…National Network Reacts
Dr. Mrs. Seinye O.B. Lulu-Briggs’ attention has been drawn to an online publication made by National Network Newspaper titled: ELDERS STATESMAN, HIGH CHIEF O.B. LULU-BRIGGS FINALLY JOINS ANCESTORS SATURDAY, MARCH 13 with the intent to mislead the unsuspecting public on the state of affairs with respect to the funeral of her husband, the late High Chief Dr. Olu Benson Lulu-Briggs.
She wishes to inform the public that the information regarding outcome of interventions and peace meetings between her and Dumo Lulu-Briggs is false. The facts of the matter are as follows:
Dumo has refused to respond to the decisions agreed by a committee established by the Amayanabo of Abonnema (based on a mandate by Governor Wike to bring the parties together to ensure a unified and dignified burial for one of Nigeria’s most admired statesmen) in the wake of public outrage at the exclusion by Dumo of his widow, Dr. Mrs. Seinye O.B. Lulu-Briggs and his siblings from the planning for their patriarch’s burial.
At the end of a meeting convened by the committee on March 4, 2021, (which Mrs. O.B. Lulu-Briggs attended via Zoom), the committee directed Dumo to inform Mrs. O.B. Lulu-Briggs and all his other children who hither to had been excluded from burial planning, the whereabouts of the corpse of their patriarch whom he illegally removed from the funeral home on February 25, 2020 and smuggled into Nigeria. In adition, they insisted that Mrs. Lulu-Briggs and all the children must participate fully in the burial plans.
On her part Mrs. Lulu-Briggs has followed up with two letters to the Amanayabo of Abonnema (dated March 4, 2021 and March 7, 2021). In both of the letters she repeated the question: “Where is my husband’s body?” based on the fact that she is still in possession of her husband’s international passport and the relevant export permits to convey his body back to Nigeria. Was her husband’s body smuggled into Nigeria? With the High Chief’s burial scheduled to take place within 48 hours, it’s perplexing that Dumo has still not told the patriarch’s widow or his other four children where the body is.
Not only has Dumo failed to act on the committee’s decision’s, but he is also making statements which suggest that all is well within the family to paint his stepmother in bad light for staying away from his obsequies. It is against this background that fake news such as that being purveyed by the National Network Newspaper must be called out for its bias and calculated intent that will miscommunicate the issues in a bid to clearly mislead the public.
Oraye St. Franklyn
Spokesman, Dr. Mrs. Seinye O. B. Lulu-Briggs.
CORRIGENDUM
Re: High Chief O.B. Lulu-Briggs’ Burial Arrangement: Misleading Report
Our attention has been drawn to the reaction of our most respected widow of High Chief O. B. Lulu-Briggs, Dr. Mrs Seniye Lulu-Briggs concerning a paragraph of our story, imputing that the agreement on the burial arrangement of late High Chief O. B. Lulu-Briggs was as a result of a peace meeting brokered between Dr. Mrs Seinye Lulu-Briggs and Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs.
We wish to state categorically that the report was made in utmost good faith without the slightest intention to mislead, slight or disparage anybody. Dr. Mrs. Seinye Lulu-Briggs has been a good friend of the media, and moreso, National Network Newspaper and we hold her in very high esteem accordingly.
The focus of the report is rather on the eventual and gladdening news of the burial arrangement of the elder statesman after a long time which may have been brought about by series of meetings at the instance of some concerned citizens notably: the committee set up by the Amanyanabo of Abonnema based on a mandate by the state government as acknowledged in Dr. Mrs. Seinye Lulu-Briggs in her reaction which we misunderstood as a truce between the two parties, which may have facilitated the burial arrangement.
The report never intended to slight our most respected Dr. Mrs. Seinye Lulu-Briggs nor to hold brief for any other interested party as there could not have been any reason for such recourse.
We however, regret any ambiguity or perceived misleading assertion contained in the report and wish to apologize to Dr. Mrs. Seinye Lulu-Briggs and clarify through this medium that the widow of late High Chief High Chief O. B. Lulu-Briggs according to a statement signed by her spokesman, Oraye St. Franklyn was never consulted nor is part of the burial arrangement of her late husband, High Chief O. B. Lulu-Briggs.
Any inconveniences and embarrassment caused our dear friend, Dr. Mrs Seinye Lulu-Briggs as a result of a paragraph in our news report are highly regretted.
Signed:
Chris Konkwo
EIC/GM
National Network Newspaper
