The former Emir of Kano State, Mohammed Sanusi, has recounted how his relationship with the late Chief Executive Officer of Access Bank Plc, Herbert Wigwe, made people think he owned the bank.
The former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) made this known on Wednesday at the night of tributes organised in Wigwe’s honour in Lagos.
Sanusi, who broke down in tears thrice, said Wigwe’s kindness to him gave many the impression he owned Access Bank, while Wigwe and Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede were his stooges.
Recounting his sojourn with the late Wigwe, Sanusi was comforted by Abia State Governor Alex Otti, Aig-Imoukhuede, and an aide because he failed to control the tears that continued to flow from his eyes.
The former Kano Emir recalled how the late banker came to his rescue when he was dethroned and provided a place for him and his family to stay in Lagos.
He said: “When I came we stayed there. Some people believe I own access bank and Aig and Herbert are fronting for me. They gave me the cars and the drivers, they gave me security and a private jet and they ask for nothing and they don’t talk about it. I have lived in Lagos for four years, the house my family lives in was provided by Herbert.”
He added: “On the day before this happened, I was on a chat group when somebody made a few remarks about Herbert that I found offensive and I defended Herbert. I made my point very clear that this was unacceptable.
“A few days after Herbert died; a friend called me and sent me a message. He sent a message to Herbert at about 3:20 am that morning (the day of the crash), telling him how I had stood up and defended him and forwarded my entire message to him. ‘Herbert replied at 3:28 am with one word ‘unbelievable’. He sent another message at 3:50 which was not delivered. According to the presentation from the air traffic controllers, the crash happened at 3:30. So possibly, the last thing Herbert read was my message talking about him.
“When I heard of his death, I said ‘In the coming weeks and months, people will get to know Herbert the human being’. They know him as a banker, as a businessman, they don’t know him as a human being. He was always about others, not about himself. You can’t imagine how one human being could have been so many things to so many people.”
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