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Again, Lulu-Briggs’ Widow Tackles Stepson Over Husband’s Autopsy Report

January 16, 2020

Recall that the two – Seinye and Dumo – have had disagreements in recent times over the delay in the release of the autopsy report without which the burial of the 88-year-old respected traditional chief cannot hold.

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Widow of founder of Moni Pulo Limited, High Chief Olu Benson Lulu-Briggs, Seinye, has again accused her stepson, Dumo Lulu-Briggs, of working hard to prevent the release of the result of the autopsy carried out on the late billionaire oil magnate, thereby delaying his burial.

Recall that the two – Seinye and Dumo – have had disagreements in recent times over the delay in the release of the autopsy report without which the burial of the 88-year-old respected traditional chief cannot hold. 

In a statement through her spokesperson on Thursday, Oraye St. Franklyn, the widow said that the former Rivers State governorship candidate was blocking the release of the report because it dispels any suspicion and claim of she having a hand in the death of Lulu-Briggs.

The statement reads, “It is more than a year since the body of High Chief (Dr) O. B. Lulu-Briggs has been in a mortuary awaiting interment because his three eldest sons led by Dumo Lulu-Briggs are bent on obtaining their father’s legacy assets which the High Chief during his lifetime had secured in a Trust for the benefit of his grandchildren and future generations.

“In their quest to obtain the said assets, they falsely accused his wife and next-of-kin of being responsible for his death. 

“They wrote petitions to that effect to both the Nigerian and Ghanaian Police and arranged for an autopsy to be done on July 12, 2019, without her involvement. This they did amongst others in their bid to fabricate untrue evidence to corroborate their allegations, the consequence of which would be death by law.

“To guarantee the integrity and independence of the autopsy, she approached the High Court of Ghana to ensure that a neutral body conducted the autopsy and assure representation of observer pathologists representing her three stepsons, Senibo, Dumo and Sofiri Lulu-Briggs, herself and their four siblings, respectively.

“Dumo and his brothers participated in the autopsy and were represented by two renowned pathologists, Dr. Francis Adedayo Faduyile, current President of the Nigerian Medical Association and renowned Ghanaian pathologist, Prof Agyeman Akosa. To this day, none of them have disputed the position of the Ghanaian Military and Police that the autopsy was properly done. 

“Since the brothers lost control to contrive and manipulate the outcome of the autopsy, Dumo has done everything possible to ensure its result was not released.

“It is surprising that Dumo who called for the autopsy to ascertain the cause of death of his father and has fully participated in the investigations including the autopsy, would turn around to block the release of the report. 

“He denies appealing the judgment, meanwhile court papers clearly show that he is lying to whip up public sentiment, sympathy and support.”

Earlier reacting to the allegation through his spokesperson, Uche Woke, Dumo posited that he never blocked the release of the autopsy result, disclosing that all the family was after at the moment was to bury their late father.

Woke said, “Dumo Lulu-Briggs clearly stated that the supposed pre-conditions as ordered by the court has been met since December 24, 2019 and it was by far the easiest thing to meet as long as it allows them access to the mortal remains of their late father to enable the family sit and plan for his burial as required by customs.

“Chief Dumo also explained that the second pre-condition stated in the ruling is not beholden to him as he cannot in any way be the person who will appoint for Seinye her representatives that will accompany him and the family to convey the remains from Accra to Nigeria on the set date.

“Chief Dumo believes that he can only be held responsible if he or any member of the Oruwari Briggs family rejects the representatives appointed by his stepmother which he is sure will not happen as the family is tired of having to go back and forth on the matter and the increasing delay of the burial of their father is becoming wearisome to the family.

“All his family is interested in is that she releases the body of their father to the family so they can go ahead and plan for his burial and if there are other issues she has with him, that can be resolved later but in the interim, he is more interested and concerned with giving his father a befitting burial.”