By Bakare Ibrahim
Following
the protracted family crisis that has delayed the burial of Prominent Kalabari
Son and Philanthropist, High Chief O.B Lulu Briggs for close to one year, the
Rivers State Government has offered to bury the late Rivers son.
Addressing
leaders and People of Kalabari Ethnic Nationality on Wednesday at the
Government House Port Harcourt, Governor Wike said that the Rivers State
Government is interested in according the late Philanthropist the respect he
deserves.
He said: “I even told them to let the
Rivers State Government be responsible for the burial.
“Let the State Government take the corpse. Government will hold the corpse and give him a befitting burial. All I want is peace.”
READ ALSO: Wike blows hot: GOVERNOR WIKE has accused Governor Dickson of Bayelsa trying to cause division in Rivers
He berated
the people who have allowed monetary consideration to influence their direction
on the Chief OB Lulu Briggs issue.
“If
Dumo calls you for a meeting, you will go, if the woman calls you for a
meeting, you will go. What kind of system is this? Nobody will say the truth
because of money and how much is the money?
“How
can such a man not be buried for one year. Not that they are looking for money
to bury the man”, he said.
Governor
Wike called on the Kalabari leaders to set aside their differences and
intervene to ensure that Chief O. B. Lulu Briggs is buried.
He said:
“How can a prominent son of Kalabari Land stay in the mortuary for one
year and we are all here. Nobody can speak the truth.
“They
have divided themselves. You collect money here, you collect money there and
you cannot speak the truth.
“I have
intervened more than three to four times. Having meetings, but was disappointed
by the wife. I have to say clearly to all of you, I have never received insult
like that in my life.”
He stated
that he told Chief Dumo Lulu Briggs and the widow of the late Philanthropist to
allow the love they have for Chief O.B Lulu Briggs influence them into allowing
him to be buried.
He said the
feuding parties should allow High Chief O.B Lulu Briggs to be buried, after the
burial they can continue the struggle for his property.
“Let
the man be buried. Anyone who is dragging property can go and drag for the
property. How can such a man not be buried for one year?” he said.
Governor Wike appealed to the Amanyanabo of Abonnema, King Disrael Bob-Manuel and other leaders of the area to directly intervene to resolve the matter.