‘A man of integrity’ — Akpabio, Mbah, Abiodun mourn Wigwe

Senate President Godswill Akpabio; Peter Mbah, governor of Enugu; and Dapo Abiodun of Ogun, have paid tribute to Herbert Wigwe, the group chief executive officer (GCEO) of Access Holdings Plc.

On Saturday, around 7am Nigerian time, Wigwe, his wife, son and Abimbola Ogunbanjo, the former group chairman of Nigerian Exchange Group Plc (NGX Group), were involved in a helicopter crash in the United States.

Akpabio in a statement on Sunday by Eseme Eyiboh, his media aide, described Wigwe as “a man of integrity”.

“I received with shock the news of the passing of Mr Wigwe and some of his family members in a helicopter crash in the USA. Mr Wigwe’s contribution to the growth of Nigerian banking industry and indeed the economy of the country were exemplary and commendable,” Akpabio said.

“In his chosen career he exhibited a high level of professionalism and unmatched leadership which marked him out as a true patriot. He was a man of integrity who never believed in cutting corners to achieve success in business.

“On behalf of the the 10th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I offer our condolences to the Wigwe family, the Board and Management of Access Bank, the Governor of Rivers State, the President and Commander-.in-chief of the Armed Forces of Federal Republic of Nigeria for losing such a great son, iconic entrepreneur a serial investor at such a time that our country needs his services the most.”

On his part, Mbah said he received the news with “deep shock”.

The Enugu governor described Wigwe as “a brother, team player, philanthropist and throughbred professional”.

“This news comes with deep shock and rubs in, once again, the vanity of life,” Mbah said.

“Wigwe was a brother, a team player, philanthropist, visionary, and thoroughbred professional, who distinguished himself in the banking industry and corporate world, rising through the ranks to become a pioneer and titan of our time as well as an entrepreneur of global repute and reach.

“This incident is, therefore, an unspeakable disaster and monumental tragedy, not only to Nigeria, but also to the entire corporate world.

“My heart goes out to his immediate family, relatives, the Access Holdings Plc family, corporate Nigeria, and indeed the nation over these grave losses. May God grant their souls eternal repose.”

Dapo Abiodun, in a statement by Lekan Adeniran, his chief press secretary, said he is deeply saddened by the incident.

He said Wigwe was a quintessential banker who contributed immensely to the Nigerian economy, adding that he was a pillar of support to his administration in Ogun.

“I am deeply saddened by the news of the helicopter crash that claimed the lives of Herbert Wigwe and five others. My thoughts and prayers are with their families during this difficult time,” Abiodun said.

“Herbert Wigwe was not only a respected business leader but also a role model for many aspiring entrepreneurs. His contributions to the banking sector and the Nigerian economy will always be remembered.”