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 Grand Dad Drags Grand Daughter To Court Over Late Wigwe’s Inheritance

The dispute over the estate of the late Herbert Wigwe, former Group Managing Director and CEO of Access Bank, has taken a fresh turn as his 90-year-old father, Pastor Shyngle Wigwe, challenges his 26-year-old granddaughter, Otutochi Wigwe, in court over property and guardianship rights.

The legal battle, which has now advanced to the Court of Appeal, began after the Lagos State High Court dismissed an application filed by Pastor Wigwe, seeking interim reliefs regarding the management of his late son’s estate and guardianship of Herbert Wigwe’s minor children.

Lagos High Court Rejects Pastor Wigwe’s Interim Application

On February 6, 2025, Justice A.O. Adeyemi of the Lagos State High Court, Family/Probate Division in Ikeja, ruled against Pastor Shyngle Wigwe’s request to be appointed as an interim administrator of his late son’s estate. The application also sought the appointment of Otutochi Wigwe (Herbert Wigwe’s daughter), Uche Wigwe (Herbert’s brother), and two professional firms—Zee’s Trust Company and PricewaterhouseCoopers Limited—as interim estate managers.

In addition to the estate administration, Pastor Wigwe requested joint guardianship of Herbert Wigwe’s minor children, which would have given him oversight of their welfare. However, the court rejected these requests, stating that the reliefs sought were not justified.

Justice Adeyemi pointed out that the claims made in Pastor Wigwe’s application were largely identical to those in an ongoing substantive suit. Furthermore, the court referred to an existing judgment that had already appointed Otutochi Wigwe as the legal guardian of the deceased’s minor children.

Appeal Filed to Challenge High Court Ruling

Following the dismissal of the application, Pastor Shyngle Wigwe and his co-applicants filed a notice of appeal on February 13, 2025.

The appellants argue that the High Court failed to differentiate between interim reliefs—meant to preserve the estate and ensure the well-being of dependents—and final reliefs that would ultimately determine the distribution of assets.

They have cited Section 24 of the Administration of Estate Law of Lagos State, 2015, which empowers courts to appoint interim administrators when necessary.

With the matter now before the Court of Appeal, legal experts suggest the case could set a precedent on estate management and family guardianship rights in Nigeria. The ongoing legal proceedings are being closely watched as they could have significant implications for inheritance laws and family estate administration in the country.