Life is a mystery. We have no idea when we will appear in our mother’s womb ! When to be born . Neither do we know when we will leave the stage to join the supreme being!
We are all mortals . No matter how powerful , how connected and rich we may look in the eyes of men , someday ,we will definitely die.
The most powerful men in our villages have all died and forgotten. The Children and the communities have all moved on.Nations have lost their Presidents and they have moved on.
Dr Herbert Wigwe died in a helicopter crash in far away California,United States of America alongside 5 others , the wife – Chizoba, the first Son – Chizzi,
the former Group Chairman of the Nigerian Exchange Group- Mr Abimbola Ogunbanjo and two crew members . They died on February 9, 2024 and buried on March 09,2024( the Wigwes).
Dr Herbert Wigwe has fought like lion being a graduate of UNN . He has made a mark in the Nigeria Money Market . He died when his aged parents ,his family and his friends needed him most. Thousands of people depend on him for survival but as mortal , he left the stage unannounced.
There is a lesson to be learnt by all. According to Gov Sim Fubara , ” why all this struggle,to acquire wealth ,to acquire power and to even kill ,….. We should all aspire to have positive impact on humanity ”
Economic inequality has been a serious challenge in Africa. Most African Leaders send their children in organized system to study while creating income inequality at home.
Dr Herbert Wigwe played in the private sector and may not have power to provide basic needs of average Nigerians like affordable housing, living wage , surplus food , functional and qualitative education,quality health services , resources control ,good Governance etc. Wigwe and his colleagues in banking industry exploited Nigeria fraudulent system and made fortunes for themselves while the rest of Nigerians cry and commit suicide on daily basis. During the night of Tribute of Wigwe ,we all saw how the most powerful Nigerians cried like babies . These are captains of industries! These are CBN Governors ,These are top political figures in Nigeria ! Dr Herbert Wigwe must be a financial magician! Maybe the President did not take his advice on how to build modern Nigeria like he and his partner built Access Bank to global financial Institution.
But , back to humanity, I was in Intercontinental Bank when the former CBN Governor – Sanusi like a military commander removed Dr Erasmus Akimgbola management team and facilitated the take over of the big bank – Intercontinental Bank by Access Bank. But , that is not the direction I am going!
Access Bank was known in the banking industry as a Bank with least numbers of permanent employees. In an average branch of Access Bank of 15 staffers , only about 4 staffers were on permanent employment while the remaining 11 staffers were on contract . When the reality dawn on us that Access Bank would finally swallow the big intercontinental bank that hardly ‘joke’ with Staff welfare ( intercontinental bank does not use contract staff to do core banking work), most of us started looking elsewhere than to work in Access Bank. After the acquisition of Intercontinental Bank in most inhuman manners , many lost their lives to frustration,those who have no other alternative remained in Access Bank as slaves.
Access Bank has been posting billions of naira as profit after tax .Under the Leadership of Late Wigwe , for the sake of humanity,why should we allow graduation to work as contract staff even though they have access to banking softwares . This is modern slavery ! Today , most Banks like Access Bank are using contract staff as Tellers , Customer service Officers , Marketing Officers etc yet posting billions of naira as profit after tax! Is this how to make Africa great ? Is this how to build a modern society! Where is the traditional role of banking to intermediate between surplus and deficit sectors of the economy! Alas , Late Harbert and colleagues in the Banking Industry have politicians in their pockets- they are above the law of the land!
Life is nothing but vanity ! The death of Dr Herbert Wigwe come with great sorrow and pains but for the living ,there is a lesson for all of us . We must try as much as possible to narrow economic inequalities in our country. We must always pursue public interest that will benefit all not just few our friends.
Ndubuisi Anaenugwu is Ambassador of Good Governance Ministry
