Tag: Herbert Wigwe

In the literary world, the greatest dirge ever written has to be that of Mark-Anthony in Shakespeare’s Julius Ceasar.  The power of figures of speech was evident in the funeral speech of Marc Anthony as he stirred the people to mutiny through the powerful and effective use of words. The irony was that the conspirators that killed Julius Ceasar had warned him not to indict them in his speech. His effective use of sarcasm, metaphors, personifications and repetitions stirred the crowd and helped him emotionally connect to the people so powerfully that the conspirators were run out of town.

It is therefore on record that in death in most cultures around the world, the living pay tributes to the dead through poetry, prose, music and dance. The intensity of any of the chosen art forms is determined by the status of the dead. As Shakespeare again wrote, “When beggars die, there are no comets seen, the heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes”.

This Shakespearean idiom was in full display as the family, friends, workers, business partners, colleagues and staff of Access Holdings and other companies the late Herbert  Wigwe had interests in pulled all stops to honour his memory, that of his wife Chizoba and their son Chizi’s in an almost week-long funeral obsequies.  Very few tragedies come close to the loss of three members of the same family in such a tragic circumstance. Herbert was well known in the financial circles due to his work ethic and patriotism.

And so the tributes poured in from across the globe and many were held spellbound by the depth of his friendships, love, kindness, generosity, financial acumen, diversity and as many noted, fearlessness. However, the tributes formed a bouquet and have been as inspiring as it has been awesome. The Roundtable Conversation cannot remember any Nigeria that has been mourned with such intensity and whose influence and humanity was so borderless they expose the deepest hypocrisies of most of the Nigerian political class.

Nigeria last year emerged from one of the most polarized elections in the country’s history. In Lagos state especially, there were instances of bigotry seemingly fueled or tolerated by politicians. Some tribal sentiments were easily whipped up and manipulated for electoral victories. Some people were stigmatized for their ancestry which of course stems from lack of wisdom as no human chooses where or who to be born by or what tribe to come from. There were exclusions, beatings and killings due to ethnic bigotry. Some voters were even prevented from voting for their preferred candidates in certain areas of the country.

Even in some states like the South East, things as seemingly insignificant as geographic sub-communities like Enugu East Vs Enugu North were weaponized and have always been weaponized by politicians.  In states like Imo and Anambra, innocuous issues like Christian denominations of Catholicism and Anglican are manipulated by politicians to divide voters and set them against each other for the benefit of politicians.

In the Northern part of the country that is predominantly of the Islamic faith, there is often a manipulation based on the religious sects. So sometimes, there are skirmishes between Sunnis and Shiites that in some ways, it baffles the world. In the Middle belt, there are issues between so called indigenes and settlers. The present bloodbaths in Jos has a long history traceable to socio-political manipulations by politicians. In the South South,  the struggle for the control of oil wealth pits the minority tribes against each other with some political colorations.

And so, a Herbert Wigwe from the diverse tributes seems to hold a mirror even from his grave to each Nigerian of any tribe, religion, gender or even status. What value do you bring to humanity? What value do you bring to your professional and private lives? Wigwe is from the Igbo speaking area of Rivers state. He was born in Lagos island maternity and in governor  Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s tribute, he said that having been born in Lagos island, if there was a system of granting citizenship, a Wigwe would have been granted the citizenship of Lagos. In his words; 

“Herbert was my friend, my brother, my adviser. He told me, we believe in you, we trust you, go ahead and change the face of Lagos, that’s my brother Herbert Wigwe…Herbert was one of the very first people that supported my ambition generously. We are all one big family now, Herbert has indeed transcended beyond borders, completely detribalized having the Nigerian story in his heart…we will cherish what he stood for, what he believed in and Lagos will not forget Herbert Wigwe”. He recounted their long friendship that preceded their individual successes in banking or politics.

