Atlantic Post

About two weeks ago, a family member was given an offer by one of Herbert’s new institutions. I was consulted as to the work culture and environment at this institution, so a decision can be made. I reached out to my friend who had worked with Herbert for years, and only resigned a few years ago.

He did his analysis and ended by saying: “I may not know what’s happening there after the restructuring, but what I can assure you is that working with Herbert is always an excellent experience.” Coming from someone who no longer works with him, this was a solid recommendation for the man, Herbert.

I never met the late Herbert Wigwe, but was a quiet admirer. I never planned to write anything, but woke up with a strong desire to write a tribute to him. It’s not only those you had personal contact with that one should write tributes for. Herbert was a light to his family, Rivers State, nation, and humanity. Herbert raised and mentored a generation of excellent bankers, a few of whom are my friends.

There are many ways to evaluate the greatness of a man. His excellence as a family man; service to humanity; the institutions he built; the legacies he left behind; and the men he raised. From what is obvious, and corroborated by the many testimonies, Herbert scored excellent on these parameters.

I had a cameo role in banking, working at the oldest bank in the country, First Bank and the best new generation bank at the time, Guaranty Trust Bank, where I resigned to begin my life as a consultant. Coincidentally, Herbert also worked at GTbank.

With my short experience in banking, I know how difficult it is to join a bank as a staff and leave as a bank owner. Herbert joined GTBank as a staff, and left as co-founder of Access Bank. That was an extraordinary feat, and there many mountains and steep valleys in between. He and his partner grew this bank to become one of the biggest banks in Nigeria and Africa.

A few weeks ago, I made a post on Facebook about Herbert. My exact words: “Salute to Mr. Herbert Wigwe for setting up the Wigwe University. I love every effort at disrupting the educational space in Nigeria, and particularly love that he sited it in his hometown , Isiokpo. Good vibes for Rivers State”. He died a few weeks after I made this post.

Reflecting on Wigwe University, I remembered
Stanford University. The Leland Stanford Jnr University was founded in 1885, by Jane and Leland Stanford. The school was founded in memory of their 15 year old son – their only child – who died of Typhoid. Grieving and broken by this tragedy, the couple decided to build a university in memory of their son, a school dedicated to raising other people’s children.

At a time when these features were not common, Stanford was untraditional, coeducational, practical, and nondenominational. Jane and Leland Stanford chose to build the campus on the ancestral land of the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe. The tribe continues to partner with the university to this day.

Stanford, that university founded by the grieving couple, is now one of the best and most respected universities in the world, and in fact a major driving force and the nursery bed of the Silicon Valley tech and venture capitalist ecosystem. This is the home and birthplace of the major tech giants you know, including the device you’re using to read this.

Let’s go back to Wigwe University. While this was not founded by a couple who suffered loss of their child, in this case the founder, his wife, son, and friend suffered a tragic death in a helicopter crash last Friday, just when the university was about to start. They never saw the first students of this fearless dream. The University only just started running adverts for admission for next session.

Like Stanford University which was located on the ancestral land of the Muwekma Ohlone Tribe, Wigwe University was built at his ancestral home town – Isiokpo. He could have built this school in Lagos or Ogun, Abuja or Port Harcourt, where it’ll be more accessible to the elites. No, he chose to take it to his ancestral home, perhaps, to bring light and development to his people.

Like Stanford University, the Wigwe University is springing forth at a time of grief. He left behind a grieving parent, a grieving state, a grieving industry and a grieving nation. But, Herbert is a veteran of institutional thinking, and my prayer is that like Stanford University, the Wigwe University will endure and be one of the best universities in the world, building men and sparking the fire of innovation in Nigeria.

It’s a shame I never met him or had a session with him while he was alive, but I’m hoping in my life time, I will see the Wigwe University flourish, and have the opportunity to deliver a guest lecture at their podium. Long May his fearless dream live.

May the soul of Herbert, his wife, his son, Abimbola Ogunbanjo and others find rest, and may God comfort their families, colleagues, and those who were close to them.