By Kelechi Esogwa-Amadi
As the distinguished couple’s award given to Chief, Dr. O.B.Lulu-Briggs and his wife, Pst Mrs Seinye O.B.Lulu-Brigss last Thursday by the Catholic Women Organisation (CWO) of Port Harcourt Diocese continue to elicit reactions, with many die-hard Catholics wondering why a non-Catholic couple should be given such an award, the leadership of the Catholic Women Organization in Port Harcourt Diocese has defended the action.
In a chat with TPCN, the Organizing Chairperson of the 2018 CWO Week award ceremony and head of the fundraising committee of the organization, Lady Nene Alice Vic-Benibo, said that they decided to give the Distinguished Couples award to Chief Dr and Pst Mrs. O.B. Lulu-Briggs because of the type of love and commitment that exists between them.
She said although the O.B. Lulu-Briggs are the first non-Catholics to be given such an award, Pst Mrs. Seinye O.B.Lulu-Briggs was considered for the award after due consideration of her dedication and faithfulness to her husband as well as her many humanitarian services to the society.
Justifying the award further, Lady Nene Alice Vic-Benebo explained: “I’ve never seen a couple exhibit the kind of love they have for each other. It’s the same love that made her (Pst Mrs.Seinye O.B.Lulu-Briggs) to get an air ambulance all the way from the UK to convey her husband down there. Some other women would not do that.
“When their husbands are indisposed, it’s an opportunity of siphoning or diverting money but she would not.”
Lady Nene, who is the secretary of CWO at St Francis Catholic Church, Rumuokwuta, Port Harcourt, recalled a statement credited to Pst Mrs. Seinye O.B. Lulu-Briggs when reacting to insinuations that she was lavishing her husband’s money on his health.
“There was this particular quote by her that somebody recalled when they were defending the reason why we need to award her.
“They said they had never seen a woman who loves the husband so dearly, who spends the money back on him, and the quote was: ‘Na Chief make the money, na Chief money I dey spend and na me dey hold the money.’
“In other words, let me rephrase it this way: ‘Na Chief get the money, na me hold the money and I go spend the money for Chief head.’ How many women can do that?
So many persons would not do that. The woman’s lifestyle and virtues are unending. She’s the voice of the voiceless. You know the Christmas party they do every year, how they feed the elderly people. Nobody can beat their charitable work in this state.” Lady Nene added.
