Pa Akintola Williams, the doyen of the accounting profession, has died at the age of 104.
Pa Williams is credited as being the first Sub-Saharan African to pass the qualifying examination of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales (ICAEW) in 1949.
The icon was essential in the development of the accountancy profession in Nigeria by encouraging the formation of the Association of Accountants in Nigeria, which later became the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN).
He went on to become a founding member of ICAN and was instrumental in the establishment of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, which is today known as the Nigerian Exchange Group.
During his active working days, Williams was an accomplished accountant, management consultant, and serial entrepreneur.
Williams earned a Bachelor of Commerce Degree (majoring in Banking and Finance) from the University of London in 1946 before qualifying as a Chartered Accountant in England.
From 1950 to 1952, he served as an assessment officer for the Inland Revenue before leaving the public service to establish Akintola Williams & Co., Africa’s first indigenous company of chartered accountants (now Deloitte & Touche Nigeria).
Visitodell reports that the world’s famous accountant turned 104 on August 9.
