‘Heart-Wrenching’: California Helicopter Crash Claims Life of Nigerian Banker Herbert Wigwe

One of Nigeria’s most prominent bankers, Herbert Wigwe, was killed along with his wife, son, and three others in a Friday night helicopter crash in the California desert.

Serving as the group managing director and CEO of Access Bank Plc, Wigwe’s influence helped him to organize an international leadership series known as the Access Conference, where powerful people from around the globe would convene to discuss world issues. Notable attendees include former U.S. President George Bush.

Wigwe’s tragic death was confirmed by Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who mourned the loss of the banker and his family, as well as Abimbola Ogunbanjo, the former chair of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

I am shocked and deeply distressed by the news of the passing of Mr. Herbert Wigwe, a distinguished banker, humanitarian, and entrepreneur, and Mr. Abimbola Ogunbanjo, the former Group Chairman of the Nigerian Exchange Group Plc, along with members of the Wigwe family – Herbert’s wife, Chizoba, and son, Chizi.

Their passing is an overwhelming tragedy that is shocking beyond comprehension.

I extend my condolences to the Wigwe and Ogunbanjo families, the business community, and all those impacted by this harrowing incident.

I pray for the peaceful repose of the departed and ask God Almighty to comfort the multitude of Nigerians who are grieving and the families of the deceased at this deeply agonizing moment.

I am shocked and deeply distressed by the news of the passing of Mr. Herbert Wigwe, a distinguished banker, humanitarian, and entrepreneur, and Mr. Abimbola Ogunbanjo, the former Group Chairman of the Nigerian Exchange Group Plc, along with members of the Wigwe family – Herbert’s… pic.twitter.com/Ptc9tkfRBP

— Bola Ahmed Tinubu (@officialABAT) February 11, 2024

The remaining two victims have yet to be publicly identified. 

The crash occurred around 10:00 p.m. in the Mojave Desert near Nipton, California, reported Fox News. 

“The helicopter left Palm Springs Airport at around 8:45 p.m. and was on its way to Boulder City, Nevada, which is near Las Vegas,” according to the outlet. “At the time of the crash, rainy and snowy weather was reported in the area.”

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are investigating the incident alongside the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.

“The NTSB will be in charge of the investigation and will provide any updates,” a representative from the FAA told Fox News.

Gov. Godwin Obesaki of Edo State, Nigeria also grieved the loss of Wigwe on X, saying the news has left him “extremely shocked and devastated.”

The tragic incident is painful and heart-wrenching, and we pray for God’s abiding comfort in this profoundly difficult time.

Wigwe was a colossus in Nigeria’s financial sector, leading Access Bank to become an international brand that placed Nigeria on the global map of first-class financial services.

I commiserate with the Wigwe family, the Ogunbanjo family, Access Bank Holding, the Nigeria Stock Exchange, friends and associates, and pray that God will grant all the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

Dr. Olamide Brown, a prominent British-Nigerian healthcare entrepreneur, wrote a heartfelt tribute to Wigwe in which she affectionately called him her “big brother.”

She also grieved the loss of Chizi Wigwe, writing: “He was too young. He had too many plans. A true son of his father with that restlessness. The apple Chizi did not fall far from the Herbert tree.”