Accounting Icon, Akintola Williams, passes on at 104

After passing the qualifying exam for the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales (ICAEW) in 1949, Pa Williams is said to be the first Sub-Saharan African to become a chartered accountant.

The founding of the Association of Accountants in Nigeria, which later evolved into the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), was made possible by the icon, who was instrumental in the development of the accountancy profession in the nation.

He later joined ICAN as a founding member and contributed to the creation of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, which is now known as the Nigerian Exchange Group.

Williams, a seasoned administrator, excelled as a management consultant, accountant, and serial entrepreneur during his active working years.

Following his early education in Nigeria, Williams earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of London in 1946 with a focus in banking and finance before becoming a qualified Chartered Accountant in England.

From 1950 to 1952, Pa Williams served as an assessment officer for the Inland Revenue before leaving the public service to start Akintola Williams & Co., the first locally-owned company of chartered accountants in Africa (now Deloitte & Touche Nigeria).