‘He was a Lagos Island boy’ — Sanwo-Olu promises to immortalise Herbert Wigwe

Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Lagos governor, says his administration will immortalise Herbert Wigwe, the late GCEO of Access Holdings Plc, for his contributions to the growth and development of the state during his lifetime. 

Speaking during a tribute organised for Wigwe in Lagos on Monday, Sanwo-Olu said “Herbert was a fearless banker” who always had “good things to say, good stories to share, had a lot of encouragement to give”.

He lauded Wigwe for supporting his political ambition, leading from the front and helping him to realise the “big dreams” he had for Lagos.

“Herbert was one of the very first people who supported my ambition generously and I said to him ‘brother I’m not going to disappoint you, I will leave, I will work and I will come back to represent the friendship that we all have together,” Sanwo-Olu said.

“And he said count me in, I’ll give you all the support that you require.

“Him and my other brother Aigboje, had given me the support from the very first day as the governor of the state. It’s countless, it’s numerous, it’s unbelievable how a man can truly share everything he has with you.

“Herbert makes it a point of duty every time he is flying out, he drops in at the Lagos House Marina and his greeting is always the same way: ‘Excellency oo don’t give up, we’ll do it, don’t worry, those things, we’ll get it done. You don’t have time oo, think about it. It’s only four years to come now. Let’s do it.’ Those were his words of encouragement.”

He recalled how after his re-election, Wigwe embarked on a trip to Cairo with him, alongside other friends, and “they put together the biggest audacious financing plan that I’ve ever seen by anyone. And they said to me ‘governor, you have what it takes and we believe in you, we trust you. Go ahead and change the face of Lagos”.

“That’s my brother for you. That’s Herbert Wigwe for you. That’s a man that all of us are truly celebrating today,” he added.

Speaking on how Wigwe extended his support to his family, Sanwo-Olu said he has “indeed lost a big friend” but promised to immortalise the late businessman.

“One of my joys this evening is the fact that I now know that indeed Herbert has a Lagos story in his life,” Sanwo-Olu said.

“He was born at the Lagos Island Maternity Hospital. That speaks volumes because indeed he is an Isale Eko boy and we will claim him as part of us.

“If we were a city that gives citizenship at his place of birth, he would have been given the citizenship of Lagos Island and we will do something with that name at Lagos Island.”

On February 10, 2024, Wigwe, alongside his wife, son, and Abimbola Ogunbanjo, former group chairman of the Nigerian Exchange Group Plc (NGX Group), were involved in a helicopter crash that led to their deaths.