11th January, 2024
The O. B. Lulu-Briggs Foundation began 2024 with a grand New Year Party for senior citizens under its ‘Care for Life Program’.
The event, held in Abonnema, Rivers State, on January 1, was a vibrant mix of praise, worship, and dance.
In a significant gesture of appreciation and recognition, the Foundation awarded a centenarian and six nonagenarians a cash prize of N250,000 each.
These seniors, adorned in traditional Kalabari attire and recipients of personalized portraits and certificates, represented a living testament to the Foundation’s dedication to elder care.
Dr. Seinye O.B. Lulu-Briggs, Chairperson of the Foundation, highlighted the event’s significance to the senior community in her welcome address.
She recalled the Foundation’s journey, initiated 22 years ago with a focus on the elderly, often overlooked and neglected in society.
Dr. Lulu-Briggs underscored the transformative impact of the ‘Care for Life Programme’, which has extended comprehensive support, including healthcare, monthly sustenance, housing, and spiritual care to over 600 elders across 12 Local Government Areas in Rivers State.
Notable partners of the Foundation, including the Federation of Women Lawyers, the African Women Lawyers Association, and the Old Port Harcourt City Association of Friends, were at the event, reaffirming its unwavering commitment to older people’s spiritual, emotional, and physical well-being.
Highlighting the Foundation’s ongoing initiatives, Lulu-Briggs informed the gathering about reopening the Biokpo Recreational Centre for the elderly, a hub for social interaction and care, which was temporarily closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
She assured the Foundation’s partners of its continued dedication to enhancing the lives of the under-served in the community.
Lulu-Briggs announced the institution of an annual N250,000 congratulatory award for elders turning nonagenarians under the Foundation’s care.
The inaugural recipients of this award were Ma Rhoda Briggs, Pa Benjamin Yousouf, Ma Basoene Walter, Ma Ibingibo Douglas, Ma Settle Georgewill, Pa Alioma Romeo, and Pa Emmanuel Joe Briggs.
Their recognition served as a beacon of the Foundation’s ethos – to honour and celebrate older people’s wisdom and life experiences.
The O.B. Lulu-Briggs Foundation, a non-partisan not-for-profit organization with deep roots in communities of Nigeria’s Niger Delta, executes its mission through various programs, including Free Medical Missions, Access to Clean Water and Sanitation, Education and Scholarships, and Microcredit and Entrepreneurship, all aimed at nurturing the holistic well-being of vulnerable people in the region.