…As FIDA, AWLA, Others Kick
Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs has again taken legal action against his stepmother, Dr. Mrs Seinye Lulu-Briggs, continuing a legal battle that has lasted more than five years since the death of his father, High Chief O.B. Lulu-Briggs.
In a new case No DECC/RS/II/2025 filed at the Degema Division of the Rivers State Customary Court, Chief Dumo is claiming that Dr. Mrs Seinye Lulu-Briggs violated a Kalabari mourning custom by not sitting beside her husband’s corpse. He argues that she should be stripped of her rights to her husband’s name, property, and inheritance.
Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs Claims as follows:
An Order that under Kalabari native law and custom, the Defendant had a duty to mourn her late husband; Chief Olu Benson Lulu-Briggs of Abonnema in Rivers State, until after his burial, participate in his burial ceremonies and sit by his body during lying in state to sing in his honour.
An Order that by refusing to perform her duty as a widow, under Kalabari native law and custom, to wit; mourn her late husband until after his burial, participate in his burial ceremonies and sit by his body during lying in state to sing in his honour, the Defendant, shall not be entitled to reside in late Chief Olu Benson Lulu-Briggs Family House situated along Biobest Road, off Obonnoma Road, Abonnema, Rivers State, and shall not be entitled to any other benefit that she would ordinarily have been entitled to as the wife or widow of late Chief O. B. Lulu-Briggs of Abonnema in Rivers State.
An Order of Perpetual Injunction restraining the Defendant from bearing or continuing to bear Lulu-Briggs as her surname.
This however appears to run contrary to the facts, as it is alleged that it was he Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs who went to great lengths to prevent Dr. Mrs Seinye Lulu-Briggs from being a part of the burial process or attending the funeral of her husband, High Chief O. B. Lulu-Briggs. This, it is said, was what prompted prominent Kalabari Chiefs like Chief Ferdinand Alabraba to advise him through a well publicized and reported letter to let her attend her husband’s funeral.
The position of Chief Alabraba was reported in the Vanguard and other newspapers on March 1, 2021:
Below is the report culled from Vanguard newspaper:
“Lulu-Briggs: Kalabari Chiefs, others mount pressure on Dumo Lulu-Briggs to rescind plot to exclude Stepmother from Burial.
Elder Statesman and renowned business mogul, Chief Ferdinand Alabraba has called on Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs in a three paged letter in which the Governor of Rivers State and the Amayanabo of Abonnema were copied, to work towards a very peaceful and successful burial in which all stakeholders will fully participate.
Similarly, the families of Chief Dodo West Elebike of Buguma and Daibisrama Iniikeiroari Young-Briggs of Abonnema also wrote a petition to the Acting Paramount Head, Oruwari Group of Houses, Abonnema, demanding that the family of High Chief O.B. Lulu-Briggs do the right and proper thing with regards to his widow and his in-laws in respect of the burial plans.
The petition which was signed by Chief Alaiyi Tom-West and Chief Obrasua Ernest Francis Briggs stated that the families of the deceased’s widow have not received any formal message ‘oku’ regarding funeral arrangements in accordance with the culture and traditions of the Kalabari people, neither has the late High Chief’s daughter, Solate been incorporated by the elder sons to perform her traditional rites at the funeral.
In pursuant of a peaceful burial ceremony for the late Lulu-Briggs, Chief Ferdinand Alabraba urged Dumo to shelve plans to exclude his stepmother, Seinye and his Sister from the burial plans.
Alabraba in a letter he personally signed on the aforesaid subject matter said, “it is alleged that as a result of the anger over your father’s Will, you decided to exclude your dad’s widow and daughter from the burial plans, thus denying them the right to perform their customary roles to honour him in death.”
In the said letter, Chief Ferdinand Ngogo Alabraba, queried among others that “it is alleged that as a result of the anger over your father’s Will, you decided to exclude your dad’s widow and daughter from the burial plans, thus denying them the right to perform their customary roles to honour him in death. That time-honoured Kalabari culture cannot be ignored and must be respected, otherwise, the burial of our most respected High Chief will be incomplete.
