The air of disappointment surrounding the dying of a former Chief Government Officer of Entry Holdings Included, Herbert Wigwe, and a former chairman of the Nigerian Alternate Group Plc, Abimbola Ogunbanjo has but to peter out, write VICTOR AYENI and GODFREY GEORGE
Grief has pitched its tent with the Wigwes and Ogunbajos. For them and pals of the households, the ache from the tragic dying of a former Chief Government Officer of Entry Holdings Included, Herbert Wigwe, his spouse, and his son, in addition to a former chairman of the Nigerian Alternate Group Plc, Abimbola Ogunbanjo, can’t be overemphasised.
One second, he was vigorous, heading for an occasion in California, United States of America; the subsequent second, information of his dying crammed the air.
On Friday, February 9, the 57-year-old banker died in a helicopter accident alongside his spouse, Chizoba; his son, Chizi; Ogunbanjo, and two crew members.
They had been reported to have been en path to Boulder Metropolis, Nevada, from Palm Springs, California, that night time when the helicopter conveying them crashed at about 10 pm, in Halloran Springs, close to California’s Mojave Desert.
US federal investigators are climate situations, studies of downed energy traces close to the accident web site, and different doable elements that may have prompted the helicopter crash, in accordance with the Los Angeles Occasions.
Along with his current efforts to broaden Entry Financial institution’s attain across the continent, together with Kenya, South Africa, and Botswana, early in 2024, Wigwe deliberate to launch a brand new banking service in Asia and a world college, Wigwe College, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Saturday PUNCH gathered that his spouse, Chizoba, owned Craneburg Building Firm, a agency accountable for developing the Wigwe mansion – a cutting-edge, multibillion-naira infrastructure mission located at Queens Drive in Ikoyi.
The totally automated constructing, it was realized, was accomplished about two weeks earlier than the tragic accident that claimed the lives of the couple and their son.
Since Sunday when the late CEO’s dying was confirmed by the corporate’s Group Secretary, Sunday Ekwochi, tributes have been pouring in from throughout the nation.
The late banker was mentioned to be survived by 4 youngsters, 4 siblings, his 90-year father, Pastor Shyngle Wigwe, who retired because the director-general of the Nigerian Tv Authority, and his mom, Mrs Stella Wigwe.
Within the aftermath of the tragedy, a number of kinfolk, associates, politicians, and pals, trooped to the house of the mother and father of the deceased in Ikoyi, Lagos, to condole with the bereaved household.
Among the many dignitaries who’ve visited the Wigwes are a former group managing director of Entry Financial institution, Aigboje Aig-Imokuede; Chairman of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote; Labour Get together’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi; founding father of Stanbic IBTC, Atedo Peterside; Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, and the Normal Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, amongst others.
When Saturday PUNCH visited the house of the Wigwes on Wednesday, the air of sorrow across the residence was palpable as people waited exterior the premises.
Sympathisers might be seen holding arms and comforting each other as they reminisced on the lives of the late CEO, his spouse, and his son.
Whereas one in all our correspondents was not granted entry to the primary constructing, many of the guests expressed their unwillingness to talk to journalists in regards to the tragedy.
How Wigwe paid my hire for 4 years – Financial institution worker
Throughout a second go to on Thursday, some sympathisers, who had been seen leaving the premises, instructed one in all our correspondents that the late Wigwe left a long-lasting legacy.
Considered one of them, who mentioned he was a employees member of Entry Financial institution, however refused to present his identify, described the late group CEO and his spouse as his benefactors, having helped him to pay his hire for 4 years when he moved to Lagos from Kogi.
He mentioned, “Wigwe overheard me complaining about my hire over the telephone within the elevator. He waited for me to complete and instructed me to fulfill the human sources division for help.
“I assumed it was a joke. In a matter of minutes, I received an e-mail from the corporate that I had been supplied lodging by the group managing director. I used to be shocked.
“It took me two months to lastly meet him in individual once more to thank him. He smiled and instructed me to easily do my job and make my household proud. That man stored on paying my hire until I needed to write to him that I may now afford it comfortably.”
