A helicopter ferrying Herbert Wigwe, the CEO of Access Holdings, his wife Chizoba, son and Abimbola Ogunbanjo, the group chairman of Nigerian Exchange Group Plc (NGX Group) has crashed, killing them and some others in California.
Sources said the ill fated chopper was was headed to Las Vegas when it crashed near a border city between Nevada and California on Friday night. The US government confirmed all on board dead.
Herbert Onyewumbu Wigwe was born 15 August 1966 in Ibadan.
Until his death, Wigwe was CEO of Access Holdings Plc, traded as Access Corporation.
He was the Group Managing Director/CEO of Access Bank plc, one of Nigeria’s top five banking institutions, after succeeding his business partner, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede in January 2014 till April 2022.
Bamofin Abimbola Ogunbanjo was the Group Chairman of Nigerian Exchange Group Plc, the non-operating holding company that emerged from the demutualisation of The Nigerian Stock Exchange from 2021 to 2022. Prior to this, he was the President of the National Council of the NSE from 2017 to 2021.
Days ago Wigwe came under intense criticisms over payment of school fees in dollars in in his university.
However, Wigwe University has said its home students will pay their fees in naira, explaining that its decision for select dollar payment was a strategic one which aligns with its vision to attract a diverse and international student body.
In a statement issued by the institution, Wigwe university noted that it respects the concerns raised by some members of the public, and was obliged to clear the air on the matter.
“The decision to list our fees in USD is a strategic one, aligning with our vision to attract a diverse and international student body. By utilising USD, a universally accepted currency, we aim to provide clarity and transparency for our prospective students from around the world. We want to assure our home students that they will pay their tuition fees in Naira.
“As a hub for intellectual growth, we are not just building individuals, but contributing significantly to the economic development and growth of Nigeria and Africa at large. The presence of international students at Wigwe University has a positive ripple effect on the local economy.
“The exposure to the rich cultural and entrepreneurial landscape of Nigeria creates a potential avenue for future investments and business collaborations. Furthermore, the influx of international students will boost our local economy by bringing in USD, this positive impact will gradually reduce capital flight from our economy,” the school explained.
Wigwe University said it was dedicated to fostering a global learning environment with a focus on excellence, innovation, and inclusivity.
It stated that the institution’s commitment to providing a world class education is reflected in its distinguished faculty, with over 35 per cent hailing from prestigious international institutions.
In addition, Wigwe university said its state-of-the-art infrastructure rivals the best institutions globally, with its campus equipped with modern facilities, smart classrooms, cutting edge laboratories and comprehensive research centres.
According to Wikipedia, Wigwe had a degree in accountancy from the University of Nigeria, an MA in Banking and Finance from the University College of North Wales (now Bangor), an MSc in Financial Economics from the University of London, and was an alumnus of the Harvard Business School Executive Management Programme.
Wigwe started his career at Coopers & Lybrand, Lagos as a management consultant, later qualifying as a chartered accountant. After a stint at Capital Bank, he joined GTBank where he spent over a decade working in corporate and institutional banking, rising to become the executive director in charge of institutional banking.
In 2002, Wigwe and his business partner, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede bought into what was then a small commercial bank, Access Bank – at the time, the 65th largest of the 89 banks in the country.
Access Bank is now one of the top five banks in Nigeria and ranked among the top 500 global banks according to a 2015 report by The Banker magazine and is aiming to be Africa’s top bank. It currently serves over 6.5 million account-holders, through 350 branches and with more than 1,500 ATMs in major centres across Nigeria, Sub-Saharan Africa and the UK.
Wigwe also served as the Chairman of Access Bank Ghana Limited,[5] Access Investment & Securities Limited, Central Securities and Clearing System (CSCS) and is the current Chairman of Access Bank (UK) Limited. He is a board member of Nigerian Mortgage Refinance Company and a member of the advisory Board for Friends Africa. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN – FCA), a Fellow of The Institute of Credit Administration, and an Honorary member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria.