In addition, he said, “Please ensure that your dad’s widow and his first daughter are duly restored in the burial plans so that they can carry out their customary roles in line with Kalabari tradition.”
The full transcript of the letter read thus:
“Dear Dumo, My Son It is now less than three weeks to the burial of your late father and our brother, Chief (Dr.) O. B. Lulu-Briggs and seeing the way plans are unfolding, it has become necessary for some of us not just to sit and watch but give our honest advice “openly” so that outsiders will know that not all the Elders in the family kept quiet when things were not going well.
Recall that not too long ago, you were nominated as the leader of Young Briggs House and, only recently, installed on your personal Chieftaincy stood, thus making you a leader of the Young Briggs and head of the Chief O. B. Lulu Briggs family. You are, therefore, uniquely placed to unite the Chief O B Lulu Briggs family, bringing everybody on board in the burial plans so that as a united family, you can give your dad the befitting burial you have promised the world which he truly deserves.
Unfortunately, the O B Lulu Briggs’ family still remains divided and as we move closer to the burial date people have started talking, insinuating things and blaming you for the lingering state of affairs, and rightly too because everybody knows and sees you as the face of the Lulu Briggs family.
My son, please know that your dad can only be buried once and if you allow anger to rule your emotions in working out the burial plans, you will be susceptible to serious mistakes which will remain a source of regret for the rest of your life. That will not be your portion by God’s grace, so kindly eschew bitterness and embrace all members of the family for a successful burial. There are some misconceptions being peddled against you and you must act to correct them:
(i) On your Chieftaincy titles, it is alleged that when you took custody of your father’s mortal remains you deliberately held it back not only to pursue chieftaincy titles for self-aggrandizement but also to challenge his Last Will and Testament in court and with the bitterness resulting from your failed court action you called the press conference to announce the burial date, just to play to the gallery and no real intent to give your father a befitting burial. I know that the Chieftaincies were intended to position you to lead the Lulu Briggs family in the burial arrangements and nothing more, so please don’t leave room for anybody to doubt your sincerity in giving your father a most deserving burial.
(ii) It is further alleged that as a result of the anger over your father’s Will, you decided to exclude your dad’s widow and daughter from the burial plans, thus denying them the right to perform their customary roles to honour him in death. That time-honoured Kalabari culture cannot b e ignored and must be respected, otherwise the burial of our most respected High Chief will be incomplete. Please ensure that your dad’s widow and his first daughter are duly restored in the burial plans so that they can carry out their customary roles in line with Kalabari tradition.
(iii) Chief O B Lulu Briggs was a member of the Abonnema Council of Chiefs and he died as the revered Head of Young Briggs House of Abonnema but in your press conference announcing his burial date, you referred to him as the “paramount head of Oruwari Briggs House”. No doubt, he acted as paramount head of Oruwari Briggs House for a very brief period when the then incumbent was hospitalized for about two weeks but he was never installed by the Abonnema Council of Chiefs as paramount head.
Why bring in this unnecessary controversy to reduce your father’s stature in death by decorating him with false/borrowed robes in spite of his robust profile and many accomplishments in life. Please do not do anything to alienate the Abonnema Council of Chiefs from participating in the burial because the Council, headed by a learned first class King, will not undermine its integrity by participating in the burial of the so called “paramount head” who was not installed in his lifetime.
In conclusion, I wish to remind you that your late father was a global personality and people will come from all parts of the world for his burial. Our dear Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has eloquently demonstrated his commitment to give him a State burial. The Amayanabo of Abonnema, the Abonnema Divisional Council of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs, and the entire Kalabari Kingdom are critical stakeholders in the burial. So, kindly work towards a very peaceful and successful burial in which all stakeholders will fully participate.” END OF REPORT CULLED FROM VANGUARD NEWSPAPER.
