Billionaire and Chief Executive Officer of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has renamed the 120-kilometer road connecting to his refinery in Lagos after the late Herbert Wigwe in honor of his outstanding contributions to the project.
The news was made on Monday during a special event called ‘Celebrating Herbert Wigwe: A Professional Legacy’ at the Eko Hotel in Lagos, Nigeria.
Dangote paid tribute to Wigwe, the former CEO of Access Holdings, stressing his dedication and skill.
“To immortalize my beloved friend, my brother, and mentee, I’ve decided to name our major refinery and petrochemical road out of the 120km road; the biggest road will now be named Herbert Wigwe,” Dangote said.
On February 9, Wigwe, his wife Doreen, son Chizi, and a former group chairman of the Nigerian Exchange Group, Abimbola Ogunbanjo, were killed in a helicopter crash near the border towns of California and Nevada in the United States.
The event was attended by dignitaries such as Wale Edun, Minister of Finance; Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank; Babajide Sanwo Olu, Governor of Lagos State; Dolapo Ogundimo, Managing Director of Access Bank in Ghana; Karl Toriola, Chief Executive Officer of MTN Nigeria; and Olayemi Cardoso, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Ken Opara, President of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, offered his deepest condolences on Wigwe’s demise.
Opara gave his emotional thoughts on the life and contributions of the late industry icon.
He started, “Very difficult to talk about but also very important. It’s not about how long; it’s about the quality and impact. I have known him for over 36 years.”
His statements encapsulated the core of a connection that lasted over three decades, emphasizing Wigwe’s deep influence on everyone around him.
Opara continued, “He was very courageous and a top-notch banker. Worked tirelessly. He contributed immensely to the development of banking in Nigeria.”
Segun Agbaje, Group CEO of Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc, stated that Wigwe accomplished more in 57 years than most exceptional people will in two lifetimes.
“Herbert was my colleague, friend, brother, and competitor; only Herbert could have been all those things at once,” Agbaje said.
The Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, praised his accomplishments in the banking sector.
The governor also recalled how Wigwe worked with a few others to alleviate some of the hazards associated with COVID-19.
