Akintola Williams, Nigeria’s first indigenous chartered accountant and a pioneer of the country’s accounting profession, died on Monday at the age of 104.
Akintola was born in 1919 and studied accounting at the University of London.
He qualified as a chartered accountant in 1947 and returned to Nigeria to set up his own accounting firm, Akintola Williams & Co., now Deloitte & Touche.
Williams was a strong advocate for developing the accounting profession in Nigeria.
He was a founding member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria and served as its president from 1963 to 1965.
He was also a member of the National Board of Accountants and Auditors.
Williams received many awards and honors, including the Order of the Federal Republic and the Nigerian National Order of Merit. He was also a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.
His death is a major loss to the accounting profession in Nigeria and Africa. He was a true pioneer and an inspiration to many.
