Justice Adeyinka Adeyemi of a Lagos High Court has dismissed the application filed by Christian Chukwuka Wigwe and Pastor Shyngle Wigwe (late Herbert’s dad) asking the court to appoint an administrator for the estate of the late Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Access Bank Plc, Herbert Onyewunbi Wigwe. In a ruling delivered on February 6, 2025, the court resolved all issues raised by the applicants and deemed their claims unsustainable -and also directed the counsel in the suit to ensure that the case was not unnecessarily prolonged in the interest of the minor children of the estate.
The claimants, Chukwuka and Shyngle, had instituted the suit marked No. ID/7735FPM/2024 against Uche Wigwe, Aigboje AIG Imoukhiede, and Miss Otutochi Channel Wigwe.
The claimants, aside from seeking an order of the court to appoint an interim administrator, are also praying the court to grant a Norwich Pharmacal order against Access Bank Plc, Coronation Merchant Bank Limited, and United Securities Limited to disclose information on the dividend shares and other financial transactions of the deceased person.
However, while ruling on the application to appoint interim administrators for the late Wigwe estate, the judge dismissed the application, holding that she found no wrongdoing by the respondents.
She said, “I cannot find evidence of any wrongdoing by the second defendant/respondent either disclosed by the claimants/applicants in their affidavit evidence or any complaint from the beneficiaries of the estate as represented by the third defendant/respondent.”
In their suit, the claimants sought an order for the appointment of Otutochi Wigwe, Uche Wigwe, Shyngle Wigwe, and two professionals – Zedra Trust Company (Isle of Man), a subsidiary of Zedra Corporate Solutions UK Limited (International Professional), and Pricewaterhouse Coopers Limited (Local Professional) – as interim administrators of Herbert Wigwe’s estate, pending the resolution of the substantive suit.
Additionally, the applicants requested an order placing Wigwe’s minor children (Chituru David Wigwe, Wegu & Hannah Wigwe, and Okachi Great Wigwe) under the joint guardianship of Otutochi Wigwe, Uche Wigwe, Emeka Wigwe, Shyngle Wigwe, and the two professionals, with Shyngle Wigwe overseeing their welfare.
They also sought authorisation for the interim administrators to ensure the maintenance and welfare of Herbert Wigwe’s dependents, liaise with third parties regarding financial or property interests, submit monthly reports to the court, and obtain full disclosure from Access Bank Plc, Coronation Merchant Bank Ltd, and United Securities Ltd regarding shares or financial interests held on behalf of the deceased.