14 things to know about late Akintola Williams

Nigeria’s first indigenous chartered accountant, Akintola Williams, has died.

Williams, who helped to establish Nigeria’s accounting profession and helped to develop the country’s financial sector, died at the age of 104.

Newsclick Nigeria highlights 12 things to know about the late pioneer chartered accountant.

1. Chief Akintola Williams was born in the United Kingdom on August 9, 1919.
2. In the early 1930s, he enrolled in Olowogbowo Methodist Primary School on Bankole Street in Apongbon, Lagos Island, Lagos.
3. He attended Yaba Higher College on a UAC scholarship and graduated with a certificate in business.
4. He moved to England in 1944 to study at the University of London. He earned a Bachelor of Commerce in 1946 after studying Banking and Finance.
5. In 1949, he completed his studies and became a chartered accountant in England.
6. He was the elder brother of Chief Frederick Rotimi Alade Williams, QC, SAN (December 16, 1920 – March 26, 2005), Nigeria’s first Senior Advocate of Nigeria.
7. Williams was the first Nigerian to qualify as a chartered accountant.
8. In 1952, he founded the first indigenous chartered accounting firm in Africa, Akintola Williams & Co, in Lagos.
9. He was a founding member and first president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria.
10. 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.
11. Also, he played an invaluable role in the establishment of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.
12. He was honoured with the Order of the Federal Republic by the Nigerian Government in 1982.
13. In April 1997, Queen Elizabeth also honoured him with the title Commander of the British Empire.
14. President Bola Tinubu celebrated the late doyen in August when he celebrated his 104th birthday.