Africa’s richest man Aliko Dangote fought back tears on Monday at an event held at Eko Hotel in Lagos to celebrate the professional legacy of the late group chief executive officer of Access Holdings Plc Herbert Wigwe.
The event was divided into six segments – Young Hebert, the banker, the entrepreneur, the CEO, the builder and the ambassador.
Dangote named the 120km road leading to his refinery in Lagos after Wigwe in recognition of his exceptional contributions to the project.
The chairman of Dangote Group said Wigwe was “not afraid to go all out to help me and tie the several knots that came up as our organisation grew and flourished.”
He said Wigwe’s wife Chizoba’s “counsel and relentless support was central to the growth of our organisation, the Dangote Group.”
According to Dangote, “Herbert never joined the military line but he could be referred to as a soldier of courage and distinction.”
“To immortalise my beloved friend, my brother and mentee, I’ve actually decided to name our major refinery and petrochemical road out of the 120km road, the biggest road will now be named Herbert Wigwe,” he said.
Tributes by President Bola Tinubu, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, France President Emmanuel Macron, and former US President Bill Clinton were read at the event.
Also present at the event were Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun, minister of finance Wale Edun, CBN governor Olayemi Cardoso, former CBN governor Lamido Sanusi, businessman Femi Otedola among others.
Wigwe, his wife Chizoba; first son Chizi; and a former group chairman of Nigerian Exchange Group, Abimbola Ogunbanjo, died in a helicopter crash that occurred near a border town between California and Nevada in the United States on February 9.
