Lulu-Briggs has not given up on his dream of “changing people’s lives” as his passion has always been to serve the people where it matters most.
By Eugene Onyeji
Chief (Barr) Dumo Lulu-Briggs, OON, is a seasoned legal practitioner of over 35 years experence, an accomplished businessman, technocrat, politician, philanthropist and grassroots mobilizer. He is the chairman and chief executive officer of DLB group, a conglomerate of companies with interest in oil & gas, and marine.
Born on June 13, 1964 in the city of Lagos, Nigeria to the family of High Chief O.B, Lulu-Briggs, he hails from Abonnema, a community in Akuku-Toru Local Government area of Rivers State.
An educated man to the bone
He attended Port Harcourt Township primary school from 1970 to 1975, Government Comprehensive Secondary School Port Harcourt, between 1975 – 1980. He holds an LLB degree in Law from the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (1985) and also a Masters degree (LLM) in Law from the prestigious London School of Economics (University of London); and was called to the Nigerian Bar in October 1986. He did his National Youth Service at the Institute of Legal Administration, Katsina State Polytechnic, Katsina, from 1988 – 1989.
In the quest to build his capacity, Lulu-Briggs attended several executive leadership courses including Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas, USA in 1999 to study Senior Executive training on Oil & Gas and JFK School of Government (Harvard University) Boston, Massachusetts on Training in Leadership for the 21st in 2001.
Distinguished working career
Chief (Barr) Dumo Lulu-Briggs has an excellent and distinguished working career in the private and public sectors in Nigeria. He was in Private Legal Practice from 1989 to 1994. He was the legal adviser/company secretary and contributing editor to Associate Media Limited 1990 – 1991, Solicitor and Notional Head of Chambers, Edu & Mohammed (Solicitor) 1991 – 1992, Principal partner in Nwoka & Lulu-Briggs Law office from 1992 – 1998. He also worked as Company secretary/Legal adviser to Moni Pulo Limited (Petroleum Development). He later served as the Managing Director, Pioneer Executive Director and Chief Operating Officer of Moni Pulo Limited; an indigenous, independent oil and gas exploration and production company from 1995 to 2004. He sits atop and/ or chairs several boards of Oil, Gas & Marine companies. He was past Chairman of two Federal Parastatals (Boards) namely, chairman, governing council, Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron, and Chairman, Board of Management, Federal Medical Centre, Owerri. He was a Member- Rivers State Economic Advisory Council for four years (2007-2011).
Chief (Barr) Dumo Lulu-Briggs is currently Chairman, Platform Petroleum Limited, a reputable indigenous oil exploration and prospecting company and Chairman of DLB GROUP OF COMPANIES.
Political experience
As a matter of fact, Chief (Barr) Dumo Lulu-Briggs is not in the bracket of novices in politics, as he was National Vice Chairman, South-South of the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN) in the Second Republic. His active political career started in 1992 when he contested for the House of Representative seat for Akuku-Toru Federal Constituency seat on the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP). Thereafter he became the National Assistant Legal Adviser for the Grassroots Democratic Party from 1996 – 1998. He was the Governorship candidate, National Democratic Party, for Rivers State, in 2003, and also in 2015 contested for Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) nomination as Governorship candidate at the Party’s primary election.
He emerged as the governorship candidate of the Accord political party for 2023 governorship election in Rivers State. Lulu-Briggs emerged the consensus candidate through voice confirmation by the delegates from the 23 local government areas of the state, having stood as the sole aspirant on the platform. He has been a grassroots politician, mobilizer in the real sense of it.
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Professional membership
Chief (Barr) Dumo Lulu-Briggs personal website reveals that he is a member and fellow of several prestigious national and international professional bodies. Some of these are: Member – Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorers (NAPE); Member of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the International Bar Association (IBA); Fellow – Institute of Corporate Managers & Public Administrators of Nigeria (FCMPA); and Member – Commonwealth Lawyers Association.
