The Governor of Cross River State, Senator (Prince) Bassey Edet Otu and former Senate Leader, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, SAN, have joined other prominent Nigerians to mourn the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Access Holding PLC, Nigeria’s largest banking group, Dr. Herbert Wigwe, his wife, son and others who died in a helicopter crash in the United States.
The chartered helicopter was on its way from Palm Springs, California to Boulder City in Nevada when it went down about 96km from Las Vegas where the late Wigwe was said to be going to watch the Super Bowl, an American football event.
Expressing his deepest condolences over the tragic demise of Wigwe and others, Governor Otu in a press release signed by his spokesman, Emmanuel Ogbeche, stated: “I received with utmost shock and sadness the tragic death of one of Nigeria’s sterling banker and business icon, Dr. Herbert Wigwe alongside his wife, son and others aboard a helicopter in the United States.
“This is a huge blow to the banking and financial sector not just in Nigeria, but across Africa and the world.
“Dr. Wigwe was a shining example of industry, brinksmanship and dedication to all of humanity. Dying at a time when he is pioneering world class education through his Wigwe University is a devastating loss to this lofty dream and all who hoped on him.
“My deepest condolences to his family, his community, the Board of Directors of Access Holdings Plc., his friends and associates.
“As painful as this death is, Dr. Wigwe will be remembered for the impactful life he lived and his unflinching dedication to excellence.
“May God rest the souls of all those in that tragic crash. Amen.”
Ndoma-Egba, a one-time Board Chairman of Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), described Wigwe’s death as shocking and a great loss to the South-South region and Nigeria at large.
In a statement by the legal luminary, he said: “It is a tragic loss to the South South, Nigeria and humanity indeed. A much needed visioner (Herbert Wigwe) is gone to eternity now to be remembered by what he had done. More confounding is the loss of his dear wife and son in the same accident. May God grant them and others who died in the helicopter mishap eternal rest.”
Born on August 15, 1966, the late Wigwe, a 1987 accounting graduate of the University of Nigeria Nsukka, UNN, hailed from Isiokpo, Ikwerre Local Government Area (LGA) of Rivers State. An alumnus of the Harvard Business School Executive Management Programme, he had a Master in Banking and Finance from North Wales University (now Bangor University) in the United Kingdom and Master of Science in Financial Economics from University of London.
