By Seyi Babalola
Vice President Kashim Shettima on Wednesday led the nation to mourn former Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings Plc, Chief Herbert Wigwe, and his family, who tragically died in a helicopter crash in the United States of America.
Senator Shettima, in a lyrical eulogy, described the late Wigwe as an early bloomer who transformed the Nigerian banking industry, recalling his visionary leadership and unwavering dedication to his community.
Addressing a crowd of mourners in Lagos during the funeral service of the late banker, the Vice President said, “Herbert left us in winter before the season of bloom. Spring was just about to arrive at his last location, the United States when the Lord called for him.
“Spring is not the symbol of Herbert’s bloom; his journey was defined by peculiar seasons. He bloomed long before his co-travellers.
“This spring, for us, isn’t the season of festive flowers; it’s the season of wreaths. This spring, for us, isn’t a season of tears; it’s a celebration of Herbert’s flight to a height that only a few of God’s chosen ones have attained.”
Delivering his speech titled, “Herbert Wigwe: The Flower That Bloomed Before Spring,” the VP highlighted Wigwe’s early successes, his dream of building the “Harvard of Africa,” and his commitment to leaving a lasting legacy.
“Herbert, though an early bloomer in the garden of life, didn’t share the fate of those who faded away prematurely. His narrative was one of triumph. He conquered all there was to conquer,” he said.
VP Shettima also regretted the tragic loss of Wigwe’s wife, son, and others, describing the loss as a collective grief felt by many and a “fading fragrance of a garden that touched lives far beyond its borders”.
He however urged Nigerians to celebrate “the divine miracle that was the lives the deceased lived,” adding that “the spread of this grief that binds us is so because they cultivated a garden of success.”
Shettima continued: “Their achievements were not just individual triumphs but testaments to the collective strength of those they touched, those they built, and those they inspired.
“The journey of our departed brothers and sisters may have ended in a distant land, but their spirits linger in the hearts of everyone here and beyond,” the Vice President added. “May Herbert’s legacy continue to bloom in the hearts and minds of those who strive for greatness.”
