Akintola Williams, the doyen of accounting in Nigeria, is 103. The accomplished chartered accountant clocked 103 on August 9, 2022.
The centenarian was celebrated by family and friends, who gathered to wish him well. Still looking healthy and strong, many were surprised that the father of accounting in Nigeria could still hold the knife well and cut his cake without any form of assistance.
In a country where the life expectancy for men is 55 years, Williams has beat the mark and even crossed the life expectancy of leading countries such as Japan and Singapore.
It has been a journey of a landmark and more for a man who has distinguished himself in the professional world.
Attaining the title of a chartered Accountant at the young age of 30, Williams has done well for himself and has scored many firsts in the course of his career.
His accounting firm, Akintola Williams and Co, was the first indigenous chartered accounting firm in Africa.
The firm became a successful one with branches in many African countries. It later merged with other accounting firms to form Akintola Williams Deloitte and later Deloitte and Touche, the largest professional service firm with almost a thousand staff.
He played a leading role in establishing the Association of Accountants in Nigeria. He was also the first president of the association.
He was also involved in establishing the Nigeria Stock Exchange and the Institute of Chartered Accountant of Nigeria, ICAN, where he became the president.
To the man who has seen it all, in one of his interviews, he stated that the secret of longevity is living life in moderation, avoiding controversies, conflicts and over ambition.
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