March 09, (THEWILL)- The late Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of Access Holdings Plc, Herbert Wigwe, his wife, Chizoba, and son, Chizi have been buried in his hometown Omueke, Isiokpo in Rivers State.
THEWILL reports that Wigwe died in a helicopter crash alongside his wife, son, and a former chairman of the Nigerian Exchange Group Plc, Abimbola Ogunbanjo. The chopper with registration N130CZ crashed on February 9, 2024, in California, United States.
Wigwe, his wife, and son were laid to rest in a private interment following a funeral church service at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Lion of Judah Parish, Isiokpo.
Saturday’s funeral service commenced promptly at 11:00 am after a Christian wake was organised in their honour.
Hundreds of mourners, including friends, associates, and well-wishers from Nigeria and across the globe poured into Isiokpo to pay their final respects to the deceased.
Present at the funeral service were: Senate President Godswill Akpabio; former Senate President, Bukola Saraki; former Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal; Governor of Abia State, Alex Oti; former Central Bank Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi; Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara; Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Prof. Ngozi Ordu; Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-olu; and Peter Obi, Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections.
Others are Founder and Chairman of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote; Aigboje Aig-Imuokhuede, Co-founder of Access Bank; Umo Eno, Akwa Ibom State Governor; Kayode Fayemi, former Governor of Ekiti State; Chibuike Amaechi, former Minister of Transportation; Governor of Bayelsa State, Douye Diri; Celestine Omehia, former Governor of Rivers State; Senator Seriake Dickson, former Governor of Bayelsa State; Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun; Timi Alaibe, former NDDC Managing Director; Prince Nduka Obaigbena, Publisher of Thisday Newspaper, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike; Dr. Godknows Igali, a former Nigerian diplomat, and Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu, who was the Chief Security Officer (CSO) of the burial ceremony, among many others.
Speaking at the funeral ceremony, Akpabio described the late Dr. Wigwe as a great mentor who has positively impacted the younger generations to greatness.
Akpabio said Wigwe had left behind indelible legacies in the education and financial sectors respectively that would endure for a long time.
He noted that Wigwe’s passion for human capital development prompted him to support many in acquiring tertiary education across the world, as well as establishing a university in his hometown, Isiokpo, stressing that his contributions to the development of humanity would be remembered.
“I believe he was a great mentor. He mentored a lot of younger people and he is a serious role model to the future generation that you can build from nothing and get to greatness. To become great, you must work hard because with hard work you can achieve greatness.
“The University he has left behind was because of his passion for education. He has supported and sent so many to educational citadels across the world and leaving this edifice behind, you know the university is not only for Nigerians, it is for the entire global community. So, just like he was a global banker, opening bank branches all over the place, he actually left a legacy in education that he would be remembered for years to come.
“This man has made so much impact around the world. He gave food to so many people in Nigeria and many countries, even in Dubai. He was also in China. He did a lot, he put food on the table of so many in the world, so I regarded him as a global citizen, an Icon of the world,” he said.
Also speaking shortly after the event, the former Speaker of the House of Representatives and ex-Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, said Wigwe gave his best to the financial sector in Nigeria.
“He is an illustrious son, someone who gave his best to the Nigerian financial sector. Unfortunately, he met an untimely death. It was his time, God Almighty had called upon him and he had to answer. Our consolation is that he did very well and he has left a very lasting legacy, may his soul rest in peace,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Uche Secondus, said the vacuum created by the death of Wigwe would be hard to fill.
Secondus stated that the University Wigwe left behind in his home town would not only benefit his kinsmen but the entire country.
“We are in pain because of the death of our brother. He has left a huge legacy that would be very difficult for a very long time to fill.
“He is our brother and he is a leader and of course, you know he is a financial guru. He is like a man who saw tomorrow, he dreamt and he followed his dream to the letter. And coming back home to establish one of the universities that would have been the best and is still going to be the best in the world is one legacy that he has left that everybody in Isiokpo, in Rivers State and Africa as a whole would continue to remember him for,” he said.
