By Bonaventure Melah

Herbert Wigwe, a Nigerian banker and real estate investor, died in a helicopter crash in California, USA, near the Nevada border on February 9, 2024.

The then Group Managing Director/CEO of Access Bank, met death, alongside his wife, Doreen, their first son, Chizi, Abimbola Ogunbanjo, former group chairman of the Nigerian Exchange Group Plc (NGX Group) and two other passengers.

Since his death, his relations, including his father, Pa Shyngle Wigwe, a Pastor with the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, his sister Joyce, and brother, Emeka, have engaged Herbert’s children, in a legal battle over the wealth the banker left behind, which has become a source of surprise and worry to millions of Nigerians.

The major question in the minds of concerned public is why Herbert’s father, Pa Shyngle Wigwe, who is over 90 years, would be involved in the fight for his son’s wealth, which even started a few months after his tragic demise.

However, unfolding events have pointed to the fact that Pa Shyngle is being prodded by Herbert’s siblings, Joyce, Emeka and others.

As at the time died last years, Herbert Wigwe, founder of Access, the largest bank in Nigeria was worth $65.2m, which converted comes to Ninety-Eight Billion, One Hundred and Fifty Million Naira (N98,150,000,000), making him one of the wealthiest bankers on the African continent.

The wealth came from multiple income sources including his 9% shares in Access Bank, cash deposits, real estate investments and the Herbert Wigwe University, among others.

It was this huge wealth that attracted greed, bad blood, avarice and desperation among family members, who wanted their individual cutout from the money basket, leading to court cases, allegations of betrayal and threat to life.

Over the weekend, Joyce Wigwe, a sister of the late Herbert Wigwe, alleged that her family has suffered betrayal, mistreatment, and disrespect in the aftermath of the banker’s death.

She spoke during the one-year memorial of the tragic incident, and described how the family’s trust in close associates had been “shattered”, leading to emotional and physical turmoil.

“People we thought of as brothers have really let the family down. Daddy and Mommy trusted them implicitly, but we’ve come to see that they were not what we believed them to be. Because of this, Daddy actually fell ill. We almost lost him. Mommy also broke down because of the trust they had placed in them. This has made the journey incredibly difficult and heart-wrenching for them.”

Joyce further recounted an incident at the family’s village, where individuals she accused of betrayal arrived but did not pay their respects to the family.

“They didn’t even come to see us. Worse still, they wouldn’t let us through the gates,” she said, adding that her brother, Emeka, was assaulted during the incident.

“They muzzled my brother, treated him terribly, and even threw him to the ground. The car almost ran over him three times. They tried to hit him with their car,” she added.

“When he managed to break free and defend himself, out of frustration, he threw a blow and that was the moment they captured in a picture.”

She claimed Emeka was later arrested at night on accusations of fighting with the Department of State Services (DSS).

However, information available to Nationwide Reports indicate that Joyce and her siblings are the ones using their father, Pa Shyngle, to engage in the fight to subvert the intention of the late Herbert Wigwe, as contained in his Will, which left his wealth mainly for his children.

Before the incident that happened over the weekend for which Joyce granted press interview as quoted above, Pastor Shyngle Wigwe, (Herbert Wigwe’s father) and Christian Wigwe (late Herbert Wigwe’s cousin), had attempted to set up a body to administer Herbert’s wealth but failed.

They had demanded 20% ownership of Herbert’s wealth and joint custody of his children under the supervision of their father, Shyngle.

Following their failure to get their way, they decided to approach the court to press their demands.

Their suit, number ID/7735FPM/2024 was filed by Pastor Shyngle Wigwe and Christian Wigwe against Access Bank Plc, Coronation Merchant Bank Ltd, and United Securities Ltd. Other defendants in the suit under an order dated November 18, 2024, are Aigboje A.I.G. Imoukhuede, Uche Wigwe and Miss Otutochi Channel Wigwe.

The applicants prayed for the court to give an order for the appointment of Otutochi Wigwe, Uche Wigwe, Shyngle Wigwe, and two professionals—Zedra Trust Company (Isle of Man), a subsidiary of Zedra Corporate Solutions UK Limited (International Professional), and Pricewaterhouse Coopers Limited (Local Professional) as the interim administrators of Herbert Wigwe’s estate, pending the resolution of the substantive suit.

They also sought a court order to place Herbert Wigwe’s minor children (Chituru David Wigwe, Wegu and Hannah Wigwe, and Okachi Great Wigwe) under the joint guardianship of Otutochi Wigwe, Uche Wigwe, Emeka Wigwe, Shyngle Wigwe, and the two professionals, with Shyngle Wigwe overseeing their welfare. In the suit, the complainants are asking the court to authorise interim administrators to maintain and ensure Herbert Wigwe’s dependents’ welfare and liaise with third parties regarding financial or property interests, submit monthly reports to the court, and obtain full disclosure from Access Bank Plc, Coronation Merchant Bank Ltd, and United Securities Ltd concerning shares or financial interests held on behalf of the deceased.

However, Justice A. O Adeyemi of the Lagos State High Court dismissed the application Justice on Thursday, February 6.

The court resolved all the issues the applicants have raised and ruled that the claim on the appointment of interim administrator on the Wigwe’s estate was unsustainable.

The court took the decision based on documents contained in the counter-claim by defendants which stated that Herbert Wigwe, before he died, had written a Will in which he determined what would happen to his wealth in the event of his death.

Documents tendered by defendants show that Herbert Wigwe had in 2013, drafted a Will and deposited same with a court in the United States of America which was reviewed in 2015.

It would be recalled that the two men were the founders of Access Bank with Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede as Chairman while Herbert Wigwe was GMD/CEO. Court documents revealed that the men had, in 2017, set up a trust called Tengen Family Office which was empowered to manage their wealth.

To that extent therefore, Herbert made Aig-Imoukhuede a trustee and enforcer of his Will alongside one of his cousins, Uche Wigwe.

The crux of the matter now, is that Herbert willed his wealth to his children. But his siblings, hiding under his father, are trying to set aside the Will and come up with interim administrator to administer his wealth which Aig-Imoukhuede, as a trusted friend and business associate; and Uche Wigwe have successfully resisted while insisting on enforcing the Will of the late banker, whose eldest surviving child is 26-years old daughter, Tochi.

A recent incident that drew the anger of Herbert Wigwe’s siblings is N1.1billion that accrual as dividend for the 2024 from Access Bank’s profit which rightly belong to Tochi and her surviving siblings. Such a payment would continue as long as Access Bank is in existence and profitable.

In addition to the 9% majority interest in Access bank, investments in real estate and Herbert Wigwe University, the late businessman owns a private jet and an exotic mansion at Queen Drive, Ikoyi, said to worth billions of Naira which now belong to his children. Tochi is said to live in the house alone with domestic workers while, another issue said to be irking the larger family.