A legal battle has erupted over the estate of the late Herbert Wigwe, as his 90-year-old father, Pastor Shyngle Wigwe, and a relative, Christian Chukwuka Wigwe, have taken his 26-year-old daughter, Otutochi Wigwe, to court. The plaintiffs are seeking the appointment of an administrator to oversee the banker’s estate, which is currently being contested.
The lawsuit, filed before Justice A.O. Adeyemi of the Lagos State High Court, also lists former Access Bank CEO Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede as a defendant. The plaintiffs argue that an estate administrator is needed to manage the late banker’s assets due to ongoing disputes regarding his will.
In October 2024, reports surfaced alleging that Pastor Shyngle Wigwe’s family had attempted to alter Herbert Wigwe’s will to disinherit his children. The family, however, denied these claims. A formal challenge to the will was later filed by Christian Chukwuka Wigwe on behalf of the deceased’s father.
During court proceedings, the plaintiffs requested that the case be heard privately, citing the involvement of minor children. However, the defendants, represented by senior lawyer Paul Usoro (SAN), objected, leading to a public hearing.
On February 6, 2025, Justice Adeyemi dismissed the request for an interim administrator, ruling that the plaintiffs’ demands were too similar to the main case’s reliefs.
Following the court’s decision, Pastor Wigwe and his supporters filed an appeal on February 13, 2025, arguing that the lower court failed to differentiate between interim reliefs and final estate distribution. They also sought a Norwich Pharmacal order to compel financial institutions, including Access Bank, to disclose details of the late banker’s financial holdings.
Herbert Wigwe, co-founder of Access Bank, died in a helicopter crash on February 9, 2024, alongside his wife, son, and other prominent individuals. The crash occurred near Nipton, California, while
