…The NTSB say they will begin documenting the site of the crash today, including an aerial mapping and measurements, and a preliminary report is expected in the coming weeks.
SUN, FEB 11 2024-theGBJournal|The Board of Directors of Access Holdings Plc has confirmed the death of Herbert Wigwe, the founding Group Chief Executive Officer and former Group Managing Director of its flagship subsidiary, Access Bank Plc, in a helicopter crash in the California desert near Nevada border.
”Today, we bid farewell to a visionary leader, Herbert O. Wigwe, whose passion and unwavering commitment to excellence transformed Access into a global powerhouse. His legacy of excellence and compassion will continue to inspire us all. Rest in peace, Herbert Wigwe. Your impact will forever be felt,” Access Bank said in a statement today.
Wigwe’s death was earlier confirmed by Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, former Nigerian finance minister who is now the director general of the Worl Trade Organization (WTO).
”Terribly saddened by the news of the terrible loss of Herbert Wigwe, his wife and son as well as Bimbo Ogunbanjo in a helicopter crash. My deepest sympathies and condolences to the Wigwe family, the Ogunbanjo family, Access Bank Group employees and management,” the WTO boss wrote on her X wall.
News of the death of charismatic CEO and founder of the Wigwe University filtered into Nigeria Saturday as local Nevada newspapers began quoting the National Transport Safety Board (NTSB) on the crash of a chartered helicopter bound for Boulder City late Friday, in the California desert near Nevada border.
Wigwe died alongside two crew members and four passengers, according to NTSB official, Michael Graham on Saturday night.
News reports immediately identified four of the victims as Wigwe, his wife and his son, and Abimbola Ogunbanjo, former chair of NGX Group, the Nigerian stock exchange.
Graham said the rented Airbus EC130 aircraft took off from Palm Springs, California, at 8:45 p.m (US) on Friday, and at 10:08 witnesses began reporting the crash described as ”fiery” near Halloran Springs, which is located about 80 miles south of Las Vegas.
Graham noted that witnesses equally reported ”rain with some wintery mix” at the time of impact.
The flight was operated by California-based Orbic Air LLC, Graham said. He added that the crew killed consisted of a pilot in command and a safety pilot.
Graham said the aircraft was not equipped with a cockpit voice recorder or a flight data recorder, something that wasn’t mandated.
Graham noted also that the investigators will probe the airworthiness to include maintenance and structures of the helicopter, operations, meteorology and air traffic control.
Commenting on the passage of Dr. Wigwe, Mr. Abubakar Jimoh, Chairman of Access Holdings said:
“The Access Family has suffered a major loss with the passing of Dr. Wigwe who was a great friend and fine gentleman. He had a prodigious intellect, admirable personal qualities, and vast business experience which he brought to bear on the Access Family and for which we owe him a debt of gratitude.
We remain confident that the Access Group will build further on Dr. Wigwe’s legacy of growth and operational excellence.”
Dr. Wigwe was instrumental in the growth of Access Bank, which he co-founded with his friend and business partner Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede.
He took over as Access Bank Group CEO in 2014, focusing on the Bank’s expansion in Nigeria and Africa before taking the helm at Access Holdings in 2022. Under his leadership, Access Bank drove its African strategy to become Sub Saharan Africa’s largest retail bank by customer base.
Dr. Wigwe was a member of the Access Bank UK board as well as the board of the Nigerian Business Coalition Against AIDS (NiBUCAA).
He has long been an advocate for the eradication of malaria in Africa, working with the Corporate Alliance on Malaria to support this objective.
He also sat on the board of the Nigerian Mortgage Refinance Company and Friends Africa and was an honorary member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria and a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria and Institute of Credit Administration.
A two-time winner of the African Banker of the Year award from the African Banker Awards, Dr. Wigwe was a passionate advocate of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which form the bedrock of Access Holdings’ growth strategy.
His academic credentials include a degree in Accounting from the University of Nigeria, an MA in Banking and Finance from the University College of North Wales (now Bangor University), and an MSc in Financial Economics from the University of London. He also completed the Harvard Business School Executive Management Program.
Dr. Wigwe recently founded Wigwe University, Africa’s first ivy league institution dedicated to providing a world-class education and and raising the next generation of fearless leaders.
Meanwhile, the NTSB say they will begin documenting the site of the crash today, including an aerial mapping and measurements, and a preliminary report is expected in the coming weeks.
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