By Michael Agbaji
The Speaker of the House of Representatives Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, Ph.D, has expressed sadness over the death of Nigeria’s doyen of Accounting, Chief Akintola Williams.
Reacting to the demise of Chief Williams, who died at the age of 104 on Monday, Speaker Abbas described the centurion as Nigeria’s global star in the Accounting profession, who shone bright across Africa and the world.
The Speaker noted that the financial guru would be sorely missed at a time when Nigeria is navigating through a turbulent economic phase.
Speaker Abbas recalled with nostalgia, how Chief Williams broke several records and achieved many feats, including being Nigeria’s first chattered accountant.
The Speaker also recalled how the late Williams established the first indigenous chartered accounting firm in Africa, Akintola Williams & Co, in Lagos in 1952, and how he was part of the brains behind the establishment of the Association of Accountants in Nigeria in 1960, becoming its pioneer President.
As a founding member and pioneer President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, Speaker Abbas said Chief Akintola Williams distinguished himself as an accounting pillar.
He said the late Chief Akintola Williams was instrumental to the creation of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.
Speaker Abbas urged the Federal Government and the umbrella bodies of Accounting professionals to immortalise Chief Williams, noting his immeasurable contributions to the development of Nigeria’s financial sector.
The late Williams was an elder brother to the first Senior Advocate of Nigeria, the late Chief Frederick Rotimi Alade Williams, who lived between December 16, 1920 and March 26, 2005.
Speaker Abbas prayed for the repose of the soul of the late Chief Akintola Williams.
