The doyen of the accounting profession in Nigeria, Chief Akintola Williams, is 100 years old today.

Chief Akintola Williams (born 9 August 1919) was the first African to qualify as a chartered accountant.

He began his education at Olowogbowo Methodist Primary School, Bankole street, Apongbon, Lagos Island, Lagos, in the early 1930s; the same primary school his late junior brother Chief Rotimi Williams attended.

His firm, founded in 1952, later grew organically and through mergers to become the largest professional services firm in Nigeria by 2004. Williams participated in founding the Nigerian Stock Exchange and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria. During a long career, he has received many honours.

Akintola Williams was born in 1919. His grandfather, Z.A. Williams, was a merchant prince from Abeokuta and his father Thomas Ekundayo Williams was a clerk in the colonial service who set up a legal practice in Lagosafter training in London, England. He was the older brother of Rotimi Williams, who later became a distinguished lawyer, and the late Rev. James Kehinde Williams, a Christianminister. 

For his primary education in the early 1930s, he attended Olowogbowo Methodist Primary School, Lagos. Williams then attended the CMS Grammar School, Lagos. He went on to Yaba Higher College on a UAC scholarship, obtaining a diploma in commerce. In 1944, he travelled to England where he studied at the University of London. Studying Banking and Finance, he graduated in 1946 with a Bachelor of Commerce. He continued his studies and qualified as a chartered accountant in England in 1949. A Yoruba of chiefly background, the OloyeWilliams was one of the founders of the Egbe Omo Oduduwa society while in London, with Dr. Oni Akerele as President and Chief Obafemi Awolowo as Secretary.

After returning to Nigeria in 1950, Williams served with the Inland Revenue as an assessment officer until March 1952, when he left the civil service and founded Akintola Williams & Co. in Lagos. The company was the first indigenous chartered accounting firm in Africa. At the time, the accountancy business was dominated by five large foreign firms. Although there were a few small local firms, they were certified rather than chartered accountants. Williams gained business from indigenous companies including Nnamdi Azikiwe's West African Pilot, K. O. Mbadiwe's African Insurance Company, Fawehinmi Furniture and Ojukwu Transport. He also provided services to the new state-owned corporations including the Electricity Corporation of Nigeria, the Western Nigeria Development Corporation, the Eastern Nigeria Development Corporation, the Nigerian Railway Corporation and the Nigerian Ports Authority.

The first partner in the firm, Charles S. Sankey, was appointed in 1957, followed by the Cameroonian Mr. Njoh Litumbe. Litumbe opened branch offices in Port Harcourt and Enugu, and later spearheaded overseas expansion. In 1964, a branch was opened in the Cameroons, followed by branches in Côte d'Ivoire and Swaziland, and affiliates in Ghana, Egypt and Kenya. By March 1992, the company had 19 partners and 535 staff.

Demand grew as a result of the Companies Act of 1968, which required that companies operating in Nigeria formed locally incorporated subsidiaries and published audited annual accounts. The drive in the early 1970s to encourage indigenous ownership of businesses also increased demand. In 1973, AW Consultant Ltd, a management consultancy headed by Chief Arthur Mbanefo, was spun off. The company acquired a computer service company and a secretarial service, and in 1977, the company entered into an agreement with Touche Ross International based on profit sharing. Williams was also a board member and major shareholder in a number of other companies. He retired in 1983.

Between April 1999 and May 2004, Akintola Williams & Co. merged with two other accounting firms to create Akintola Williams Deloitte (now known as Deloitte & Touche), the largest professional services firm in Nigeria with a staff of over 600.

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 founding member and first president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria. He was also involved in establishing the Nigerian Stock Exchange. He remained actively involved with these organisations into his old age. At a stock exchange ceremony in May 2011, he called on operators to protect the market and ensure there was no scandal. He said that, if needed, market operators should not hesitate to seek his advice on resolving any problem.

Public sector positions held by him include Chairman of the Federal Income Tax Appeal Commissioners (1958–68), member of the Coker Commission of Inquiry into the Statutory Corporations of the former Western Region of Nigeria (1962), member of the board of Trustees of the Commonwealth Foundation (1966–1975), Chairman of the Lagos State Government Revenue Collection Panel (1973) and Chairman of the Public Service Review Panel to correct the anomalies in the Udoji Salary Review Commission (1975). Other positions include President of the Metropolitan Club in Victoria Island, Lagos, Founder and Council member of the Nigerian Conservation Foundation and Founder and chairman of the board of Trustees of the Musical Society of Nigeria.

In 1982, Williams was honoured by the Nigerian Government with the O.F. R.. Following retirement in 1983, Williams threw himself into a project to establish a music centre and concert hall for the Music Society of Nigeria. In April 1997, Williams was appointed a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. for services to the accountancy profession and for promotion of arts, culture and music through the Musical Society of Nigeria. The Akintola Williams Arboretum at the Nigerian Conservation Foundation headquarters in Lagos is named in his honour. On the 8th of May, 2011, the Nigeria-Britain Association presented awards to John Kufuor, past President of Ghana, and to Akintola Williams, for their contributions to democracy and development in Africa.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akintola_Williams


Throwback: 99 year old Akintola Williams gets standing ovation at Jim Ovia's book launch.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUCzXNar16M

His brother, Chief Frederick Rotimi Alade (FRA) Williams (aka Timi The Law) was the first senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and one of the most famous lawyers ever in Nigeria.

Legal battles between FRA Williams and GOK Ajayi (e.g. Adeyinka Oyekan and Others v. Musendiku Adeniji Adele) were always absolutely fascinating.

