The Most Distinguished Kalabari Woman of the Year Award given to Dr Mrs Seinye O.B. Lulu-Briggs on Monday, May 2, 2022, has received applauses from the people of Kalabari and Rivers State at large.
According to those who spoke to journalists at the venue of the summit, the award is an honour well deserved for a woman who has positively impacted so many lives. The Most Distinguished Kalabari Woman of the Year Award was presented to Dr. Mrs. Seinye O.B. Lulu-Briggs during the Kalabari Leadership Summit convened by the Kalabari Times Magazine at the prestigious NBA Port Harcourt Secretariat, Port Harcourt.
The award was in recognition of Dr Mrs Seinye’s immense, selfless contributions to human capital development and philanthropic services in Kalabari land in particular and Rivers State and Niger Delta in general.
Apart from Dr Mrs Seinye O.B. Lulu-Briggs, other highly respected personalities given the award at the event included the Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Baba Alkali and Kalabari sons and daughters including the State Deputy Governor, Dr. Mrs. Ipalibo Harry-Banigo, Amanyanabo of Abonnema, HM, King Barr Disrael G. Bob-Manuel, AIG Sokari Daniel Pedro, Rivers APC governorship candidate, Arc. Tonye Cole, Brigadier-General Soton Winifed Aliu (Rtd), Prof. Victor Omuaru and Dr Dakorinama Alabo George-Kelly.
Others are Alabo Dr Emi Membere-Otaji, Engr. Mayne David-West, Snr, Amb. Kio Solomon Amieyeofori, Dr Dawari George, Hon. Mrs Tonye Briggs Oniyide, Barr Minabelem Michael West, Hon. Arc. Mason Eniye Braide, Rev. Dr Sokari Soberekon, Chief. Barr Donald Albert Horsfall, among others.
Presenting the special award to Dr Seinye O.B. Lulu-Briggs, the moderators described her as a woman of impact who has left giant footprints in the sands of time through her humanitarian services.
Mrs Seinye was specifically commended for initiating the establishment of the O.B. Lulu-Briggs Foundation in 2001 as a platform to structure her husband’s life of philanthropy and for effectively coordinating it till date to ensure that her husband’s legacy is sustained.
The O.B. Lulu-Briggs Foundation was also recognized by the organizers of the Kalabari Leadership Summit as the most distinguished philanthropic organization in the Niger Delta. Commenting on the award given to Dr Mrs Seinye O.B. Lulu-Briggs, a Kalabari chief told journalists shortly after the event that it was well deserved.
“I was impressed with the award given to her. She and her husband, our respected High Chief Lulu-Briggs, have done so much for us and for all Rivers people. Seinye and her husband made many people rich, put food on the tables of many people, both in Abonnema where they run old people’s home and other places. I’m very happy that Seinye has continued to maintain our high chief’s legacy of generosity. Despite all the things she has faced, she’s still continuing with her charitable works. In fact, she is making us feel as if our high chief is still alive”.
Mrs Gloria West, who came to witness the historic event, also applauded the award given to Dr Mrs Seinye O.B. Lulu-Briggs as Most Distinguished Kalabari Woman of the Year. Extolling the virtues of Seinye, she described her as a pride to the womenfolk. Mrs Gloria West, who also spoke to journalists shortly after the summit, noted: “I am very happy with the organizers of this event for recognizing the women; for knowing that women have also made good impact on Kalabari Land and our state and even Niger Delta. The mother of the year award they gave to our deputy governor is excellent. She is indeed a mother. The ones given to the commissioner, Oniyide and Soton, the Brigadier General, all gave me joy. But the one that gave me joy most is the one given to Seinye as Kalabari Distinguished Woman. It so much gladdened my heart that I was almost moved to tears”.
Addressing the media after the event, the convener of the Kalabari Leadership Summit and Icons Awards, Pastor Selema Wokoma, said the event was a dream come true. Pst Selema Wokoma, who is the publisher of Kalabari Times, revealed that the 2022 summit was the second edition, adding that the first edition was held in 2014 when they marked the first anniversary of the magazine.
Asked why the summit’s planning committee chose to honour over five women with awards, he said: “These are women who have made great impact in Kalabari Land and Rivers State through various exploits in their fields of endeavour. Every awardee was carefully chosen and thoroughly assessed before being voted on by our panel of judges for final selection. It wasn’t a free-for-all thing. “So, those women who were given award passed through the same hurdle, because the award was not for sale. It was a recognition that was based on merit and devoid of political leanings. When you check the list of awardees today, you will see that it was beyond politics and then you will understand what I’m saying. The panel of judges did a thorough job without bias or sentiments.” Justifying the Most Distinguished Kalabari Woman award given to Dr Mrs Seinye O.B. Lulu-Briggs, Pst Selema said it was based on merit.
“The award given to Dr Mrs Seinye was well merited. The panel deemed it fit to approve her for the award based on her contributions to humanity. It’s not in doubt that she has touched many lives – both old and young – through her philanthropic activities, especially using the instrumentality of her pet project, the O.B. Lulu-Briggs Foundation, of course not forgetting the immense support from her beloved husband. “We’re talking about a woman who will go all her way to make the less privileged have a sense of belonging. Through her philanthropy, indigent students, the sick, the old, the young, the jobless youths, destitute, among others, have all been impacted and given opportunity to have new leases of life.”
