The remains of the chief executive officer of Access Holdings, Dr Herbert Wigwe, his wife, Chizoba, and son, Chizzy, were on Saturday laid to rest in Isiokpo in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State amidst tears and encomiums from sympathisers.
Their remains were brought in separately in a motorcade at The Redeemed Christian Church of God in Isiokpo at 11am and carried inside the church for a funeral service, which lasted several hours.
The mood of the community was very pensive as hundreds of residents broke down in tears over the tragedy that befell them.
Shortly after a funeral service, the remains of Wigwe, his wife, Doreen Chizoba, and their 29-year-old first son, Chizzy, were buried inside the Wigwe University, which he had built in Isiokpo.
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The final burial rite at the graveside, witnessed mainly by family members and few others, elicited sea of tears as their bodies were lowered.
Speaking during the funeral service, Senate President Godswill Akpabio, who spoke on behalf of the federal government and the National Assembly, eulogised the qualities of the late Wigwe, even as he described the burial as ‘abnormal’ due to tragedy that claimed the trio.
He described Wigwe as an iconic figure and a global citizen who impacted many lives within and outside Nigerian, adding that he had an uncommon human relation.
Speaking earlier, the Rivers State governor, Siminalayi Fubara, sent the commiserations of the government and people of the state to the bereaved family, even as he said the event underscored man’s helplessness in death, and the need to live an impactful life.
Fubara said, “I have this question always in my mind. What is life all about? Yesterday (Friday) night, we sang a hymn, ‘Fading away like the sun in the morning’; and I came to a conclusion that life is not the one million years we lived, but even if we spend an hour, let the hour be impactful. He has made a great contribution to humanity.
“Here lies our brother, his wife and son. Everyone has come to celebrate them, it means that even the short period he lived, he had an impactful life.”
He also admonished politicians to realise the futility of their struggles and desperation for power and control, saying that Wigwe was not a politician but through his ingenuity and hard work, had an influence on many politicians and achieved wealth.
Speaking with newsmen, Aminu Tambuwal, a former governor of Sokoto State, said Nigeria lost a great soul in his prime.
Among dignitaries at the event were the Lagos State governor, Babajide Samwo-Olu; Bayela State governor, Douye Diri; Governor Alex Otti of Abia State; Akwa Ibom State governor, Umo Eno.
Others are the chief executive officer of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote; former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Lamido Sanusi; former governor of Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi; former Sokoto State governor, Aminu Tambuwal; Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and former Senate President Bokola Saraki, among others.
