Herbert Wigwe: Chidi Duru mourns as Access Holdings breaks silence on helicopter crash
By Emma Ogbuehi
As Nigerians, and indeed, the global business community continued to mourn the untimely death of the Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings Plc., Herbert Wigwe, who died in a helicopter crash together with his wife and son on Friday night in the U.S., a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Nze Chidi Duru, has lamented what he described as a “horrendous moment of mourning.”
This is even as the Access Holdings has broken its silence has broken its silence on the fatal crash.
In a message on his X on Sunday morning, Nze Duru, who is the APC Deputy National Organizing and former member, House of Representatives, recalled how Wigwe’s intervention helped in resolving the decade long crisis that threatened to consume First Guarantee Pension Limited.
Nze Duru, Chairman, Grand Towers Limited, founded the First Guarantee Pension Limited, one of Nigeria’s best performing Pension Fund Administrators in Nigeria until the attempted hostile takeover of the company by some shareholders.
READ ALSO: ‘‘Let us number our days’, Access Bank CEO, Wigwe, said prior to helicopter crash
The crisis lasted for over a decade until Wigwe’s Access Bank stepped in.
Recalling his experience with Herbert Wigwe in a tribute on X on Sunday, Nze Duru wrote:
“My deepest condolences to the family of the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO), Access Holdings Plc,
@HerbertOWigwe
“He was an astute financial czar who brought a lot of innovations to bear in the operational architecture of Access Bank Plc and its subsidiaries.
“Wigwe championed the culture of strong risk management, innovative technology, and best-practice corporate governance to deliver high standards of management and returns on pension assets to the benefit of its stakeholders.
“I will always remember him for his intervention in the ownership tussle of First Guarantee Pension Limited (FGPLUG) which led to its seamless acquisition by Access Pension Plc.
“We had an over-the-table discussion on how to resolve the dispute, a deal was struck, and we both kept to the agreement.
“I am devastated by the sad news of his demise in the ill-fated Eurocopter EC 130 Helicopter crash in the United States alongside his amiable wife, Chizoba Wigwe, son, and Bimbo Ogunbanjo.
“He was a man of impeccable integrity and a boardroom guru.
“My sincere thoughts are with his family, friends, business associates, the Ogunbanjos and the entire staff of @myaccessbank at this horrendous moment of mourning.
“May God grant their families the strength to bear the loss.”
Meanwhile, in breaking their silence on the fatal crash, Access Holdings Plc., clarified on Sunday that they lacked specific information concerning the crash, but they are collaborating with the US authorities who they said would provide updates on the matter.
In a statement tagged “Important announcement” on its official Instagram handle, @myaccessbank, it said: “We have received numerous inquiries concerning an airplane crash in the USA.
“Presently, we lack specific information; however, we are actively collaborating with US authorities who will furnish updates.
“Your understanding and support are valued, and we commit to keeping you informed promptly as we receive updates on the situation.”
In confirming the crash earlier, the US Federal Aviation Administration did not disclose the identities of the six people said to be onboard.
The message on its website read: “A Eurocopter EC 130 helicopter crashed near Nipton, California, around 10 pm local time on Friday, February 9. Six people were on board.”