Organisers of the Access Bank Lagos City Marathon, Nilayo Sports Management, are mourning the death of the group CEO of Access Holdings Plc, Herbert Wigwe, describing his impacts on the success of the nine-year-old event as immeasurable, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Wigwe, his wife, and his son Chizoba died in a helicopter crash in the United States on Saturday, a few hours after the completion of the ninth edition of the race which was sponsored by Access Bank in Lagos.
The Chief Executive Officer of Nilayo and former commissioner for sports in Ogun State, Bukola Olopade, in a statement released on Sunday, said the body was deeply saddened by the terrible loss.
“We received the news a couple of hours after the conclusion of the ninth Access Bank Lagos City Marathon. Herbert bought into the dream when he saw the sheer number of people who would benefit from the race. That was just one of the hallmarks of the man! He was a dependable partner in business, progress, and most importantly, impact,” Olopade said.
He also reflected on how Wigwe’s philanthropy has affected the lives of many athletes in Nigeria and Africa positively.
“In a decidedly tough landscape, Herbert created a culture of excellence in his world-class organisations by growing the capacity of many thousands directly, and so many millions, indirectly. We pray for fortitude and comfort for the family, friends, and acquaintances of all the victims of the crash.
“He had a positive impact on the lives of so many people, and we can only take solace in the fact that he created mechanisms and institutions which will keep his legacy of excellence forever in our hearts. Herbert was a great man. The world has lost an icon,” the statement read.
The ninth edition of the 42km marathon was won by Kenyan runner Bernard Sang, clocking a time of 02:16:49 to win the $30,000. His compatriots Cheprot and Edwin Kiptoo came second and third respectively in another dominant display by the Kenyans.
Ethiopia’s 25-year-old Kebene Chala was the first woman to get to the finish line in 2:43:32 and also went home with $30,000.
