Prominent Nigerians including President Bola Tinubu and some state governors have joined other famous citizens to mourn the Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings Plc, Herbert Wigwe, who died in a chopper crash in the United States on Friday.
They described the deceased as a brilliant banker under whose leadership the bank grew in leaps and bounds.
Wigwe, his wife, Doreen; son Chizi; and a former Group Chairman of Nigerian Exchange Group, Abimbola Ogunbanjo, lost their lives in the helicopter crash which occurred near a border town between California and Nevada.
Earlier on Saturday, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, and Director-General of the World Trade Organisation, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, had expressed shock over the death of the top banker and co-travellers.
On Sunday, the president, some state governors, friends and associates described the deceased as an exceptional banker.
Access was ranked 65th when Wigwe and his co-founder bought it, but the bank was reportedly one of the top four by the time he died.
Under his leadership, Access Bank experienced rapid growth including the landmark transformation of the lender into a group or holding company.
The late Access Holdings group chief executive officer was about 36 years old when he co-founded Access Bank.
The Central Bank of Nigeria powerbrokers reportedly said they were young and almost frustrated with the deal.
Under Wigwe, Access Bank which had years earlier acquired Intercontinental Bank, also bought Diamond Bank.
Tinubu described the death of the prominent Nigerians as a monumental loss.
