also to engage in partisan politics, he had acquired a large grassroots follower-ship across the length and breadth of Nigeria.
In addition he had learnt the basic tenets of success in human relations and business: hard work, tenacity, honesty and of course, the biblical injunction of loving thy neighbour as thy self as exemplified in the noble ethos of caring and having a deep regard for the plight of others especially those less privileged than him.
Accordingly, success came in great measure as he established a string of viable companies: Lubrik Nig. Limited; Ludal Nig. Limited; Rachael Hotels Limited; Moni Pulo Limited; Brass Exploration Ltd; Rachael Holdings; Krakrama Investments Ltd, Cephasson Ltd.
But neither in his chairmanship of the boards of these companies, nor that of the Federal Polytechnic, Idah, nor indeed the deputy chairmanship of the defunct National Party of Nigeria, did Uncle Lulu, as many know him, forget to remind himself that success is measured in what you give and not in what you take and that they are happiest who leave the world better than they found it.
Today, he offers employment to hundreds of Nigerians; several children are able to have education at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels through his scholarships. Educational institutions including the University of Port Harcourt, and the University of Texas at Austin in the United States of America, are able to function better on account of his benevolence. Important research on Parkinson’s disease is going on at the Rochester Research Institute in New York on account of his generosity.
He founded Lulu-Briggs Life Foundation through which he reached out to senior citizens over seventy years of age who do not have any persons with capabilities to provide for them. The Foundation provides such persons with food, health care and a modest allowance.
It is also under the auspices of this Foundation that free community health services have been offered in the cities of Buguma and Abonnema in the Kalabari Kingdom in which the sight of the blind was restored, hernia sacs were reduced, and abdomens swollen with tumours were rectified.
In addition, the Foundation has, in recent times, embarked on the complete renovation of selected secondary schools in Rivers State as well as reactivating their science laboratories and embarking on building a recreation home for the elderly in Abonnema.
Lulu’s ameliorating and benevolent activities were many and varied. He was engaged in restructuring a new bridge linking Abonnema and Obonoma towns; he was among the highest shareholders in the Intercontinental Bank Pic.
His generosity extended to annual donations of rice, cows and other edibles to most Kalabari communities and indeed Rivers State as a whole. He recently provided crash helmets to ‘Okada’ riders.
Desirous of meeting the needs of the people, as an astute, shrewd, God-fearing philanthropist, Chief (Dr.) Olu Benson Lulu-Briggs donated transport buses and other amenities to Christian churches in order to promote the work of God Almighty.
These were the sterling qualities of this man which the Kalabari community recognized when they installed him with revered chieftaincy title of Young Briggs Iniekeiroari V of Kalabari Kingdom; the Owo community acknowledged when they accepted him as their chief with the title of Efun-Alaye of Owo; the Obowu clan of Imo State acknowledged when they decorated him with the chieftaincy title of Ebubedike’ of Obowu; the Ndoki community identified when they elevated him next to their king as the Osuohia of Ikwueke-Ndoki; the mayor of the City of Houston in the United States of America saw these qualities when he conferred on Lulu-Briggs the Honorary Citizenship of the City of Houston and handed over to him the key of the city; and the Federal Government of Nigeria appreciated these same qualities when it invested him with the National Honour of Officer of the Order of the Niger. The University of Port Harcourt concurred and agreed that this was a man deserving of the highest honour of the institute, the degree of Doctor of Science, Honoris Causa.
On the 13th of March, 2021, the great philanthropist will be interred at his town, Abonnema. The Oruwari Briggs Chiefs and Elders and especially the scion of the family, Chief Dumo Lulu Briggs, should be commended for their wisdom and arrangement of giving a befitting burial to the Late Chief.
Chief Gogo Ada Rufus Mbere is a Port Harcourt based media consultant
