Herbert Wigwe Death marks a remarkable moment in the record of humanity, and it allows remembrance of how one's life is spent. This reminds many Nigerians about the life spent by the later former Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Access Holdings PLC, Herbert Wigwe.
Wigwe died in a helicopter crash near Nevada in the United States of America last week. He died alongside his wife, son, and business partner.
However, Wigwe's death has reminded many Nigerians how long he had wanted to become a Bank Executive and, most especially the alleged role of the former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, in almost denying Wigwe's dream of becoming bank CEO.
In 2001, Wigwe and his business partner, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, had perfected their plans to acquire Access Bank PLC, after the two young men had served and gathered experience at the Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB).
They met the financial wherewithal and other relevant obligations to become the CEO of Access Bank PLC at the time, but they were met with a total rejection at a section of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Like Aig-Imoukhuede stated in his book titled "Leaving the Tarmac: Buying a Bank in Africa", launched on March 29, 2021, their dream to become Bank CEO was almost jettisoned by the hostility they met at the table of the Director of Banking Supervision, CBN, Ignatius Imala, who was known for his conservative thinking and a tendency to be very suspicious of young bankers.
Even Aig-Imoukhuede stated that the high-ranking executives at the CBN then knew their capability, there was no way for them to become Bank CEO until their acquisition of the Access Bank was approved by Imala due to the mandate of his office.
Aig-Imoukhuede and Wigwe separately confirmed that their dream to become Bank CEO in 2001 was delayed for years because they were considered "too young" to become a bank CEO.
For being considered "too young" to become Bank CEO, even though the duo had become the owner of Access Bank in March 2002, they were still not in control of the bank until April 17, 2003, when they assumed control of Access Bank.
Besides, Wigwe was just the Deputy Managing Director of the Access Bank until January 2014 when he became the bank's CEO.
However, the question people debate is who could have been responsible for the claim that Wigwe and Aig-Imoukhuede were "too young" to be one of the Bank's CEOs.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo is being dragged by many Nigerians to have been behind the Aig-Imoukhuede and Wigwe's "too young" to become Bank CEO.
Nigerians believe that Imala could not have acted without the consent of the then Governor of the CBN, Joseph Oladele Sanusi, who must have been instructed by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo to withhold Wigwe and Aig-Imoukhuede's Bank CEO mission.
The memory of the moment, Imala, told Aig-Imoukhuede and Wigwe that they were "too young" to become Bank CEO lives forever in them, and till the last breath of Wigwe last weekend, only Chief Olusegun Obasanjo can tell himself if he was truly the force behind the wing that almost blew away the mission of the two young men.
As of 2001, both Aig-Imoukhuede and Wigwe were 36-year-old with years of experience in the financial sector.
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Category: World-News
Tag: The Moment Obasanjo Told Wigwe That He Was Too Young To Be A Bank CEO
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Published 2/15/2024 4:46:22 PM