Remains of Herbert Wigwe, wife, son committed to mother earth. The trio alongside former Group Chairman of Nigerian Exchange Group Plc (NGX Group), Abimbola Ogunbanjo, as well as two pilots were all in the Airbus Helicopter EC 130B4 with registration number N130CZ, which crashed near Halloran Springs, California, on February 9, 2024.
By Emma Ogbuehi
Herbert Wigwe, his wife, Chizoba and son, Chizi have been buried in his hometown Omueke, Isiokpo in Rivers State.
The remains of the late Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings Plc, his wife and son were laid to rest in a private interment following funeral church service.
Their burial followed a week-long funeral rites to celebrate the life of the late banking expert, his wife and son.
TheNiche had earlier reported that the funeral service for the banker and philanthropist commenced promptly at 11am today.
Mourners, including friends, associates, and well-wishers from both local and international communities, gathered to pay their final respects.
The burial ground is located within the sprawling private home he built inside the premises of the Wigwe University in his country home of Isiokpo in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State.
In his tribute to the departed business mogul, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, described late Dr. Wigwe as a great mentor who positively impacted the younger generations to greatness.
He spoke at the funeral ceremony on Saturday at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Lion of Judah Parish, Isiokpo.
Akpabio said Wigwe had left behind indelible legacies that would be difficult to equate in the education and financial sectors respectively and enjoined all to imbibe the positive virtues of the late billionaire.
The Senate President noted that Wigwe’s passion for human capital development prompted him to support many in acquiring tertiary education across the world.
“I believe he was a great mentor. He mentored a lot of younger people and he was 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.
“This man has made so much impact around the world. He gave food to so many people in Nigeria and many countries in the world, 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.”
Also speaking shortly after the event, the former Speaker of the House of Representatives and immediate past Governor of Sokoto State, Waziri Aminu Tambuwal, said Wigwe gave his best to the financial sector in Nigeria.
“He was 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.”
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 up.
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 it would be very difficult for a very long time to fill.
“He was our brother and he was a leader and of course you know he was a financial guru. He was like a man who saw tomorrow.
“He dreamt and he followed his dream to the letter coming back home to establish the university that would have been the best and is still going to be the best in the world.
“It is one legacy that he has left that everybody in Isiokpo, in Rivers State, Nigeria and Africa as a whole would continue to remember him.”
Present at the service are; Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, business leader Aliko Dangote, HRH Muhammadu Sanusi II, Gov. Alex Otti, Gov. Dapo Abiodun, former Senate President Bukola Saraki, Gov. Babajide Sawno-Olu, former Anambra State Gov. Peter Obi and other notable captains of industry.
Other top dignitaries in attendance are Rivers State Governor Sim Fubara and State Commissioner of Police Olatunji Disu, who is the Chief Security Officer (CSO) of the burial ceremony.
Also at the funeral are Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State and Dr. Godknows Igali, a former Nigerian diplomat, among many others.
The trio of Herbert, Chizoba and Chizi Wigwe alongside former Group Chairman of Nigerian Exchange Group Plc (NGX Group), Abimbola Ogunbanjo, as well as two pilots were all in the Airbus Helicopter EC 130B4 with registration number N130CZ, which crashed near Halloran Springs, California, on February 9, 2024.
The exact cause of the crash is not yet known, but a preliminary report released by US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) two weeks ago, said the chopper was seen by several witnesses in vehicles who reported it as a “fireball” before its eventual crash.
According to the NTSB, the witnesses reported that the weather on the fateful day of the helicopter crash was a mix of rain and snow.
During the events leading to Wigwe’s burial, several friends, captains of industry, family members and associates paid tributes to the late banking guru.
