‘Nigeria lost a shining star,’ Tinubu leads tribute for Wigwe one year after

The banker, his wife Chizoba; his son Chizi, and a former President of the National Council of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) Abimbola Ogunbajo died in an air crash exactly one year ago in the US.

During the one-year remembrance service for Wigwe which was held in Lagos on Sunday, Tinubu said the late business sage built institutions.

“Wigwe was more than a banker. He was a builder – of institutions, of dreams and people,” the Nigerian president who was represented by the Minister of Finance Wale Edun told the solemn gathering of distinguished personalities at the Eko Hotel.

According to him, through several projects, Wigwe was a major contributor to youth empowerment, education, healthcare, and philanthropy among others.

“But even in our grief, we find solace in the enduring legacy of his work, his values, and the institutions he built. His story is one that reminds us that vision, hard work, and service to humanity are measures of true greatness,” President Tinubu said.

The president extended his condolences to the Wigwe family; Access Holdings, friends, and loved ones the former banker left behind.

“Nigeria has lost a shining star,” Tinubu said, “but the light Wigwe lighted in our nation will never be dimmed.”

The president was not the only one who paid tributes to Wigwe at the event. A former president of the nation Olusegun Obasanjo though absent had a tribute for the former banker.

Obasanjo said Wigwe’s death has “left an indelible void in our hearts and our nation’s financial landscape”.

While the former Access Bank chief is no longer alive, the former president believes “his legacy endures”.

“Whenever I come across Access Bank today, memories of Herbert Wigwe come flooding,” part of the tribute read.

Despite Wigwe’s status as one of the leading financial giants globally, Obasanjo said “he remained collegial, accessible, and deeply committed to nurturing relationships.

“He understood that true leadership isn’t just about building institutions but about building people.”

The governor of Lagos State who was also present at the Eko Hotel said the late banker was “larger than life”.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in a heartfelt message, said, “A year ago, the world as we knew it, changed forever. In an instant, we lost a man whose presence was larger than life”.

“He, especially believed in our work here in Lagos State. Herbert travelled the world with us, helping my government to mobilise partners and funding,” the Lagos State governor said.

“Lagos State has felt his absence very strongly in the last one year and people in this room know truly what I am talking about. There are projects that would no doubt have moved faster today. Of course, Herbert being around would have pushed them forward.”

The tributes were not only from the country. French President Emmanuel Macron also had glowing words for Wigwe.

“As we commemorate the first anniversary of his sudden death today, the government of France salutes an exceptional entrepreneur, a friend of the arts, a man who served his country and the public interest; a friend of France,” the Consul General of France in Lagos (Nigeria) Laurent Favier who represented Macron said.

He said Wigwe featured prominently in strengthening Nigeria’s ties with France during his time as the President of the France-Nigeria Business Council between 2023 and 2024.

“The best tribute we can pay to him is indeed to keep his legacy alive,” he said at the solemn event.