Legal experts, however, say the case has no basis. Dr. Seinye Lul-Briggs was legally married to the late High Chief in 2003 under the Act, a statutory marriage that overrides any previous customary marriage. The Will, which grants her inheritance rights, has already been confirmed by the courts.
What has raised further concern is that this same matter is already before the Rivers State High Court. Critics say bringing it before the customary court is an act of judicial harassment, a tactic known as forum shopping.
On July 28, dozens of female lawyers and activists gathered at the Rivers State Customary Court Degema Division, in support of Dr. Mrs Seinye Lulu-Briggs. FIDA Rivers Chairperson, Emi Jim-George, dismissed the claim of any such mourning custom, calling the case “another way of bullying widows.”
The Chairperson of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Rivers State, Tamuno Ibuemi Jim-George, who was in court to show solidarity to Dr. Mrs Seinye Lulu-Briggs condemned the practice in some Kalabari communities requiring widows to be present at their husband’s bedside during burial in order to retain their inheritance rights, describing it as “awkward” and “barbaric.”
She stressed that such customs are a form of harassment against widows and urged women facing similar practices to approach FIDA for support, stating that women should be allowed to grieve in peace without further victimization following the loss of their husbands.
Addressing reporters outside the courtroom, the lawyer representing Dr. Mrs. Seinye Lulu-Briggs, Barrister Anthony Enyindah called for an immediate halt to the case in Degema, citing the fact that the matter is already before superior courts, including the Court of Appeal and the High Court.
The lawyer explained that because the same issue is being considered by superior courts, the customary court should suspend its hearing to prevent conflicting judgments and maintain judicial order.
He noted that his team has formally filed actions in the High Court to stop the customary court from continuing with the case until the superior courts deliver their rulings.
While the customary court did proceed partially by requesting a response to the claimant’s affidavit, proceedings were later suspended following this development.
Barrister Enyinda described the day’s outcome as partially meeting their expectations but reiterated the legal position that the customary court ought not to move forward given the ongoing appeals.
His words, in response to question by our reporter suggesting peaceful resolution of the matter: “As a woman of faith, Dr. Mrs. Seinye Lulu-Briggs remains open to settlement talks at any time but is prepared to defend herself as the legal battles continue”.
Also speaking, a former Chairperson of the African Women Lawyers Association (AWLA), Rivers State, Dr. Hilda Desmond Ihekaire, emphasized their support for Dr. Seinye Lulu-Briggs, a widow embroiled in protracted legal battles over her late husband’s estate, despite probate rulings in her favor.
Dr. Ihekaire condemned the overlapping of jurisdictional disputes where customary courts have wrongfully entertained cases involving statutory marriages, complicating justice for widows.
She urged women everywhere, regardless of socioeconomic status, to stand firm in protecting their rights, referencing recent progressive laws in Rivers State that criminalize harmful traditional practices and safeguard widows’ property rights.
Dr. Ihekaire reassured vulnerable women that organizations like AWLA remain ready to provide legal assistance, underscoring the importance of breaking silence and accessing justice to overcome entrenched patriarchal discrimination.
In her perspective, the Coordinator of AWLA in Rivers State, Gloria Anurie, condemned the use of cultural customs to disinherit women, emphasizing that such practices persist regardless of social status and are unjustifiable in modern society.
She reiterated that existing laws protect women’s rights, but the real challenge lies in empowering women to assert and pursue these rights in court.
AWLA, under her leadership, offers free legal support to widows willing to take legal action, highlighting the need for sensitization and stronger enforcement of laws aimed at protecting women from discrimination and harmful customs.
This development highlights growing concerns over how cultural practices are sometimes misused in legal battles to marginalize widows, despite the protections offered by Nigerian law.
A formal application has now been filed at the High Court to stop the Degema case.
The next hearing at the customary court is scheduled for August 18.
