The 14th Emir of Kano State, Mohammed Sanusi, shared how Dr. Herbert Wigwe, the late CEO of Access Bank Plc, helped him after he was dethroned and had to leave the state.
Sanusi spoke about this at a tribute event for Wigwe in Lagos.
He tearfully remembered how Wigwe supported him and his family when they needed a place to stay after his dethronement.
He said, “When I had problems in Kano, I called him (Wigwe) about six months before I was to leave Kano, and I said to him, ‘Herbert, I know you will give all your best to solve all these problems, but I am convinced that this is what is going to happen.’ And he said to me ‘Your Highness, don’t worry, whatever happens, don’t worry we are here for you.’
“On the day I heard on the radio that I was dethroned, the night before it happened, I called and said I wanted to come to Lagos. The announcement was made at about 9 am, and by noon, Herbert had a plane at the tarmac in Kano. I put my family on that plane, no message, no phone call, I put them on that plane. Herbert received them, put them in a hotel, and later got them accommodation for months.”
Sanusi said that because of Wigwe’s kindness towards him, many people mistakenly thought that Sanusi was the owner of Access Bank, with Wigwe and Aig-Imoukhuede being his subordinates.
“When I came we stayed there. Some people believe I own access bank and Aig and Herbert are fronting for me. They gave me the cars and the drivers, they gave me security and a private jet and they ask for nothing and they don’t talk about it. I have lived in Lagos for four years, the house my family lives in was provided by Herbert,” he said.
He added, “When I heard of his death, I said ‘In the coming weeks and months, people will get to know Herbert the human being’. They know him as a banker, as a businessman, they don’t know him as a human being. He was always about others, not about himself. You can’t imagine how one human being could have been so many things to so many people.”
Sanusi remembered how he had entrusted his life savings to Wigwe. He explained that he did this because he believed he would die before Wigwe.
“About two years ago, I put all my savings into a Trust for the education of my children, I have many and my priority as a father is to make sure that when I pass away, they will have a good education.
“I told Herbert, ‘I am placing you in charge of this Trust for the education of my children because I know that even if I die and do not leave any money, you will educate my children.
“I thought I would die before Herbert”, he revealed.
Sanusi, who was consoled by Abia State Governor Alex Otti, Aig-Imoukhuede, and an aide, couldn’t stop crying. He mentioned that due to the immense kindness shown to him by Wigwe, many people thought he was the owner of Access Bank, with Wigwe and Aig-Imoukhuede acting as his representatives.
“On the day before this happened, I was on a chat group when somebody made a few remarks about Herbert that I found offensive and I defended Herbert. I made my point very clear that this was unacceptable.
“A few days after Herbert died; a friend called me and sent me a message. He sent a message to Herbert at about 3:20 am that morning (the day of the crash), telling him how I had stood up and defended him and forwarded my entire message to him. ‘Herbert replied at 3:28 am with one word ‘unbelievable’. He sent another message at 3:50 which was not delivered. From the presentation from the air traffic controllers, the crash happened at 3:30. So possibly, the last thing Herbert read was my message talking about him,” he added.
