Pastor Enoch Adeboye, the General Overseer of RCCG has paid respects to Herbert Wigwe, the late CEO of Access Holdings Plc, who passed away in a helicopter accident.
Wigwe was honored during a Service of Songs on Thursday for his extraordinary generosity and steadfast devotion to the gospel.
The gathering was held at the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Resurrection Parish in Lekki, Lagos, and celebrated the lives of Wigwe’s wife Doreen, and their son Chizi.
Early in February, a helicopter disaster in the United States sadly took the lives of the family and Abimbola Ogunbanjo, the former chairman of the Nigerian Exchange group.
During the ceremony, Pastor Charles Pande, the pastor in charge of Region 11 of the RCCG and Head of the Blessed Family, gave the congregation words of consolation and encouragement by reading a passage from Adeboye’s condolence letter.
To honor the lives and efforts of the Wigwe family, friends, family, and community members gathered for the service.
A portion of Adeboye’s message read,
“Dr Wigwe was not only an accomplished professional but a fine gentleman, possessing a prodigious intellect, admirable personal qualities and business acumen. His dedication to philanthropy, nation-building, advocacy for children’s literacy and love for the arts made him a remarkable individual.
“More importantly, his commitment to the Christian faith and active involvement in spreading the gospel were exemplary. We share in your profound grief during his challenging time. The void left by Dr Herbert will be felt and his absence deeply felt by all who had the privilege of knowing him.”
In honoring Wigwe, former vice president of Nigeria Yemi Osinbajo remarked that in his eight years throughout government, he never once requested a favor from Wigwe.
He said,
“I have known him for so many years. I’m not even sure how many years. While I was in office for the entire eight, Herbert called me practically every other month, just to say, ‘How are you doing?’ never asking for a favour. But two months before I left office, he called me and said he needed to see me. So, I thought, he must have some issue and he came with a notebook. I was very surprised because Herbert never comes with a notebook and he said that he wanted to know what my plans were after I left office. I laughed over it and he insisted and took note very diligently of everything that I said I wanted to do. Thereafter he visited me no less than three times before I left office.
“The Thursday before he died, he called me on Tuesday and said he was going to come see me in Abuja on Thursday and he did. We spent about three hours reviewing practically everything, the university, the philanthropy (initiatives) he was involved in, everything.
“I don’t think any event in recent times for me in particular has made it clear how important friendships and relationships are. Herbert was one who walked the talk of brotherhood and friendship.”
Assuring the grieving children, the former vice president stated:
“No amount of words can heal your hearts but that you are not alone in your grief. This tragedy has troubled so many, both young and old. A deep dark cloud hangs over our hearts.
“This event has confronted me and many of us with our own mortality. One thing I will like you to know especially, the children. The manner of death is not as important to God; John was beheaded, Stephen was stoned to death, Elisha died of an ailment. What is important to God is the difference between dying and perishing.”
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