…as the son, daughter in-law, grandson are buried
The news making rounds in the media that Shyngle Wigwe has passed on is false, It was reported in some media that the bereaved father of the late Herbert Wigwe, the CEO of Access Holdings Plc, slumped at the burial of his late son, his daughter in-law and grandson, and was rushed to hospital. The reports were speculation and inaccurate.
Recall that Hebert Wigwe, his wife, son and business partner, Abimbola Ogunbanjo died in a chopper clash in California, United States. The incident happened on Friday night, February 9.
Shyngle, former DG NTA lost his first son Osita Wigwe on June 5, 1997 in a road accident while travelling from Lagos to Port Harcourt. At the time, he was attending a ministers’ conference at the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).
“I never sweated like that in my life before and I didn’t think it was going to happen to me. For weeks, I couldn’t go up to the altar. I went, then I wept, and I came down. It was like somebody took a pair of forceps to draw out your heart from you,” he confessed.
Meanwhile, hundreds of mourners, including friends, associates, and well-wishers from Nigeria and across the globe poured into Isiokpo to pay their final respects and bring to an end to the life of Herbert, his wife, Chizoba, and son, Chizi here on earth. The trio were buried in their hometown Omueke, Isiokpo in Rivers State.
The bereaved parents: Shyngle and his wife
They were laid to rest in a private interment following a funeral church service at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Lion of Judah Parish, Isiokpo, Rivers State.
Saturday’s funeral service commenced promptly at 11:00 am after a Christian wake keep was organised in their honour. Hundreds of mourners, including friends, associates, and well-wishers from Nigeria and across the globe poured into Isiokpo to pay their final respects to the trio.
Present at the church service held by 11:00 am were; Senate President Godswill Akpabio; Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi; Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike; business leader Aliko Dangote, HRH Muhammadu Sanusi II, Gov. Alex Otti, Gov. Dapo Abiodun, former Senate President Bukola Saraki; Gov. Babajide Sawno-Olu, and former Anambra State Gov. Labour Party presidential candidate in 2023 election. Peter Obi.
Others in attendance were Rivers State Gov. Sim Fubara, Gov. Douye Diri of Bayelsa State and Dr. Godknows Igali, a former Nigerian diplomat, and Rivers State Commissioner of Police Olatunji Disu, who was the Chief Security Officer (CSO) of the burial ceremony, plus other dignitaries and notable captains of industries
The remains of Wigwes: Chizoba, Herbert and Chizi before they interred to mother earth
The trio of Herbert, Chizoba, and Chizi Wigwe alongside former Group Chairman of Nigerian Exchange Group Plc (NGX Group), Abimbola Ogunbanjo, as well as two pilots, were all in the Airbus Helicopter EC 130B4 with registration number N130CZ, which crashed near Halloran Springs, California, on February 9, 2024.
The exact cause of the crash is not yet known, but a preliminary report released by the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) two weeks ago, said the chopper was seen by several witnesses in vehicles who reported it as a “fireball” before its eventual crash.