Amanyanabo of Kalabari receives Regent of Abonnema Kingdom High Chief O.B Lulu-Briggs, other prominent Chiefs

* Sues for peace in Kalabari kingdom

Friday, February 16, 2018 will remain a historic day in the annals of the great Kalabari Kingdom, as High Chief O.B. Lulu-Briggs, the Regent of Abonnema Kingdom,  in the company of a high powered delegation of Abonnema Chiefs, visited the Amanyabo and Natural Ruler of Kalabari Kingdom, His Serene Majesty, King Prof. T.J.T. Princewill, JP, CFR. Amachree XI, in his Palace in Buguma  town.

Accompanied by the Paramount Heads and Royal Highnesses of the War Canoe Houses of the various ancient stools of Abonnema, High Chief O.B. Lulu-Briggs was warmly welcomed into the Palace of the Amanyanabo by very senior Chiefs of Buguma in a convivial atmosphere which set the tone nicely for the main great event which had brought these outstanding senior citizens and traditional rulers to Buguma kingdom.

High Chief O.B. Lulu-Briggs, the Regent of Abonnema Kingdom, in his speech to the Amanyanabo of Kalabari, recalled the incident of attack on his person and other Royal Highnesses of the Abonnema Council of Chiefs, on  November 25, 2017 and expressed his gratitude for the high powered delegation which the Amanyanabo sent to commiserate with him after the incident.

High Chief O.B. Lulu-Briggs, whose speech was delivered by Chief Ibim Iyibo Young-Briggs, thanked the Amanyanabo of Kalabari Kingdom for his efforts at entrenching peace in the kingdom saying: “You have been the driving force behind the much needed unity and peace in the Kalabari kingdom of which you remain the one and only consanguineous hereditary monarch which is to stay that only your stool is designed to be inherited. You are also the ONLY king of the entire Kalabari kingdom comprising the thirty three plus communities including Abonnema. We say thank you,” he felicitated with the respected Royal Monarch.

While highlighting the prominence of the Kalabari Chieftaincy stool in the annals of recognized paramount rulers as far as the colonial times, High Chief O.B. Lulu-Briggs noted that in time past such visits as this were designed to proactively evaluate the peace, progress and developmental strides of the kingdom, but this has now been overtaken by the present political climate such that the collective unity of the people had been effected by sectional, personal, primordial and selfish interest of actors who do not care for the sanctity of truth and values embedded in the culture of the great Kalabari people.

High Chief O.B. Lulu-Briggs also noted importantly that: “the first class chieftaincy title does not automatically create a monarchical dynasty of Owukori war canoe house in Abonnema, therefore the first class status created by the Rivers state government in consideration of the local government area, is in no means an exclusive preserve of the Owukori house in Abonnema.”

He then prayed the Almighty God to continue to endow the Amanyanabo of Kalabari Kingdom with longevity, good health and solomonic wisdom, to preserve the unity of the great Kalabari people and the kingdom.

In his comments, the Amanyanabo of Kalabari Kingdom, His Serene Majesty King Prof. T.J.T. Princewill, Amachree XI, thanked High Chief O.B Lulu-Briggs for honouring the important invitation for this meeting, noting that the crisis which had beset Kalabari Kingdom and especially Abonnema, in recent times was unfortunate as there was no basis for the crisis.

The Amanyanabo, who traced his maternal ancestral lineage to Abonnema, decried the fact that Kalabari Kingdom which used to have the pride of place in decision making in Rivers state has now been relegated to the background in recent times and while lamenting the fact that some people now feel that they were more Abonnema than others because they reside in Abonnema, noted that this was not a healthy development, as the crisis in the town had not only affected Abonnema but the entire Kalabari kingdom.

According to the well respected Royal Majesty, the Abonnema crisis had the potential to escalate into a major national crisis if not nipped in the bud. He then chided the followers of the various factions who were stoking the fire of discord, even as he urged the people to sheath their swords, stop the media war henceforth and think positively of Abonnema always, as that was the panacea for ensuring that peace returned to Abonnema and indeed the entire Kalabari Kingdom, in order for more development and progress to thrive.

It was quite fitting therefore that the closing prayer was delivered by Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs, who prayed that God should intervene in the affairs of Kalabari Kingdom; the same views he expressed in his exclusive interview with the media, where he enjoined Kalabari people to eschew disunity and crisis, love one another and embrace a peaceful environment which would promote youth development, the provision of jobs for the people, quality education for the children and a b etter and more qualitative life for every Kalabari man, woman and child.

Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs who expressed his immense gratitude and profound humility to the Amanyanabo of Kalabari, for the warm reception given to the Abonnema delegation and the fatherly role he had played and continues to play in ensuring that peace was restored in the entire Kalabari Kingdom, pledged that he would continue to embrace and support genuine efforts to bring development and peace to kalabari kingdom.

The historic meeting was attended by prominent Kalabari Chiefs including: Chief  C.D. Amachree Chu,  HRH Ibroma Pokubo, Amayanabo of Minama; Engr. Chief O.O. Oruye from Tombia; Chief Jenkinson Ibroma, from Bakana; Chief Telema R.M. Amachree, from Buguma; Chief  Ijonguye Olu, from Abalama; Alabo (Dcn) Dawari Don-Douglas, (who gave the opening prayer) amongst other important traditional rulers and chiefs, who welcomed the Abonnema delegation to Buguma.

Also in attendance were the Abonnema Chiefs who accompanied the Regent of Abonnema, High Chief O.B. Lulu-Briggs; including HRH Chief Capt. Ajumogobia Bestman; HRH Chief  Enoch Fubara Granville; HRH Chief Anthony Owereye-daba; HRH Chief Dr. M.T. Memberr; HRH Chief  Berembo E. Don-Pedro; Chief-elect Young Graham-Douglas, (who represented HRH Alabo T.O. Graham-Douglas); HRH Chief E.K. Young-Jack (represented by Kingsley Young-Jack); Chief F.D.C. Briggs; Chief Figbene Memberr; Chief Obrasua Briggs; Chief Ibim Iyibo Young-Briggs; Chief Elekima A. Granville; Chief  Precious Elekima; Chief Diepriye F.D.C. Briggs; Chief Kini Briggs; Chief Dikio Briggs; Chief-elect Ipalibo Black-Duke; Chief Ibifiri Briggs; Chief Dumo Memberr; Chief-elect Jacob Briggs; Chief-elect Telema Briggs; Chief Solomon Briggs, as well as Chief Dumo Lulu-Briggs amongst others, who graced the occasion and pledged their unalloyed commitment to the efforts of achieving permanent and sustainable peace in the great Kalabari Kingdom.