The Oando chief executive reflects on the late Access Holdings boss’s ambition, deal-making ability and enduring friendship

Oando Plc Group Chief Executive Officer, Wale Tinubu, has paid an emotional tribute to his late friend and businessman, Herbert Wigwe, on what would have been Wigwe’s 60th birthday, reflecting on the friendship, ambition and bold business ideas they shared.

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In a tribute shared on Saturday, Tinubu recalled the instinctive connection that defined their relationship, saying some friendships leave behind a lasting habit of reaching for the phone to exchange ideas, debate decisions or discuss ambitions.

“Some friendships leave behind an instinct that time does not erase,” Tinubu wrote.

He remembered Wigwe as a businessman with an exceptional eye for opportunity and a remarkable ability to navigate complex deals.

According to Tinubu, Wigwe possessed the courage to pursue ambitious ideas and was never afraid to look beyond familiar territory in search of new possibilities.

“Herbert had a remarkable eye for opportunity, exceptional acumen in deal-making and the courage to pursue bold ideas,” he said.

Tinubu said the late businessman understood that meaningful growth often required people to move beyond established boundaries and imagine possibilities that others might overlook.

The reflection also highlighted the shared ambition that brought the two friends together professionally and personally.

“We shared an ambition to build, the courage to venture beyond the familiar and a belief that extraordinary things are possible when people dare greatly together,” Tinubu said.

Wigwe, who was born on August 15, 1966, was the co-founder of Access Bank and later became Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings.

He died on February 9, 2024, alongside his wife, Chizoba Wigwe, their son, Chizi, and former chairman of Nigerian Exchange Group, Abimbola Ogunbanjo, in a helicopter crash near Nipton, California, in the United States.

Wigwe’s death at the age of 57 prompted widespread tributes across Nigeria’s business, political and financial communities, with many remembering him for his role in expanding Access Bank and his broader investments in education, technology and entrepreneurship.

For Tinubu, however, the remembrance remains deeply personal.

“Time has not diminished it. I do not expect it ever will,” he wrote, referring to the bond and shared ambitions that continued to shape his memories of Wigwe.

“Thinking of you today, my friend,” Tinubu added.

Also read: ICPC to launches probe into real owners of Herbert Wigwe’s 106 London houses

The tribute offers a poignant glimpse into the personal relationships behind Nigeria’s corporate landscape, while marking what would have been Wigwe’s 60th birthday with a reflection on a friendship that Tinubu says remains undiminished by time.