“When he was asked why he stopped by mediators he said because he believed that my father was using the money he was providing for him to pay lawyers to sue him and so he would not give him any money because he believed the money was coming from his pocket,” she said.
Late Access Bank CEO Wigwe’s Family Accuses Partner Aigboje Of Withholding Monthly Parental Stipends Over Alleged Use For Lawsuit Against Him
However, according to Wigwe’s elder sister, Joyce Wigwe, the stipend was discontinued following a legal caveat filed by the family regarding Herbert’s estate.
The family of Herbert Wigwe, the late CEO of Access Bank, has raised concerns that his close business partner, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, abruptly stopped the monthly stipend provided to Wigwe’s parents.
Wigwe, born on August 15, 1966, in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria, was a prominent Nigerian banker and businessman. He served as the Group Managing Director and CEO of Access Bank Plc, one of Nigeria’s leading banking institutions.
On February 9, 2024, Wigwe, along with his wife Doreen and their 29-year-old son Chizi, died in a helicopter crash near Nipton, California. The family was en route from Palm Springs International Airport to Boulder City, Nevada, intending to attend Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas.
The crash also claimed the lives of former Nigerian Exchange Group Plc Chairman Abimbola Ogunbanjo and two crew members.
After his passing, Aig-Imoukhuede reportedly continued this support. However, according to Wigwe’s elder sister, Joyce Wigwe, the stipend was discontinued following a legal caveat filed by the family regarding Herbert’s estate.
“So Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, Wigwe’s close business partner, had graciously been providing stipend the way Herbert was providing stipend for my parents but after the caveat we noticed he stopped,” Joyce Wigwe said during an interview with TV360.
She further explained that when mediators inquired about the reason for the sudden stoppage, Aig-Imoukhuede claimed he believed the funds were being used to finance a lawsuit against him.
The family, however, maintains that Herbert’s estate should be sufficient to cater to his parents.
“We said thank you so much for being so gracious but we believe that Herbert’s estate has enough money to look after his parents,” she said.
Joyce Wigwe also revealed that the family had sought legal intervention to obtain details of Herbert’s interests in Access Bank, Coronation, his life insurance, and other entitlements to ensure the welfare of his children. However, they encountered resistance.
“We filed an interim application in court to let us know about Herbert’s interest in Access Bank, Coronation, his life insurance and all the things that pertain to Herbert and then the court can actually make an interim order so that the parents can be looked after pending when the suit is finally decided,” she said.
She refuted claims that their father was in a legal dispute with Herbert’s daughter over the late banker’s assets, describing him as someone completely averse to court battles.
“My father will never fight a child of his. In fact, he told us repeatedly he has never been to court all his life, so he is completely averse to court. He said to them, ‘We need to work as one. We will never go to court over any issue,’” she said.
The family insists that their father’s only request was transparency regarding Herbert’s estate, particularly to secure the future of his grandchildren, who were orphaned by the tragic helicopter crash.
“My dad just wanted a sense of transparency and accountability because suddenly he has grandchildren who don’t have parents anymore,” she said.
“They needed to be looked after. Like Herbert Wigwe kept telling us and told me in particular, Okach is two years old, we need to provide for him all through and make sure he’s all right.”
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