Court Dismisses Application for Interim Administrators in Late Herbert Wigwe’s Estate Dispute
A Lagos State High Court in Ikeja has dismissed an application seeking the appointment of interim administrators for the estate of the late Herbert Wigwe, former Group Managing Director and CEO of Access Bank. The application was filed by his cousin, Christian Wigwe, and his father, Pastor Shyngle Wigwe.
In a ruling delivered by Justice A.O. Adeyemi on February 6, 2025, the court found the claims brought by the applicants to be unsustainable.
Christian and Pastor Shyngle Wigwe had initiated the suit against Access Bank Plc, Coronation Merchant Bank Ltd, and United Securities Ltd. They also named Uche Wigwe, Aigboje A.I.G. Imoukhuede, and Miss Otutochi Channel Wigwe as defendants.
Their request sought the appointment of Uche Wigwe, Shyngle Wigwe, Otutochi Wigwe, and two professionals—Zedra Trust Company (Isle of Man) and PricewaterhouseCoopers Limited—as interim administrators of the estate until the resolution of the substantive case.
Additionally, they requested that the late banker’s minor children, Chituru David Wigwe, Wegu & Hannah Wigwe, and Okachi Great Wigwe, be placed under joint guardianship. They proposed that Shyngle Wigwe oversee their welfare while the interim administrators managed the family’s financial and property interests.
However, after reviewing the case, the court ruled that the applicants’ claims mirrored those in the substantive lawsuit, making it inappropriate to decide on them at an interlocutory stage.
Justice Adeyemi cited Section 24(1) of the Administration of Estate Law, Lagos State, 2015, which allows the court to appoint an administrator in cases involving legal disputes over an estate. However, the judge noted that an earlier court ruling had already assigned legal guardianship of the minor children to the third defendant. Since there was no pending appeal, revisiting that judgment at this stage was not possible.
Furthermore, the court emphasized that an accelerated hearing had been granted to ensure a swift resolution, making concerns about a prolonged trial unnecessary.
In the final ruling, Justice Adeyemi dismissed the application, stating that it was unsustainable and urging the involved parties to avoid unnecessary delays, particularly in the best interests of the children.
