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Akintola Williams biography, death, age, career, net worth

Akintola Williams biography, death, age, career, net worth


Akintola Williams biography, demise, age, career, net worth.

On August 9, 1919, Chief Akintola Williams was born in Lagos State, Nigeria to Thomas Ekundayo Williams, a clerk and legal professional from Abeokuta, Ogun State. Z.A. Williams, his grandfather, was a trading magnate. He is a Distinguished Chartered Accountant and the First President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, ICAN.

Akintola Williams Biography & Profile Summary

Name Akintola Williams
Nickname None
Gender Male
Date of Birth 9-Aug-1919
Age in 2023 104
Date of Death 11th September 2023
Birth Place Lagos
Country Nigeria
Nationality Nigerian
Profession Politician & Accountant

Akintola Williams Age

Akintola Williams is 104 years of age.

Akintola Williams Early Life

Akintola Williams grew up with his siblings, including Rotimi Williams, a prominent lawyer in Nigeria, and Rev. James Kehinde Williams, a Christian clergyman. His formal education began at Baptist Academy, Lagos, in 1927. After completing secondary school at CMS Grammar School in 1938, he attended Yaba Higher College on a United African Company (UAC) scholarship from 1939 to 1941, where he pursued a Diploma in Commerce. Initially inclined towards surveying, he later thought of studying actuarial science in England but altered his course after encountering an expatriate named John Selby.

In 1944, Williams left Nigeria for the United Kingdom on a government scholarship to train as a chartered accountant. The early months in England were tough due to the ongoing Second World War and racial discrimination. Securing a role as a colored articled clerk proved difficult, but he eventually joined the firm of Binder Hamlyn & Co. as an articled clerk. In 1946, while serving his articles and studying for accountancy examinations, he completed his degree in Commerce at the University of London. In December 1949, Williams passed the final exams of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, becoming the first Nigerian chartered accountant.

Akintola Williams Career

After finishing his studies, Williams worked with the Colonial Office in London and was later assigned to Nigeria as an Inspector of Taxes. He returned to Nigeria in 1950 and collaborated with John Selby, the expatriate who first inspired his interest in accountancy. In May 1952, he founded Akintola Williams and Company, which became Nigeria’s inaugural indigenous chartered accountancy firm. The firm commenced operations as Akintola Williams & Co. in 1952.

Over time, the firm expanded through mergers and grew to be Nigeria’s largest professional services firm by 2004. It adopted the business name “Akintola Williams Deloitte” on July 30, 2004, and remains the oldest indigenous practice in Nigeria.

Williams significantly contributed to establishing organizations like the Association of Accountants in Nigeria (AAN) in 1960, where he served as the inaugural President. He was also a founding member and the first president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN). In addition, he helped establish the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and was the only surviving signatory to the initial Memorandum and Articles of Association of the NSE.

He took part in various committees and panels, including the Coker Commission of Inquiry into the statutory corporations of the former Western Region of Nigeria (1962). He was instrumental in enhancing the NSE’s listing portfolio and set up rules to reduce barriers for companies listing on the exchange. Williams remained actively involved in numerous organizations throughout his life.

On the personal front, he wed Mabel Etuntiloye Coker in 1947 and they were blessed with children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

Akintola Williams Awards

Throughout his lifetime, Akintola Williams received numerous awards and honors, including:

  • The Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) from the Nigerian Government in 1982.
  • ICAN’s very first Gold Medal Merit Award in 1988.
  • Commander of the British Empire (CBE) title from Queen Elizabeth II in April 1997 for his contributions to the accountancy profession.

Akintola Williams Death

Akintola Williams, Nigeria’s first indigenous chartered accountant, passed away on September 11, 2023, at the age of 104. His passing was confirmed by Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun, who remarked that it marked the conclusion of an era. He passed at his home in Lagos.

Akintola Williams Net Worth

The net worth of Akintola Williams is currently undisclosed.

12 intriguing facts about the late Pa Akintola Williams, the trailblazer of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Nigeria:

  1. Chief Akintola Williams was born on August 9, 1919, and achieved the remarkable age of 104.
  2. He is the first Nigerian to attain the status of a chartered accountant, leaving an enduring impact in the profession.
  3. Akintola commenced his early education at Olowogbowo Methodist Primary School in Lagos Island, Lagos, during the early 1930s. Interestingly, this was the same primary school attended by his younger sibling, Chief Rotimi Williams.
  4. He advanced his academic pursuits by furthering his studies at Yaba Higher College, thanks to a United African Company (UAC) scholarship, where he obtained a diploma in commerce.
  5. In 1944, Akintola Williams set out for England to enhance his education. He enrolled at the University of London, concentrating on Banking and Finance, graduating in 1946 with a Bachelor of Commerce degree.
  6. His quest for academic excellence didn’t cease there, as he continued his studies and qualified as a chartered accountant in England in 1949.
  7. Upon returning to Nigeria in 1950, Akintola Williams worked as an assessment officer in the Inland Revenue, marking the inception of his distinguished public service career.
  8. In March 1952, he made a significant move by leaving the civil service to establish Akintola Williams & Co. in Lagos, which became the first indigenous chartered accounting firm in Africa.
  9. Beyond his professional successes, Akintola Williams played a crucial role in founding two of Nigeria’s pivotal institutions: the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN).
  10. Between April 1999 and May 2004, Akintola Williams & Co. merged with two other leading accounting firms, leading to the formation of Akintola Williams Deloitte (now known as Deloitte & Touche), the largest professional services firm in Nigeria with a workforce of over 600 professionals.
  11. Throughout the years, his firm, established in 1952, expanded significantly, both organically and through strategic mergers, ultimately becoming Nigeria’s foremost professional services firm by 2004.
  12. Notably, Akintola Williams hailed from a family deeply invested in service; his youngest brother, Rev. James Kehinde Williams, was a pastor at the same church, Olowogbowo Methodist Church, highlighting their dedication to faith and community.

These facts reveal the remarkable life and lasting contributions of Chief Akintola Williams to the realms of accounting, education, and nation-building in Nigeria.