One other worker of the financial institution, who’s a department supervisor in one of many branches on the Lagos Mainland, mentioned, “Mr Herbert Wigwe was a pleasant man. His spouse was additionally very good; she didn’t discriminate. Once I was nonetheless a brief employees member, I do not forget that it was Wigwe who instructed the board to look into ways in which I and others might be made everlasting workers.
“We took the examination and handed. It has been a few years down the road and I’m a department supervisor. I’m the place I’m as a result of he gave me an opportunity; if not for him, I might need left the system now or might need nonetheless been working as a brief worker, with no hopes of being transformed. I’ll endlessly be grateful to him for that.”
‘A star is gone’
Nevertheless, a former Minister of Well being, Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, described the late Herbert as a star who developed right into a gem and whose loss would want a lot prayer and endurance.
“In him, a star was born and that star developed right into a gem, and now we’re witnessing a scenario the place the star that changed into a gem is gone. It wants quite a lot of prayerful endurance to have the ability to cope.
“We don’t know the methods of God; there’s nothing that He does that’s not for the nice of mankind so we are saying might his soul relaxation in peace. This can be a massive tragedy,” he said.
Additionally talking throughout her condolence go to, a former Chief Decide of the Federal Excessive Courtroom, Justice Rose Ukeje, mentioned, “I’m as devastated as doable, however God’s will, what can we are saying? We can’t ask why, he is aware of why and he’ll consolation the household.”
A Redeemed Christian Church of God pastor, Brown Oyitso, described the late banker as a charitable man who prolonged a hand of assist to folks and lived an excellent life.
“He got here, he noticed and he conquered. His life was an affidavit of greatness. You already know, he was of assist to folks and communities. That is learn how to reside your life. It’s mentioned that it’s not how lengthy however how properly,” he mentioned.
For the daddy of the deceased, it appeared as if destiny was repeating itself as he misplaced his first son, Osita, 27 years in the past, in a automotive crash.
In an interview he had with The Cable in 2018, Shyngle mentioned he was attending a ministers’ convention on June 5, 1997, when Osita, who was 34 years outdated, died in a street accident whereas travelling from Lagos to Port Harcourt.
“I by no means sweated like that in my life earlier than and I didn’t assume it was going to occur to me. For weeks, I couldn’t go as much as the altar. I went, then I wept, and I got here down. It was like someone took a pair of forceps to attract out your coronary heart from you.
“That boy was one in 1,000,000. He had the attributes of a daughter; he had the attributes of a son. He was an answer supplier to all household issues.
“If I had him, I assumed I had every part. For fairly a while, I didn’t really feel life was price dwelling anymore. We spoke as brothers, not as father and son,” he mentioned.
Kinsmen protest
In the meantime, some indigenes and residents of Omoeke neighborhood, the hometown of the late Entry Holdings GCEO in Isiokpo, Ikwerre, Rivers State took to the streets on Monday to mourn his dying. The protesters, who had been wearing black attires, marched by means of the neighborhood singing songs of mourning.
Through the protest, retailers, and markets within the space had been closed because the distraught protesters known as on the USA of America to completely examine the helicopter crash which took the lifetime of their son and brother.
Additionally they demanded that the corpses of the later Wigwe, his spouse, and his son be flown again to Nigeria and dropped at the neighborhood for burial. A consultant of one of many protesters, recognized as John Opurum, mentioned the protesters had been demanding to know the circumstances that led to the dying of the deceased within the crash.
He said, “Our calls for are that the corpses have to be introduced again to Nigeria and to our soil right here. We should bury him right here. We don’t wish to know what occurred over there. We should know why and the way our brother died.”
Go to to Entry Tower
Throughout a go to to the Entry Tower, the headquarters of Entry Financial institution on 14/15 Prince Alaba Abiodun Oniru Street, Lagos, on Friday, Saturday PUNCH noticed an air of disappointment. An worker, who refused to present his identify, mentioned although a brand new GCEO had been introduced, Wigwe was nonetheless being missed by the staffers.
