Famous Nigerian banker and entrepreneur Herbert Onyewumbu Wigwe has kickstarted a University project in his hometown at Isiokpo in Ikwerre local government area of Rivers state.
The bank chief said the institution would be called Wigwe University, focusing on grooming fearless generations of youths who will become confident future leaders and entrepreneurs.
The University will reportedly have a 40% international and 60% national lecturer ratio and house 200 buildings on 400 hectares of land.
In a viral video on social media, he urged the youths of Isiokpo to protect the new facility in their domain.
”This na una project, una go protect am with anything wey una get. No University wey go dey like this, no be for Nigeria o, for Africa,” he told them in Nigerian pidgin English.
Wigwe, 56, the Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings Plc, is also a member of the Governing Council of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria.
He chairs the France-Nigeria Business Council, Access Bank (UK) Ltd and serves as a Non-Executive Director at Nigerian Mortgage Refinance Company Plc; FMDQ OTC Securities Exchange; Shared Agents Network Expansion Facilities Ltd and Agri-Business/ SME Enterprises Investment Scheme.
Earlier this month, he spent $1.6 million to acquire 75 million shares in Access Holdings, just a week after he purchased 140 million shares at $0.0251 per share, further solidifying his status as one of the wealthiest investors in Nigeria.
Governor Nyesom Wike performed the foundation laying ceremony of the Senate building of Wigwe University.
He declared his administration’s support to Wigwe University for it to achieve its establishment objectives.
The governor emphasised that education issues are critical to his administration because he believes that nothing can equate to or quantify the human capital development that education can offer.
Wike noted that with Wigwe University coming on stream, Rivers now has two private universities, adding that with the new development, more will come.
