The legal fight over the estate of late Access Bank CEO, Herbert Wigwe, has moved to the Court of Appeal. This follows a Lagos High Court decision dismissing an application for temporary administratorship.
Herbert Wigwe’s 90-year-old father, Pastor Shyngle Wigwe, is challenging the ruling. He had sought to be involved in managing his late son’s properties and guardianship of his grandchildren.
On February 6, 2025, Justice A.O. Adeyemi of the Lagos High Court’s Family/Probate Division dismissed an application filed by Pastor Shyngle Wigwe and Christian Wigwe. The duo had requested the appointment of interim administrators for the estate.
They had filed the case, reportedly at the prompting of Emeka Wigwe, against Access Bank Plc, Coronation Merchant Bank Ltd, and United Securities Ltd. Others named in the suit included Uche Wigwe, former Access Bank CEO Aigboje Imoukhuede, and Herbert Wigwe’s daughter, Otutochi Wigwe.
The applicants wanted the court to appoint a group—including Otutochi, Uche, and Shyngle Wigwe—alongside two financial firms, Zedra Trust Company and PricewaterhouseCoopers, to oversee the estate until the case was resolved.
Additionally, they sought joint guardianship of Wigwe’s minor children: Chituru David Wigwe, Wegu & Hannah Wigwe, and Okachi Great Wigwe. Pastor Shyngle Wigwe aimed to oversee their welfare.
Justice Adeyemi ruled that the requested reliefs were too similar to the main case and, therefore, unsustainable. The claimants were denied the requests, leading to their appeal.
On February 13, 2025, Pastor Shyngle Wigwe and his co-applicants filed a notice of appeal. They argued that the court failed to distinguish between interim reliefs—meant to preserve the estate—and final decisions on asset distribution.
They also cited Section 24 of the Lagos State Administration of Estate Law, which allows courts to appoint temporary administrators when necessary. Additionally, they contested a prior guardianship order, claiming it excluded the grandparents without due notice.
Another key issue in the appeal was the denial of a Norwich Pharmacal order, which would have compelled financial institutions to disclose details of Herbert Wigwe’s holdings. The appellants insist that some assets remain unaccounted for, and transparency is needed before probate is finalized.
Herbert Wigwe tragically passed away on February 9, 2024, in a helicopter crash near Nipton, California. The accident also claimed the lives of his wife, Doreen Chizoba Wigwe, their son, Chizi Wigwe, former Nigerian Exchange Group Chairman Abimbola Ogunbanjo, and two crew members.
Now, the legal battle over his estate continues, with his father pushing for a say in how his properties and children are managed. The Court of Appeal’s decision could shape the next steps in the case.
