Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has urged Ethiopians to inherit the positive assets of their forefathers from the victory of Adwa to solve contemporary challenges and build prosperous Ethiopia.

In a momentous ceremony steeped in history and hope, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed inaugurated today the Adwa Victory Memorial in the presence of President Sahlework Zewde, Deputy Prime Minister Temesgen Tiruneh, Supreme Court President Tedros Mihret, House of Peoples Representatives Speaker Tagesse Chafo, Prosperity Party Deputy Chairman, Army Chief of Staff Field Marshial Birhanu Jula, high-ranking government officials, diplomats and other invited dignitaries.

The memorial, a testament to the legendary 1896 Battle of Adwa, stands as a beacon of Ethiopian resilience and self-determination.

Its unveiling, 128 years after the resounding victory, resonated deeply with the Prime Minister.

He attributed its realization to a confluence of “chance, struggle, and hard work,” highlighting the pivotal role these elements play in shap
ing human destiny.

‘Human life is filled with chance and struggle. When chance and struggle conflate attainment occurs.’

We, Ethiopians, are inherently fortunate, declared Abiy, his voice resonating with pride. This very identity, being Ethiopian, is a privilege we possess.

Abiy noted: ‘We all Ethiopians here are lucky. What makes us lucky is the fact that we are Ethiopians.’

While other nations with shared ancestry may strive to build such monuments, but they cannot embody the spirit of heroes of Adwa such as Minilik, Balcha, or Alula . This is a legacy uniquely ours.

He added: ‘Other countries with black people can build such amazing memorial, but they cannot be the son of Minilik, Balcha, or Alula. Ethiopianness is a privilege we are endowed with. But we realized this memorial through struggle and endeavor.’

Thus, ‘We inaugurated this Adwa victory memorial here, in a manner that matches Ethiopia, after 128 years today, through hard work, struggle and endeavor to pass it to the next generation,’ Abiy
said.

However, the Prime Minister acknowledged that Ethiopia’s journey has not been without its thorns.

Our forefathers had known on what issue they became cooperative and made difference. They also knew the difference between the government and the interests of the country.

The forefathers have the knowledge that identifies government and state interest and called on the new generation to inherit the positive assets from them.

Our forefathers, the Prime Minister emphasized, understood the power of unity and discernment. They distinguished between the government and the true interests of the nation. This wisdom is a crucial inheritance we must embrace.

He urged the younger generation to not simply inherit the “fires” of the past, but to harness the true spirit of Adwa’s victors. This spirit, he elaborated, embodies the eradication of poverty, unwavering defense against invaders, the preservation of dignity, and the achievement of food sovereignty.

Furthermore, Abiy underscored the enduring lesson of sep
arating government interests from the national good, a wisdom gleaned from the triumphs of Ethiopia’s ancestors.

Source: Ethiopian News Agency

The Board of Directors of Access Holdings Plc has confirmed the passing of Dr Herbert Wigwe, CFR, the Company’s founding Group Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and former Group Managing Director of its flagship subsidiary, Access Bank Plc.

In a statement copied to the Ghana News Agency, the Board of Access Holdings Plc said Dr Wigwe died alongside his wife and son on Friday, February 9, 2024, in a helicopter accident in the United States of America.

‘The entire Access Family mourns the loss of Herbert, Doreen and Chizi. We extend our deep and sincere sympathies to his family and loved ones,’ it said.

The statement said Dr Wigwe was a key driving force and a larger-than-life personality who brought his remarkable passion, energy, and experience to the transformation of the Access franchise since joining the Bank in 2002.

Commenting on the passage of Dr Wigwe, Mr Abubakar Jimoh, Chairman of Access Holdings said: ‘The Access Family has suffered a major loss with the passing of Dr Wigwe who was a great friend an
d fine gentleman.

‘He had a prodigious intellect, admirable personal qualities, and vast business experience which he brought to bear on the Access Family and for which we owe him a debt of gratitude.

‘We remain confident that the Access Group will build further on Dr Wigwe’s legacy of growth and operational excellence.’

Dr Wigwe was instrumental in the growth of Access Bank, which he co-founded with his friend and business partner Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede.

He took over as Access Bank Group CEO in 2014, focusing on the Bank’s expansion in Nigeria and Africa before taking the helm at Access Holdings in 2022.

Under his leadership, Access Bank drove its African strategy to become Sub-Saharan Africa’s largest retail bank by customer base.

Mr Olumide Olatunji, Country Managing Director for Access Bank Ghana, said: ‘We are deeply saddened by the demise of Dr Herbert Wigwe, who was a man of many colours because of the exceptional impact he had on the growth of the banking industry and communities we serve.’

‘As
our first Board Chairman and a pan Africanist, Dr Wigwe was pivotal in nurturing and making the Access Bank franchise relevant in Ghana as a key development partner. His legacy will never be forgotten’.

Dr Wigwe was a member of the Access Bank UK board as well as the board of the Nigerian Business Coalition Against AIDS (NiBUCAA).

He has long been an advocate for the eradication of malaria in Africa, working with the Corporate Alliance on Malaria to support this objective.

He also sat on the board of the Nigerian Mortgage Refinance Company and Friends Africa and was an honorary member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria and a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria and Institute of Credit Administration.

A two-time winner of the African Banker of the Year award from the African Banker Awards, Dr Wigwe was a passionate advocate of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which form the bedrock of Access Holdings’ growth strategy.

His academic credentials include a
degree in Accounting from the University of Nigeria, an MA in Banking and Finance from the University College of North Wales (now Bangor University), and an MSc in Financial Economics from the University of London. He also completed the Harvard Business School Executive Management Programme.

Dr Wigwe recently founded Wigwe University, Africa’s first ivy league institution dedicated to providing a world-class education and raising the next generation of fearless leaders.

Access Holdings Plc is a leading multinational financial services group that offers commercial banking, lending, payment, insurance, and asset management services.

Headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria, Access Holdings operates through a network of more than 700 branches and service outlets, spanning three continents, 20 countries, and 60+ million customers.

Access transitioned into a holding company to drive rapid growth and become a full-scale ecosystem player offering interconnected services across customer needs.

Established in 2022, Access
Holdings Plc consists of the Access Bank Group; Access Pensions; a Payment and Switching Services Company; a Digital Lending Company, and an Insurance Brokerage Company.

The banking vertical serves its various markets through four business segments: Retail, Business, Commercial and Corporate, and has enjoyed what is it arguably Africa’s most successful banking growth trajectory in the last eighteen years, becoming one of Africa’s largest retail banks by customer base and Sub-Saharan Africa’s largest bank by total assets.

Access Holdings strives to deliver sustainable economic growth that is profitable, environmentally responsible, and socially relevant, helping customers to access more and achieve their dreams.

Source: Ghana News Agency