12 Key Facts About Nigeria’s First Chartered Accountant, Akintola Williams

By
Vicky MTB
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Nigeria mourns the passing of Chief Akintola Williams, its first indigenous chartered accountant, who passed away at the age of 104.

A source, who did not want to be mentioned, told PUNCH online that Williams died at his house in Lagos, on Monday 11th September.

Williams was a pioneering figure in Nigeria’s accounting profession and made significant contributions to the country’s financial sector.

Here are 12 key facts about the late pioneer chartered accountant:

  1. Chief Akintola Williams was born on August 9, 1919, in the UK.
  2. He began his education at Olowogbowo Methodist Primary School, Bankole Street, Apongbon, Lagos Island, Lagos, in the early 1930s.
  3. Williams received a UAC scholarship and attended Yaba Higher College, where he obtained a diploma in commerce.
  4. In 1944, he traveled to England and studied at the University of London, specializing in Banking and Finance. He graduated in 1946 with a Bachelor of Commerce and qualified as a chartered accountant in England in 1949.
  5. He was the elder brother of Chief Frederick Rotimi Alade Williams, QC, SAN, who became the first Nigerian to attain the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).
  6. Chief Akintola Williams holds the distinction of being the first Nigerian to qualify as a chartered accountant.
  7. In 1952, he founded the first indigenous chartered accounting firm in Africa, Akintola Williams & Co, located in Lagos.
  8. He was a founding member and served as the first president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN).
  9. Williams played a pivotal role in establishing the Association of Accountants in Nigeria in 1960, aimed at training accountants, and he served as its first president.
  10. He made invaluable contributions to the establishment of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.
  11. In recognition of his contributions, he was honored with the Order of the Federal Republic by the Nigerian Government in 1982.
  12. Queen Elizabeth II also recognized his achievements in April 1997 when she conferred upon him the title Commander of the British Empire (CBE).

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