Video: FRA Williams presents Nigeria's draft constitution to General Obasanjo at Dodan Barracks in 1976.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60scDVcHeFU

happy birthday sir..... you are a inspiration to the younger generation

naptu2:
The doyen of the accounting profession in Nigeria, Chief Akintola Williams, is 100 years old today.



https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akintola_Williams

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BABA!!

Happy Centenary Birthday Sir..

President Buhari felicitates with Akintola Williams.

Lions Club.

Who counted?

Congratulations Sir.

Imagine how he views Nigeria's decay...........

What else am I going to wish baba? Is it long life, good health or great achievements in life? I simply wish him continual God mercies in this world and hereafter. May we grow old too in sound health and prosperity

Congratulations on your first 100 years Sir!

I grew up equating accounting to Akintola Williams. That is, whenever accounting is mentioned what comes to mind was Akintola Williams.

Happy to know that such authentic legend, icon, professional and patriot is still alive and kicking in the 'Departure lounge'.

Happy birthday big grand Pa!

SegaLINKS
I need to clarify a few things based on our experience with young callers in the past two weeks. Police have not lost their power to make arrests. Not all arrests are illegal. If you are caught with a stolen property you need to quietly cooperate with the investigation.

Also the fact that you have SEGA’s Number is not a license to be rude to any police officer. Going to your girl friend’s house to beat her up & seize the phone you bought her because she wasn’t taking your calls is aggravated assault & robbery. You will be detained.

Agreeing to pay for sex and later changing your mind after the service a day after, can open you up to being accused of rape. Don’t call me again for this kind of madness. I will worsen your situation and allow the police to catch their fun with you too.

If you are driving a factory fitted tinted vehicle, go to the nearest police HQ to you and do a biometric registration after registering online. It doesn’t take long. If you used Lucozade nylon to tint the glass yourself, it can get you detained. Remove this for peace to reign.

Our officers are on the highways to keep us all safe. Not all of them are out to harass you or demand for money. If they stop you, listen to them first before you call for help & don’t rain abuses on them while they are on the phone. Be courteous. It doesn’t kill.

Police are mandated to resolve civil disputes between people. For a business gone bad, police may be forced to detain you depending on the gravity of the incident/petition. It doesn’t mean they have taken sides. There’s nothing like it’s small money. Duping people is a Crime.

My boss owes me money is never a license to rob the company or empty the stockroom. That is robbery. I’ve been a good staff won’t cut this. There is nothing anyone can say to defend a self confessed thief regardless of the situation. Come to equity with clean hands.

She followed me home by herself is not the same as accepting or agreeing to be slept with. She can still accuse you of rape. I have helped her before or I bought her the clothes she is wearing and the phone she used to call police is not an excuse for rape. Be guided.

If you call and I send you a text that I can’t take calls. Please send text. I may need to direct your call. When I refer you to any officer, please be patient and calm on the phone regardless of what you are told. Follow the instructions and you will be fine. No need to curse.

We can actually see now that there is no separation of the Police from the Public. The people too are oppressors just like the leaders. The only difference here is that the people don’t have authority or guns to enforce their power. Let’s all be mindful.

We at @SIAF_NG are not out to obstruct justice but to reinforce Equity, Fairness and Justice for all including the protection of the rights of the serving officers as well. We are all we’ve got & we mustn’t wait until disaster strikes before this is understood. We can do better!

Finally the fellow you went to arrest with police for owing you money can always play along until he is free after being extorted before going to another station to get you arrested for assault etc which police will welcome and lock you up as well. The police benefits in the end.

naptu2:
The doyen of the accounting profession in Nigeria, Chief Akintola Williams, is 100 years old today.



https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akintola_Williams


Throwback: 99 year old Akintola Williams gets standing ovation at Jim Ovia's book launch.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUCzXNar16M

The way yorubas lie ehh, chai

Veteran, Happy Birthday Sir.

[s]

PrecisionFx:


The way yorubas lie ehh, chai

[/s]

This thread is about the first African to qualify as a chartered accountant. They not talking about
Drugs
Sex trafficking
Robbery
cos if you no dey talk crime for Yiiboz man hear, you no dey talk true.

Happy birthday Sir

naptu2:
His brother, Chief Frederick Rotimi Alade (FRA) Williams (aka Timi The Law) was the first senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and one of the most famous lawyers ever in Nigeria.

Legal battles between FRA Williams and GOK Ajayi (e.g. Adeyinka Oyekan and Others v. Musendiku Adeniji Adele) were always absolutely fascinating.

Video: FRA Williams presents Nigeria's draft constitution to General Obasanjo at Dodan Barracks in 1976.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60scDVcHeFU

These are achievements politicians can never have

Agbawo

GeneralPula:





This thread is about the first African to qualify as a chartered accountant. They not talking about Drugs
Sex trafficking

Bring any form of proof that he's the first African chartered accountant.

GeneralPula:
Chief Akintola Williams (born 9 August 1919) was the first African to qualify as a chartered accountant.


Some certain Low IQ set of dummies from the Yeeest won’t be happy right now.

The second part of your comment was not needed. We are the Sophisticated Yoruba tribe and we do not drag ourselves in the mud by throwing childish tribalistic tantrums and innuendos.

Nice

wman:


The second part of your comment was not needed. We are the Sophisticated Yoruba tribe and we do not drag ourselves in the mud by throwing childish tribalistic tantrums and innuendos.

Deleted

happy birthday sir! may the good Lord continue to give you strength and good health.