Read Also: NLC to Fed Govt: let salaries, wages be commensurate with cost of living

   Another remarkable tribute was that of the 14th Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.  Wigwe’s death seemingly brought out the human in him. Decked in his royal regalia, he was overpowered by emotions as he delivered his very heartfelt tribute. Again, a dead Herbert holds a mirror of our shared humanity to us. Corporate positions, political offices, tribes, religion, royalty, peasant, gender and all other ‘manufactured differences’ seemingly disappear when our/others’ humanity comes first.

The tears of the former Emir came from a deep sense of grief from losing a very dear friend turned ‘brother’ who was there at his highest and  lowest. He recounted how over the years they had become family. It was not a predatory relationship. It was a mutually beneficial relationship beyond the corporate financial world. He recounted his admiration for the professionalism of Herbert and his business partner, Aigboje Aig-imoukhuede who have shown capacity and leadership from their days as mangers at Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) till now.

Emir Sanusi put value to a friendship that defied religion, region and tribe. The story of how Herbert and Aig-Imoukhede his closest friend showed friendship after he was deposed as Emir of Kano in 2020 by then governor Abdullahi  Umar Ganduje. Herbert  and his partner had displayed real friendship by rehabilitating the family in Lagos and provided the emotional support money cannot buy to both him and his children. The bond of family was so deep that his expectations were that he would likely die before Herbert being his senior in age. He was hoping that his kindness has shown him that his children in the event of his passing would be taken care of.

Some people might erroneously assume that the kindness shown to the former Emir was based on corporate reciprocity but the diverse tributes from even beyond Nigeria shows the human and humane angles of the late Wigwe. There are still people who do not appreciate friendship no matter how much they had benefitted from others. Politicians easily forget the voters once elections are won and lost. They merely come back during the next election.

The Roundtable Conversation feels that tragic as death is always inspite of the status of the dead, it brings our mortality closer and should make us more introspective. Primarily, Wigwe is of Igbo ancestry despite the political boundaries of state creation.  But moving tributes came from more people from other parts of Nigeria and even outside than anywhere else. The  stories of his interactions and love for family and friends where all similar.

His humanity shone through. His humility and empathy ran through most of the tributes. It’s quite ironic that while most people knew him for his professional banking accomplishments, his death even endeared him to more people because he was not advertising his accomplishments, his actions of love spoke for him. His behavior again gives credit to his aged parents. His father, Pastor Shyngle Wigwe was popular for his sterling public service at the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA).

Most public officers in Nigeria especially politicians tend to have dysfunctional families because of the lack of personal values of most parents who often feel that material provisions are all children need in the 21st century.  Herbert himself has demonstrated that he is a chip of the old block. His admirable family orientation prepared him to become a good son, brother, husband and father. The testimonies of almost everyone included how dutiful he was as a son, husband and father.

It was not therefore surprising that he succeeded both professionally and in his private life. He showed exceptional sense of leadership that most public office holders lack, reason why poor leadership is the bane of Nigeria’s development.  He equipped himself for all the tasks he accomplished academically and otherwise. On the contrary, most people just waggle through their ways and leave a trail of incompetence and inertia behind.

The Roundtable dedicates this page to the memory of Herbert Wigwe and his wife, Chizoba and son Chizzy. Their tragic deaths should leave us the living with eternal lessons about the choices we make in our little corners. It is not just about Herbert’s humanity, that of others shone through too, he had loyal and loving family, friends, partners, colleagues and subordinates and it is uplifting to see that most of these people were very humane, loyal and loving as well.

The tributes from all classes of people remind us of our own humanity, no office or position imbues anyone with certain values like empathy, charity, love and patriotism, it is the individual who makes choices and impacts on their world starting from family to community and nation. Wigwe’s love for humanity and  education inspired his philanthropy and the establishment of the Wigwe University, a project many of his friends and family have vowed to see to fruition. It is a legacy that remains his epitaph.

The Roundtable hopes Nigerians especially  politicians, many of who were at the various Nights of Tributes would have a change of heart and understand that at the end of life, the only thing that stands in your name are the actions that positively impacted humanity not your tribe of religion.

May the dead find peace and their families and friends, comfort. Adieu.

The dialogue continues…