“Mr Wigwe was an excellent man. Throughout a few of our staffers’ birthdays, if he knew, he would simply present up and make it particular for that fortunate individual. Some employees members can confess how form he was.
“Besides he didn’t find out about your downside or didn’t have the ability to repair it; he at all times supplied to assist,” the employee mentioned.
Though the usage of cameras was prohibited across the condolence register space adorned with lovely rose flowers, a number of prospects and well-wishers gathered to signal the register.
A girl, who gave her identify as Excessive Chief Olubunmi, mentioned she was a private pal of the Wigwes and the financial institution.
“I moved all my cash right here when Wigwe and his pal began this financial institution. I’ve been banking with them for years now. It’s surprising to me; Herbert was my private pal.
“4 days earlier than he handed, we spoke. It’s simply so unhappy for me, my son, that he’s gone and I, who am a lot older, am nonetheless right here,” she mentioned, holding again tears.
Ogunbanjo’s dying heartbreaking – Household
The Ikoyi residence of the late Abimbola Ogunbanjo was stuffed with palpable disappointment when our correspondent visited. Exterior the big compound, a number of sympathisers thronged the house to share within the grief.
His widow, clad in a floating robe and black headgear, sobbed as her late husband’s associates mentioned form phrases about him.
Ogunbanjo, a former chairman of the Nigeria Alternate Group, died alongside Wigwe within the ill-fated crash. Licensed in worldwide capital markets and marine legislation, he held the place of GCEO on the NGX group from 2021 to 2022.
He had his early training at Corona Faculty, Apapa; the College of Lagos Workers Faculty, Claremont Faculty, Hastings, Sussex; and Igbobi School, Lagos State, earlier than he went to Millfield Faculty, England the place he attained his GCE O’ Ranges.
Afterward, he proceeded to the American School, in Switzerland for a bachelor’s diploma in Enterprise Administration. Ogunbajo additionally had a bachelor’s diploma in Legislation from the College of Buckingham, United Kingdom.
A consultant of the household, addressing a gaggle of sympathisers suspected to be shut associates of the late Ogubanjo, mentioned the dying of the banker was heartbreaking for the whole household.
He mentioned, in his welcome tackle, “Thanks very a lot for coming to present us a lot energy. Just a few months in the past, we did this identical factor for somebody near the household.
“Little did we all know that we’d do that identical factor once more quickly. We noticed what occurred. It’s so heartbreaking.”
He broke down in tears earlier than persevering with his speech.
“You already know once I spoke with him, he would counsel me. He was greater than a brother. He’ll at all times be greater than a brother. Coming right here right this moment, I really feel sturdy. Each time his pals name or anytime I obtain a message, I’m strengthened, and all I can say is thanks all for standing by him.”
Investigations intensify
The unhappy improvement led to widespread mourning in Nigeria and the Diaspora. President Bola Tinubu, President Emmanuel Macron of France, state governors in Nigeria, enterprise tycoons, and a few outstanding Nigerians have expressed commiseration with the households of the deceased Nigerians.
The Federal Authorities confirmed that it had begun talks with the federal government of the USA of America on the continued investigation of a chopper crash that claimed the lives of Wigwe, his spouse, son, and Ogunbanjo.
It additionally mentioned the Nigerian Security Investigation Bureau had entered into discussions with the Nationwide Transportation Security Board of the USA to officer vital assist on the continued investigation of the circumstances that led to the crash of the chopper.
This got here as American investigators mentioned the wreckage of the crashed chopper can be transferred to a brand new location within the US for complete exams on Tuesday.
The ill-fated helicopter, operated by Orbic Air as a Half 135 constitution flight, crashed round 10 pm final Friday.
Nigeria’s NSIB is the Federal Authorities company that investigates air crashes, amongst others within the nation. The NTSB has the same mandate within the US.
NSIB’s Director-Normal, Captain Alex Badeh, whereas confirming the newest transfer by the Federal Authorities in an announcement, mentioned Nigeria’s engagement with the US on the problem aligned with Chapter 5, Subsection 27 of the Worldwide Civil Aviation Organisation’s Annex 13, which bothered on “Plane Accident and Incident Investigation”.
