By Emeka Amaefula
WHEN THE WORLD GATHERED FOR LATE HERBERT WIGWE’S BURIAL AT ISIOKPO TOWN RIVERS STATE
The atmosphere was calm, inside the sleepy town of Isiokpo ancient kingdom known for her vibrancy in social life and administrative headquarters of Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers state being a custodian of Ikwerre customs and tradition late Herbert Wigwe, wife Chizoba Doreen, and son Chizi were finally laid to rest as several national and international dignitaries gathered to pay their last respect to the fallen victims of a Helicopter crash that took place in the border town of California and Nevada in United States of America on 9th of February 2024.
Inside the Lion of Judah Parish church of Redeemed Christian church of God RCCG were dignitaries such as 10th National Senate President Goodwill Obot Akpabio, former Anambra state Governor and 2023 Labour Party Presidential candidate Peter Obi, Rivers state Governor Simon Fubara, founder of Dangote Group of companies Aliko Dangote, Rt. Honourable Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and other dignitaries paid tributes to the deceased.
For the 3 mahogany dark brown caskets which were driven inside 3 hearse sedan trucks were the remains of the deceased members of the Wigwe’s family as they were displayed inside the Lion of Judah Parish Redeemed Christian Church of God. The overflow had canopies designated for “Lagos” and another tagged “Community” as guests for the burial ceremony where all were sumptuously entertained at the end of the service. While the weather was very clement with adequate moderate sunshine and non-dusty citizens and mourners were seen standing around and some sat at the fronts of their homes drinking and chatting away the sad incident that befell their illustrious 3 fellow citizens.
The entire ceremony was spearheaded by two individuals Alhaji Aliko Dangote and Aigboje Aig- Omokhuede who were friends and co-founder of Access Bank Plce of late ace banker, businessman, philanthropist and former Access Bank CEO, Dr. Herbert Wigwe who was laid to rest alongside his wife Chizoba and son, Chizi Wigwe on Saturday 9th of February 2024.
There was a display of a ceremonial traditional wrapper known as George wrapper boldly displayed with sticks indicating mourning and celebration of the loss of an illustrious 3 citizens of Isiokpo ancient kingdom.
Usually, there were traditional shooting of gunpowder within the roads leading to the Wigwe’s compound and along the Omueke clan announcing the arrival of the corpses of the dead. There was a Night of Tributes which was held a day before the burial proper but on Saturday 9th of February 2024 at the Church service where the Senate President Senator Godswill Akpabio represented President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, he described the late Herbert Wigwe as a great mentor who positively impacted the younger generations through his actions of magnanimity. Senator Akpabio said that Nigeria and indeed Africa will live with the pains of his death for a long time, adding that he will continuously be mourned for leaving behind indelible legacies in the education and financial sectors respectively.
“The University he has left behind was because of his passion for education, he has supported and sent so many to educational citadels across the world and leaving this edifice behind, you know the university is not only for Nigerians, it is for the entire global community, so just like he was a global banker, opening bank branches all over the place, he actually has dropped a legacy in education that he would be remembered for years to come.
“This man has made so much impact around the world, he gave food to so many people in Nigeria and many countries in Africa, even in Dubai, he was also in China, he did a lot, he put food on the table of so many in the world, so I regarded him as a global citizen, an Icon of the world.”
The host Governor of Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara in his tribute said the late Dr. Herbert Wigwe, together with his wife and son, made enormous and impactful contributions to humanity within the short period they lived.
The charged Governor Fubara in his speech promised that the state government would immortalise the late financial expert by keeping his dreams alive and giving all necessary support to sustain the legacy of the Wigwe University.
He stated that the death of Dr. Wigwe and others should serve as a reflection for politicians who think only of themselves rather than society, tasking them (politicians) to reflect on the essence of the power struggle when it is not actually deployed in impacting society positively.
“Here is a man, though not a politician, he made his money through our investments. He had the world in his palm financially. He even controlled the political class.
“This takes me to my question about the political class. What is all this struggle all about? You want to kill and bury, to what end?
“But today, with all the power financially, he couldn’t control life. Is it not enough for us to ask ourselves, why are we struggling?
“Why are we not making enough impact in the lives of our people? Please, let the political class reflect on this.”
In his tribute, former Speaker of the House of Representatives and ex-Sokoto State Governor, now a serving Senator, Rt. Hon. Aminu Tambuwal eulogized the good qualities of Late Wigwe whom he said gave his best into the Nigerian financial sector but unfortunately met an untimely death.
Also speaking, former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Prince Uche Secondus said the vacuum created by the death of Wigwe would be hard to fill, adding that the entire Africa would remember him.
“He was our brother and he was a leader and of course you know he was a financial guru, he was like a man who saw tomorrow, he dreamt and he followed his dreams to the letter and came back home to establish one of the universities that would have been the best and is still going to be the best in the world, is one legacy that he had left that everybody in Isiokpo, in Rivers State and Africa as a whole, would continue to remember him for.”
The Chairman of the Caretaker Committee of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Rivers State and the state Representative on the Board of the NDDC, Chief Tony Okocha while addressing journalists at the side-line of the burial ceremony described the day as a dark day in the history of Ikwerre, Rivers State, Nigeria and the entire world at large.
He described the death of Herbert Wigwe as ‘one death too many’ and a colossal loss to humanity, and he prayed that God gives those he left behind the fortitude to bear the loss.
Dignitaries who graced the funeral service included former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, Governors of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-olu, Alex Otti of Abia State, Douye Diri of Bayelsa State, Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State, Dapo Abiodun of Ogun state, former Central Bank Governor, Lamido Sanisu Lamido, Labour Party Presidential Candidate in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, former Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi and Sir Celestine Omehia.
Others were; Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Aigboje Aig-Imuokhuede, Co-founder of Access Bank, Senator Seriake Dickson, former Governor of Bayelsa state, Timi Alaibe, former NDDC MD, Prince Nduka Obaigbena, Publisher of Thisday Newspaper, Kayode Fayemi, Former Governor of Ekiti state.
While the funeral ceremony was going on news about the rumoured death of the father of Late Herbert Wigwe filtered out around the corners of the Isiokpo ancient kingdom but a community stakeholder Mr. Confidence Amadi who spoke to this reporter said ” it’s not true that he died… it’s the handiwork of enemies and it shall not happen. He is not dead.”
The father of Late Herbert Wigwe was said to have slumped and was taken to the hospital where he recovered.
In 1997 Mr. Ostia Wigwe, first son of Engr. Shingle Wigwe lost his life while travelling from Lagos to Port Harcourt very close to Isiokpo town he had a car crash that claimed his life and that of others.
——- Emeka Amaefula —–+234(0)8111813069
