Rivers Community Grieves as Herbert Wigwe, Wife, and Son are Laid to Rest Today

Today, the community of Omueke in Isiokpo, Ikwere Local Government Area of Rivers State, bids farewell to the late Dr. Herbert Wigwe, former CEO of Access Holdings, along with his wife and son. The elaborate procession, including a massive motorcade, marked the departure of their remains from Port Harcourt International Airport to the ancestral grounds.

Wigwe’s kinsmen insisted on his burial in Omueke, pledging to employ ancient traditions to unveil the circumstances of his demise. Members of the community, clad in black, awaited the body, and Isiokpo married women gathered to offer prayers, seeking divine intervention against untimely deaths among their prominent members.

Over 200 women, having just concluded a three-day fasting, prayed fervently for the spirit of untimely death to be lifted. Expressing their grief, one of them said, “Our son, Herbert, was taking care of us, widows, and children in this area. We are praying God to stop our prominent people from dying. We are pained.”

The Chairman of Ikwerre Local Government Area, Dr. Samuel Nwanosike, and community elders received Wigwe’s body, mourning the great loss and expressing plans to immortalize him for his visionary contributions to both his people and the entire Ikwerre ethnic nationality.

Preparations for the burial drew attention, with about 30 private jets expected to bring dignitaries, including governors, ministers, politicians, and industrial leaders, to pay their last respects. Heavy traffic at Port Harcourt International Airport indicated the arrival of mourners.

As of Friday evening, arrangements were underway for a wake at Wigwe University, the institution he founded, located adjacent to his residence. Meanwhile, the Rivers State Police Command assured reinforced security measures for the ceremony, deploying operatives to ensure a peaceful and organized farewell to the financial mogul and philanthropist, Dr. Herbert Wigwe, his wife, and son.