My Father Was A Truck Pusher – Dumo Lulu-Briggs
3 min read
Olu Benson Lulu-Briggs
by our Correspondent
The heir apparent of the Lulu-Briggs dynasty, Dumo Lulu-Briggs, stated that his father would forever remain an inspiration to him and mankind.
Dumo made the statement on Saturday, March 12th 2021 in Lulu-Kiri, Abonnema Town, Asari Toru local government area, Rivers State during the funeral service of his late father and oil mogul, High Chief Olu Benson Lulu-Briggs, revealing that his late father started life as a cart pusher from humble beginnings, he rose to become a great man.
He said; “A lot of people do not know that my father was a truck pusher, agricultural labourer, a policeman, and a clerk in the Nigeria Ports Authority. A man who, because of his very difficult beginning, didn’t have more than four years of formal education all his life grew to become the great man that he was.
“He taught me that love is not an exchange; you don’t love because you expect to be loved back, but you love not expecting anything in return, but because you believe in God.”
Dumo commended the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, for giving his father a State funeral.
In his speech, former President Goodluck Jonathan, said he consulted with Niger Delta leaders, including the late oil mogul and philanthropist, High Chief Olu Benson Lulu-Briggs, after his nomination as the running mate to the late President Umaru Yar’Adua in the 2007 presidential race.
He described the deceased as a father, urging the heir, Dumo Lulu-Briggs, to walk in the shoes of his father whom he said came from humble beginnings and became successful.
Jonathan said, “I knew him very well in 2007, when I got involved in national politics; when my party, the Peoples Democratic Party nominated me as the running mate to late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.
“We needed respected chiefs, politicians and leaders from the Niger Delta region who understood politics to rely on. High Chief OB Lulu-Briggs was one the persons that were recommended and, of course, from the first day we met him, he really helped us.”
On the deceased’s rags-to-riches life story, Jonathan said, “It is not how you start in life but how you end in life. He is also from a very sophisticated community and from among very successful people, the Kalabari people. But these attributes alone wouldn’t have brought all of us here to celebrate his last days.
“It is because he touched the lives of people. That is why you see people here wearing different hats, different dresses from all over the country to celebrate his last days.”
He enjoined Dumo and his siblings to imbibe the legacies bequeathed by their father, saying, “I don’t think you carry the weight of what your father left. But God will give you the wisdom and strength to carry the weight of our father.”
The First Lady, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, who was represented by the wife of the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Alanyingi Timipre-Sylva, expressed her condolences to the bereaved family, adding that she is optimistic that Dumo had all it takes to pilot the affairs of the family and carry on the good name of his father.
According to her; “High Chief OB Lulu-Briggs was well-known to Nigerians in his proficiency in the oil and gas industry and his son, Dumo Lulu-Briggs, is well known to us in the Presidency. We know that Dumo is more than capable of flying the family’s flag high. Please, accept our heartfelt condolences,” Mrs Buhari added.
Other dignitaries present at the funeral were former First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, representative of His Holiness, Pope Francis in Nigeria, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, Gov. Wike; Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva.
Also present were; Nigeria’s Ambassador to Jamaica, Ms. Maureen Tammuno, former Managing Directors of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Mr. Timi Alaibe and Dr. Joi Nunieh; Minister of State, Mines and Steel, Dr. Uche Ogah; and Managing Director of Heritage Bank Plc, Mr. Ifie Sekibo.
