Ordinary men can do nothing that has permanence. Extraordinary men are remarkably different. They tend to understand that greatness is never attained by sudden flight but by toiling through the night, while ordinary men slept. If this is the surest measure of feats that have permanence, then Herbert Wigwe, the MD of Access Bank, is an extraordinary man.
To the staff and management of Access Bank, his smiles have been their anchor, his shoulders their rampart of comfort. Herbert’s citizenship of humanity they claim, depicts his love of life and undying compassion for the needy and less privileged. Interestingly, however, Access Bank Plc has been named Bank of the Year in this year’s edition of the annual BusinessDay Banking Awards.
The Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the bank, Mr. Herbert Wigwe, was also voted as the Bank Chief Executive Officer of the Year.
The event, which started five years ago, was designed to recognise banking and finance institutions in the country.
The programme was held in partnership with Air France and Hennessy. Wigwe, who dedicated the awards to the bank’s customers, said they would spur him to be more dedicated and seek greater heights.
He said, “So, I’ll like to thank God first. I’ll like to thank all Access Bank customers and I will like to thank all our employees. For me, the awards can only spur me to greater heights much more than I can ever imagine.
“As I used to say, you cannot do it alone. Anybody who thinks he is running a big institution that spans several countries and thinks he is the only one doing it must be joking. Honestly, for whatever I am, whatever I’ve achieved, I can, apart from God, only attribute it to the great people that I’m working with in Access Bank.”
Other awards included the Best Bank in Support of Agriculture, Best Bank in Corporate Social Responsibility, Best Bank in Small and Medium Enterprises, which were won by United Bank for Africa Plc, First Bank of Nigeria Limited, and Guaranty Trust Bank Plc respectively.
Lift Above Poverty Microfinance Bank Plc emerged the Microfinance Bank of the Year just as Union Bank Plc was awarded the Most Improved Bank in Retail Banking.
Diamond Bank Plc won the Most Innovative Product of the Year award.
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State, who was represented by a former Deputy Governor of the state, Mr. Femi Pedro, noted that the banking sector was critical to the growth of any modern society.
He added that the economic recession should produce the best corporate governance and ensure that the monetary policy of government achieve the desired goal.
The Publisher, Business Day, Mr. Frank Aigbogun, stated that although the country was in economic recession, the organisation would continue to promote and facilitate transparency in the industry to the investing public.
