VIDEO: Why I didn’t board ill-fated helicopter with my late boss, Wigwe’s PA breaks silence
Sola Faleye, Personal Assistant to the late Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Bank Plc, Herbert Wigwe, has recounted how he narrowly escaped the helicopter crash that claimed the lives of his boss, the CEO’s wife, son, and business associate, Abimbola Ogunbajo.
Faleye made this known at the Night of Tribute held in Lagos on Wednesday.
NewsClick Nigeria reports that Wigwe died on February 9, 2024, in a helicopter crash in the United States, alongside his wife and son as well as a former Chairman of the Nigerian Exchange Group Plc (NGX Group) Abimbola Ogunbanjo. Two crew members also died in the ill-fated crash.
He said he initially planned to travel by helicopter but reconsidered his stand, opting to travel to Vegas by road with the luggage. At the same time, Wigwe, his wife, son, and Ogunbajo took the chopper to the same destination.
Faleye said, “It was a sweet journey. 11 hours we flew from London. I remember in the middle of the air, I walked up to him. I said, ‘Sir, how comfortable are you at night flying choppers? I’ve never done it before. The app allocation system for flying choppers, I have never done it before,’ and he said this is America, they have a navigation system for flying choppers at night and I went back to my seat. And we landed. Everybody was filled with joy that we were finally almost there.
“And I walked up to him. I said, ‘Sir, I think it’s safer and secure for me to just ride and bring the luggage to you.’ He said it was a brilliant idea. And I said, safe flight.”
