Did Herbert Wigwe’s Father Collapse at Son’s Funeral? 

By Prudence Emudianughe

Claim

Mr Shyngle Wigwe, the father of Herbert Wigwe, the late Chief Executive Officer of Access Bank Holdings, slumped at the funeral ceremony of his late son in River State. 

Verdict

The claim that Pastor Shyngle Wigwe, the father of Herbert Wigwe, a business mogul and former CEO of Access Bank Holdings, slumped during the funeral of his late son in Isiokpo, Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State is UNCLEAR and MISLEADING.

Full Text

Mr Herbert Wigwe, a prominent Nigerian banker and the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Access Bank Plc, was among six people who lost their lives in a helicopter crash in California on the 9th of February 2024.

Before his death, Mr. Wigwe was known for his leadership in the banking industry and his innovative approach to banking and finance.

Amidst the funeral of Herbert Wigwe, the late CEO of Access Bank Holdings, netizens have claimed that the father of the business tycoon, identified simply as Mr Shyngle Wigwe, slumped during the sorrowful ceremony of his deceased son at  Isiokpo, Ikwerre Local Government Area in Rivers State.

On Wednesday afternoon, the news that Wigwe’s father slumped during his son, daughter-in-law and grandson’s funeral service began circulating on social media.

In a post by Tony Ogbuagu, a popular influencer, he said: “Herbert Wigwe’s father is not dead please. He only slumped and has been taken to the hospital. Make una slow down with all these bad news[sic].” 

Pictures were tweeted on X (formerly Twitter), a microblogging social media platform, reporting the claim. Sahara Reporters, an online news outlet, also did a story to amplify the post made by Ogbuagu.

Verification

In a bid to confirm the veracity of the claim, FactCheckAfrica conducted a keyword search and found a report by the Vanguard Newspaper where a ‘credible’ police source who spoke to the newspaper stated that the story of the deceased father’s collapse was false as the said man is ‘hale and healthy.’

FactCheckAfrica could not independently secure the contact of a family source for further confirmation.

Conclusion

FactCheckAfrica can conclude that the claim that Mr Shyngle Wigwe, the father of Herbert Wigwe, the late Access Bank Holdings CEO, slumped during the funeral of his late son in Isiokpo, Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State is UNCLEAR and MISLEADING.