The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Wale Edun, and the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Yemi Cardoso, are among dignitaries who joined friends, professionals, banking, and business communities in celebrating the professional achievements of the late Group Managing Director of Access Holdings, Dr. Herbert Wigwe. He recently died in a helicopter crash alongside his wife and son.
At the ‘Dr. Herbert Wigwe Celebrating Professional Excellence’ event, which took place on Monday in Victoria Island, Lagos, most of those who spoke about their interactions with Late Wigwe described him as a fearless and courageous man.
Nigeria’s Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, recalled how 25 years ago, during his time as commissioner in Lagos, Wigwe and Imoukuede, as senior executives at GTBank, came to him to market the bank. According to him, Wigwe, through his bank, financed part of the construction projects carried out in Lagos.
“I don’t know how I feel losing such a pillar of support,” the minister stated.
According to Cardoso, “it is important that we celebrate the life of a man who dedicated himself to excellence. In my personal professional capacity, my experiences with him were that of genuine concern for the welfare of our nation, and his dedication to service, coupled with his generosity, touched countless lives.”
The CBN governor said many who interacted with Wigwe will be inspired by his vision and dedication to building Access Bank into an international financial services powerhouse.
Dressed in black attire, the President of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, broke into tears as he paid tributes to Wigwe, whom he described as a brother and friend.
“To immortalize my beloved friend, my brother, and my mentee, I have decided to designate one of the major roads leading to the Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Complex after him,” he said at the Eko Hotel in Lagos State.
“Out of the 120 kilometers of road, the largest stretch will now bear the name ‘Herbert Wigwe.’”
In an emotion-laden voice, Dangote described the late Wigwe as more than a friend and mentee, regretting that he could not do anything to prevent the death of Wigwe, his wife, and son. Dangote described Wigwe as a “visionary role model and a perfectionist who gave so much of himself. His strides are seen in the economic landscape of the country.
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“He is a pillar of support and strength for me and my family. He supported me as the company grew, and he is part of the success story. Herbert’s wise counsel was central to the growth of Dangote Group. I will forever cherish his friendship and I owe him a debt of gratitude. Herbert’s courage was second to none, and he was never short of anything. We share a common principle of perseverance which is a secret of success.”
Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, recalled the unwavering support Wigwe gave to his ambition to become Lagos State governor.
“I have lost a good friend. We will cherish what he believed in,” Sanwo-Olu stated.
On his part, the Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, who noted that Wigwe along with his wife and son did not do anything to have deserved their fate, said the sad occurrence was the will of God.
He described Wigwe as extremely hardworking, bold, diligent, intentional, consistent, reliable, and dependable. “He was loyal to his friends. He was intelligent and way ahead of his time. He was ever so forward-thinking, believed in Nigeria, and did everything to support and promote the course of the country.
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“I can’t thank him enough for supporting the dreams of the state. He was instrumental in the payment of salaries to private bond and projects of the state such as the airport. The history of the state will not be complete without Herbert. I appreciate the speed of his trust in my government to hit the ground running. He was a different person to everyone, selfless, and promise-keeping. God has called him and knows why he has called him to himself,” he stressed.
Reading Wigwe’s citation, Roosevelt Ogbonna, Managing Director/CEO of Access Bank Plc, noted that Herbert Wigwe leveraged the Central Bank of Nigeria’s holding company regulatory framework to drive the bank’s entry into non-banking business.
Despite its massive growth, Access Bank has maintained its unique relationships with its employees, totaling 28,000 across the continent. It remains a hotbed of talent, continuing to attract Africa’s best and brightest, who contribute in various ways every day in realizing the bank’s vision of being the world’s most respected African Bank.
In 2022, he was appointed the pioneer CEO of the holding company.
