Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Access Holdings Plc, Herbert Wigwe, has reportedly died following the crash of a helicopter conveying him and five others on Friday night near the California-Nevada border in the United States of America.
The chartered Airbus EC130 helicopter was flying from Palm Springs, California, to Boulder City, Nevada, just outside of Las Vegas, according to National Transportation Safety Board member Michael Graham.
Unverified sources stated that Herbert Wigwe’s wife, Chizoba, his son, and a former President of Nigeria Exchange Group, Abimbola Ogunbanjo, were all feared killed in the helicopter crash.
Nigerians received the sad news of Wigwe’s death the same day (Saturday, February 10,2024) on which the 9th Access Bank Lagos City Marathon was held.
Bernard Sang, a Kenyan runner, won the Gold-Label 4km 2024 Access Bank Lagos City Marathon by clocking a time of 02:16:49, earning him the $30,000 prize money. It’s worth noting that Herbert Wigwe had always attended the marathon, which was organised anually by Access Bank.
As of Saturday morning, according to the New York Times, no survivors had been found, according to the officials.
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) disclosed that a helicopter crashed Friday night near Nipton, California, with six people on board.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said in a statement that no survivor has been found as of Saturday morning.
“We were made aware of a downed aircraft at approximately 10:12 p.m., on February 10, 2024. The scene of the crash was determined to be east of the 15-Freeway, near Halloran Springs Road,” the sheriff’s department said.
A few months ago, the co-founder of Access Bank disclosed plans to invest $500m in Wigwe University, a strategic initiative aimed at fostering skills crucial for the finance and technology sectors in Nigeria.
The 57-year-old business tycoon in November said that his university would admit students for undergraduate courses this year.
As if he had premonition of his death, Wigwe had posted on his X handle @HerbertOWigwe on January 19, 2024, “Today and always, let us remember that life is a precious gift – a chance to breathe, feel, love, experience and connect.
“Let’s honour this gift by living with purpose, kindness, and gratitude, making every moment count.
“Let us number our days.”
The post:
Today and always, let us remember that life is a precious gift – a chance to breathe, feel, love, experience and connect.
Let's honor this gift by living with purpose, kindness, and gratitude, making every moment count.
Let us number our days.#HOW pic.twitter.com/U0ePI0pXl5— Herbert Wigwe, C.F.R (@HerbertOWigwe) January 19, 2024