Pastor Shyngle Wigwe, father of the late Access Bank CEO, Herbert Wigwe, has denied claims that he is in conflict with his grandchildren over his son’s inheritance.
Mr Wigwe, a pastor in the Redeemed Christian Church of God, made the clarification in an interview with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA).
He said, “How did I want to claim Herbert’s property? Who is the best person to defend Herbert’s property, the father or a friend? The father, 90 years.”
He questioned why anyone would think he would lay claim to his son’s assets, noting that as Herbert’s father, he would only seek to protect his son’s legacy, not compete for it.
He added, “My grandchildren are there. How many days have I got to live? So what will I do with Herbert’s property?”
Mr Wigwe pointed out that at 90 years of age, his priority is the well-being of his grandchildren and the peaceful continuation of the Wigwe family name, not material gain.
He continued, “I trained Herbert and I brought him up. Not a single penny from anyone went into bringing him up.”
He recalled his personal sacrifices while raising Herbert, saying he provided for his son’s education and upbringing without external support.
He went on, “Herbert was born with rashes all over his body; because of the situation, the mother ran away from Island Maternity with a boy who was about just two days old. We had not done operation for him, she nursed Herbert all through.”
By recounting these details, Mr Wigwe highlighted the family’s early struggles and the love and care that defined Herbert’s upbringing, underscoring that the family’s bond was built on sacrifice and not on wealth.
He concluded, “What will I do with Herbert’s wealth?”
Mr Wigwe said he has no reason to desire any of his late son’s properties and that his focus is on maintaining peace and unity among Herbert’s children while preserving his son’s legacy.
Herbert Wigwe, his wife, Chizoba and their son, Chizi, died in a helicopter crash near the California-Nevada border in the United States in February 2024.
Following the tragedy, reports circulated online alleging a dispute over the late banker’s estate, suggesting that the 90-year-old patriarch was involved in a legal battle with Herbert’s children.
In February, Herbert’s elder sister, Joyce Wigwe, also addressed the claims, denying that their father filed a lawsuit against Herbert’s daughter, Tochi, who is the banker’s second child and first daughter.
Speaking on TV360, an online news channel, Ms Wigwe said, “My father would never fight his child. If you look at our pleadings, we requested that Grandpa want to work alongside his granddaughter to nurture and raise the younger ones. It was never against Tochi, it was about working with her.”
She explained that the intent of their legal filing was to formalise a cooperative arrangement between her father and Herbert’s daughter to protect the interests of the younger children, not to start a family dispute.
Ms Wigwe added that her father only called for transparency in the management of Herbert’s estate, particularly concerning key documents held by others.
She said, “Paul Usoro, the Chairman of Access Bank and the lawyer representing Tochi, the children, and others, applied with the court to have Tochi join the suit. But why would we sue Tochi? She cannot access the documents concerning Access Bank and Herbert’s estate. Those documents are with Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, Paul Usoro, and Uche, that is why they were the defendants in the case.”
She clarified that the defendants in the case were individuals managing Herbert’s affairs, not members of the family and that public reports had distorted the facts.
According to her, her father even assured former Access Bank group managing director, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede and others that there was no need for conflict, urging cooperation instead.
She said, “Despite this, Paul Usoro filed an application to join Tochi in the suit and publicly spread the narrative that my father was suing his granddaughter. That is entirely false. Neither my father nor any of us would ever sue our child.”
Ms Wigwe said the reports were misleading and had been used to create the impression of a divided family, whereas her father remained committed to peace and collaboration.
She maintained that the Wigwe family remains united and focused on honouring Herbert’s memory.
