Staff members of Access Holdings on Monday promised to uphold the legacies of their late co-founder and Group Chief Executive Officer of the Access Holdings Group, Dr Herbert Wigwe, who died in a helicopter crash.
Wigwe died with his wife, Chizoba, and son, Chizi, alongside Otunba Abimbola Ogunbanjo, former Group Chairman of the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX Group), in the U.S. on Feb. 9, 2024.
Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the Access Bank Headquarters at the Victoria Island, the workers and customers were in sober and pensive mood.
Though activities were going on smoothly at the headquarters, a water-tight security was equally put in place within and around the premises.
NAN, however, flipped through the condolence register opened in honour of the departed with a number of comments.
However, the bank’s security operatives prevented NAN correspondents from picking names of the commentators in the register.
The security operatives said they were under strict instructions not to allow anyone flip through the register, insisting that sympathisers could only ‘comment and leave’.
“We are not happy, this is not time for this,” one of the security operatives said.
Members of the public and staff arrived the area in droves to sign with some adorned in black corporate attires.
Some of the workers who expressed their mood praised Wigwe’s mentorship and brilliance at impacting them to sharpen their skills, competencies and capabilities.
However, some staff member spoke to NAN on condition of anonymity while expressing their grief.
A senior official said the tragedy was a personal loss to workers, who felt like blood relation of Wigwe, described as a great boss that touched and impacted the lives of many workers directly.
The workers promised that the staff would use the deceased great visions for the continued growth and development of the bank.
The official said Wigwe introduced innovations that repositioned the Access Bank Holdings on a new global pedestal.
“If Herbert had a dream, it was our collective vision, we will uphold his visions and legacies, and build on his legacies.
“We have not only lost a good boss but we have lost a friend, his wife was also involved. So, we have lost a brother’s wife and a cherished son,” one of the workers said.
“We are still in shock. He was a good boss, a committed achiever, we will build on his legacies, it will live here forever”.
NAN reports that the Access Holdings Plc. lost three top executives including its Chairman, Bababode Osunkoya who died on Nov. 21, 2023, after a brief illness.
Also, the Head of Media Relations at Access Holdings, Abdul Imoyo, died on Dec. 17, 2023, at the First Cardiology, Ikoyi, Lagos, after a brief illness.