By Prisca Sam-Duru

My little girl looked at the photo attached to the sad story I was reading and said ‘Oh! Maama, he’s very cute.’ And I replied, yes dear, he is not only cute but simple and amiable. That was how I could manage to describe the late Access Bank group CEO, Herbert Onyewunbu Wigwe CFR, at that particular painful moment.

News about his tragic passing alongside his wife, son and bosom friend, resurrected slightly suppressed grief  that reared its ugly head in 2022, sending sleep on a temporary trip to I don’t know where. Anxiety set in. I became a mess!

Read Also: Wigwe built private tomb before death struck

Some deaths are just too difficult to comprehend. It’s hard to come to terms with why half of a family should be lost within a twinkle of an eye in a Copter crash. It’s also difficult writing in the past tense, about a man, whom I saw twice during book events, bubbling with life in November 2023. Sometimes, it takes just one encounter to form an opinion about an individual. That’s exactly what I did and in this case, a very positive one.

First, it was on Thursday, November 2, 2023 during the launch of a book titled, “A King’s Passion: A 21st Century Patron of African Art”. It was held in honour of the Obi of Onitsha, His Majesty Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe. That was also the first time I got to fully grasp Wigwe’s deep love for the art. Wigwe basically, celebrated the Obi of Onitsha during that event which was sponsored by Access bank and Ford Foundation. In fact, he remains one of the country’s biggest spenders and lovers of art.

As a great but very quiet collector, Wigwe’s office passes for a modern gallery due to the number of works that adorn the space. Most parts of the walls of the Access Bank Headquarter building are also decorated with exquisite artworks. Little wonder Access Holdings sponsors the Access ART X Prize.

Well, in his passionate speech during the book launch also hosted by Access bank at its Headquarters in Lagos, Wigwe poured out his heart about the support for the arts. That spoke volume about his profound love and interest in the promotion of art in the country because that book documents over 300 artworks out of the more than 4,000 pieces collected by Igwe Achebe over a period of forty years of passion and intellectual curiosity.

“We are delighted to sponsor A King’s Passion: A 21st Century Patron of African Art, which strategically shows how art can contribute to developing our continent and telling a fresh story with ancient roots. The impact of His Majesty Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe’s exquisite art collection and his strategic art patronage for over 40 years nurturing African talent is a beautiful example of how creativity can create wealth from the grassroots all the way up through society, and create important paradigm shifts about our identity, our culture and our history,” were his words during the book launch.

The second time I saw him was at Eko Hotels and Suites on November 28, 2023. The occasion was the public presentation and launch of the two volume book, “Wisdom and Integrity: The Legacy of Honourable  Justice Amina Adamu Augie JSC CON Through Her Judgements”. It was again hosted by Access bank and believe me, Herbert Wigwe was at his best. He made the event lively as though he was a professional MC.

Speaking during the event, he said “We are proud to support the launch of ‘Wisdom and Integrity: The Legacy of Honourable Justice Amina Adamu Augie JSC CON Through Her Judgements’, as her Lordship’s unwavering commitment to fairness and the rule of law aligns seamlessly with our values as an institution. This book not only commemorates an illustrious legal career but also contributes significantly to the preservation and advancement of our judicial heritage. Through our support, we reaffirm our dedication to initiatives that promote knowledge, integrity, and the enduring legacy of excellence in the legal profession.”

One striking thing about that event was the testimonies of Justice Augie about Herbert Wigwe. I remember Justice Augie harping on the need for people to render help whenever they can as life has a way of rewarding the person. She had been helpful to the late Access bank boss during his school or Youth Service days and so was excited seeing how nature turned things around; Herbert hosted her book presentation and also played a huge role during her 70 birthday celebration earlier.

For sure, Herbert did more than host Justice Augie’s book presentation and launch. In his simple mien, he displayed a great deal of humility, taking over the launch session. He made sure guests, including corporate titans, monarchs, legal luminaries, friends, and colleagues of Justice Augie and many others, appreciated the celebrant with their substance. Hardly will you believe it was a bank’s group CEO who did that job so well, except you were told.

Herbert Onyewunbu Wigwe left too soon and, in a most heartbreaking way. No doubt, he will be sorely missed not only in the art sector but all areas that his philanthropic life touched.

Vanguard News