Awards
As an astute entrepreneur and a world-class administrator, Chief (Barr) Dumo Lulu-Briggs is a recipient of numerous awards among which are the Distinguished Nation Builders Merit Award (DINBMA) 2006; In 2010 he was honored as Best Parastatals Board Chairman of the Year 2010 by the International Publications Limited (Publishers of The International Maritime Digest); ABR 2015 Leadership and Philanthropy Award; African Achievers Humanitarian Award 2016; Honorary Rotarian Award 2016; Garden City Advancement Award for philanthropy 2016; Rivers State Man of the Year 2021; Forbes Best of Africa Energy Personality Award 2021.
Socio-cultural associations
Chief (Barr) Dumo Lulu-Briggs is a member of the 1ST Association of Port Harcourt, Nyemoni Asawo Ogbo of Abonnema and Kengema Mina Ogbo of Abonnema; and several other social and cultural clubs in Nigeria.
Traditional titles
Chief (Barr) Dumo Lulu-Briggs is a traditional title holder of the Iniikeiroari VI of Kalabari Kingdom and the Paramount Head, Oruwari / Briggs War Canoe House of Abonnema in Rivers State.
Political philosophy
Chief (Barr) Dumo Lulu-Briggs has not given up on his dream of “changing people’s life” as his passion has always been to serve the people where it matters most. And he does not have to be a ‘professional politician’ to do that. In fact, Lulu-Briggs is wary of people making a living from politics. The tag “professional politician” is a toga he argues nobody should be proud to adorn. Successful politicians, he points out, should make their mark in a profession or business of theirs.
As a man that has good intentions for the future of people of Rivers, Lulu-Briggs believe that the basis of politics and governance is to secure the life and well-being of the people as a guarantee for the future of the nation. According to him, “While some politicians think about how to enrich themselves, he thinks of how to secure the future through fostering a healthy nation with equal opportunities for all and not for a few.”
A philanthropist par excellence
Chief (Barr) Dumo Lulu-Briggs is a very rare Statesman; He has a pet project, Women for Development, an initiative driven by his Dumo Lulu-Briggs (DLB) Support Group, which focuses on women’s health and development. He is also the Grand Patron of one of the most outstanding non partisan youth organizations in Nigeria: the Dumo Lulu-Briggs Youths Foundation (DYF23), founded and duly registered and preaching peace amongst youths. This is a major tool for youth enlightenment and development. DYF23 since its inception, he has been mentoring youths to be worthy ambassadors in all ramifications, prepared to help build a strong and inclusive Rivers State and ultimately Nigeria and Africa, and preparing our youth for leadership.
Through this youth foundation, DYF23, he is able to reach out to youths in the 23 local government councils in Rivers State, campaigning against anti-socio vices and youth restiveness in the society, He has inspired and empowered countless youths into entrepreneurship, equipping them with the tools they need to succeed in this 21st century. He is ever ready to employ benevolence and selfless service to humanity. Dumo Lulu – Briggs Youths Foundation (DYF23) driving motto is: REPOSITIONING THE YOUTH FOR A BETTER TOMORROW!
He is a well acknowledged Giver and Philanthropist of high repute who does not relent in reaching out regularly to the less privileged in places like The Children Home, Home for the Elderly, and The Home For Street Kids in Port Harcourt. He gives grants regularly to women to start small trades, and pays for vocational training for young men and women to acquire relevant and marketable Skills.
He is a church worker, contributing immensely to church activities both physically and financially. Yearly, he awards scholarships to indigent students from Rivers State across the 23 LGAs. He also gives financial assistance to persons with different health challenges including sponsorship of major surgeries locally and abroad. He is very passionate about helping the less-privileged because he believes that ultimately, it is in giving that humanity finds fulfillment. The true worth of a man is in the ways he responds to his environment he often preaches. Most of the beneficiaries of his philanthropy he may never know. Tall, handsome and soft-spoken, Chief (Barr) Dumo Lulu-Briggs or DLB is down to earth and street-smart.
He is married and a father to four beautiful children. He loves administration, sports, reading, writing and philanthropy.
He is upbeat that he will move Rivers State to the next level.