As he adds another year to his enchanting life today, the pert, blue flame of joy burns through his frame; brightening his world and burnishing his persona with irrepressible shine. Yes, Herbert Wigwe is beside himself with joy for being privileged to witness yet another glorious addition to his inspiring days. He is 52 today.
Herbert is a miracle-working banker. Unlike the middling marabou, his miracles aren’t deceptive in nature rather each one is an event that creates faith in his abilities as fiscal guru and bank chief. The Access Bank chief is not just administrative Managing Director (MD) but a seasoned leader.
Administrators are always cheap and easy to find, and even cheaper to keep but leaders are worth their weight in gold. Leaders are risk takers and they are often in very short supply; ones with enduring vision however, like Herbert, are pure gold. This is why he is continually revered and celebrated, among his clan and league of extraordinary men in the world.
He understands the rudiments of the business landscape enough to tame the odds and he has done just that. He also understands that to be a man of honour and substance requires indeterminate exploits at dawn through dusk in honest industry. Wigwe knows that honour and longevity, like celery, flourishes in the dark shade – far from the blaze of disconcerting neon lights.
As a chief executive, particularly one dealing with intense pressures, Wigwe relies on many things, perspective and context; and strategic counsel and courage of conviction. However, chief among them is loyalty. And in a word, that strengthens Wigwe’s relationship with peer and his underlings.
A strong and dedicated leader, he brings clarity of thought and purpose to his work. He is a good listener who comes to the table not with some preset notion of distrust but rather an open mind; he asks tough questions and tries to find solutions.
In today’s climate, where people spend capital avoiding blame instead of finding common ground, the qualities Wigwe brings to his job are rare. That only makes leadership like his more valuable.
Despite the tempestuous tides of the global business world, Wigwe continues to navigate the storms with a sturdy and solemn resolve to remain atop and afloat.
An Alumnus of the Harvard Business School Executive Management Programme (Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America), Wigwe has a degree in Accountancy from the University of Nigeria (Nsukka, Enugu state), an MA in Banking and Finance from the University College of North Wales (now Bangor), and an M.Sc in Financial Economics from the University of London (the United Kingdom).
As Herbert clocks 52 today, let us all stand up and raise our glasses to “The Special One”
