Nigerians react to tributes for Herbert Wigwe by Dangote, Agbaje, Sanwoolu, others

On Monday, distinguished corporate professionals and political figures in Nigeria gathered to commemorate and honor the legacy of the late Chief Executive Officer of Access Corporation Plc, Herbert Wigwe.

The event held at Eko Hotels and Suites, Lagos-brought together dignitaries from the public and private sectors.

Notable attendees included Africa’s wealthiest man, Aliko Dangote, Minister of Finance Wale Edun, governors of Lagos and Ogun states, the Central Bank of Nigeria governor, and various bank chief executives, all of whom delivered heartfelt speeches.

The emotional highlight of the evening was Aliko Dangote, visibly moved and holding back tears, as he shared touching anecdotes about his close ties with Herbert Wigwe.

Dangote referred to Wigwe as a devoted friend, mentee, and supporter, expressing profound gratitude for the warmth of their friendship. In a momentous announcement, Dangote unveiled plans to immortalize Herbert Wigwe by naming the road leading to the Dangote Refinery as the “Herbert Wigwe Road.”

The news of Dangote’s decision reverberated widely, prompting an influx of reactions from Nigerians. The feedback from other dignitaries who attended also contributed to the outpouring of sentiments.

Social media platforms, especially X, experienced a surge in activity as individuals took to sharing their key takeaways from Wigwe’s life and legacy.

ThePressNG initially reported a helicopter crash involving the business mogul at the California-Nevada border, a report that Access Holdings later officially confirmed. The Eurocopter EC 130, traveling from Palmsprings to Boulder City, crashed around 10 pm (US California Time), with speculation suggesting the businessman was en route to the Super Bowl in Las Vegas with his family.

The National Travel and Safety Board (NTSB) initiated an investigation into the Airbus Helicopters EC-130 crash near Halloran Springs, California. Preliminary reports on the crash by the Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) indicated that the helicopter was engulfed in fire before its ill-fated crash, based on information received from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).