Akintola Williams, Nigeria’s first chartered accountant dies at 104
The Doyen of Accountancy and Nigeria’s first indigenous chartered accountant, Pa Akintola Williams died in the early hours of today 09.11.2023 in his sleep at a ripe age of 104.
Pa Williams famous for his accountancy firm, Akintola Williams and Co founded in 1952 was the pioneer indigenous chartered accounting firm in Nigeria and Africa. It metamorphosed thereafter into Akintola Williams, Deloitte and Co.
The graduate of accounting at the University of London was born in 1919.
He went to Yaba Higher College on a UAC scholarship and obtained a diploma in commerce. In 1944, he travelled to England where he studied Banking and Finance at the University of London. He graduated in 1946 with a Bachelor of Commerce. He continued his studies and qualified as a chartered accountant in England in 1949.
Williams played a leading role in establishing the Association of Accountants in Nigeria in 1960 with the goal of training accountants. He was the first president of the association. He was a founding member and first president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria.
He also played an invaluable role in the establishment of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.
He was a man of many parts not forgetting his invaluable contribution in Lions Clubs International. He was honoured with the Order of the Federal Republic by the Nigerian Government in 1982.
In April 1997, Queen Elizabeth also honoured him with the title Commander of the British Empire.
