Pa Akintola Williams and the legacy of greatness; terse reflections a year after (Part 2)

By Ambassador Godknows Igali

Endless National Service and Beneficence

For one whose life had continuously been in the front row and in full public view, not surprisingly, he was drafted to hold several public offices both at the national, regional, and state levels.
As far back as 1957, he was appointed as Commissioner, Lagos Government Revenue Enquiry. He went on to become a member of the Nigerian Government Revenue Allocation Review Committee in 1963 and was given the task of handling the same by the Lagos Government in 1968.

He was also Chairman of Federal Income Tax Appeal Commission for a long period of ten years, from 1958 to 1968, and a member of the Coker Commission of Enquiry, which looked into the Statutory Commission of Nigeria’s former Western Region.

Later on, he got a job as Chairman of the newly created Nigeria Industrial Development Bank (NIDB) and held sway from 1973 to 1978. In 1975, the Federal Government appointed him as Chairman of the Public Appeal Panel to amend the abnormalities created by the Udoji Salary Review. He was also at a time, member of the Nigerian National Economic Council; Chairman, Federal Government Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission 1980-83 as well as Chairman of the Governing Board of Nigerian Institute for Social and Economic Research (NISER) and Chairman, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH).

His imprint on philanthropy and public works is also much known. Pa Williams was a founding member of the Nigeria Conservation Fund (NCF) when it was established in 1980. Similarly, he remained one of the main pillars behind the Nigeria Red Cross from when it was founded in Lagos in 1960. In other activities, through his Akintola Williams Foundation (AWF), he shared a good portion of his good fortunes to fund all manners of honourable causes across the country.

It is in similar context that his cultural and social satiety remained strong as he played a major role in fostering the creation or growth of such associations as the Ikoyi Club in 1938, Abeokuta Golf Club, Lagos Yacht Club and the Metropolitan Club, Lagos. He was also one of the main patrons of the growth of classical music in Nigeria, including the development of the Muson (Musical Society of Nigeria) Centre, Marina, Lagos.

Back to his Ancestry

His direct origin goes back to the town of Abeokuta in Nigeria’s Ogun State, a place highly regarded for its reputation as the birthplace of some of Nigeria’s most celebrated public icons, including Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, Africa’s ace statesman, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, and musical icon, Fela Anikulapo Kuti. Its eminence as the birthplace of Nigeria’s cognoscenti was the reason Nigerian playwright and poet, Odia Ofeimun, described it as “a city of royalty”.

The Williams family was held in high esteem for its role in various church and missionary activities, and its involvement in pursuing higher education, becoming the most outstanding in some professions. Akintola’s immediate younger brother, Chief Frederick Rotimi Williams, was one of the foremost Nigerian lawyers and became the first national to become a Queen’s Counsel as Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

Their father, Thomas Akindayo Williams, was a clerk in the colonial service and later had a legal practice in Lagos. Pa Akintola Williams started his formal education at Olowogbowo Methodist Primary School, Lagos, after which he proceeded to Nigeria’s pioneer secondary school, CMS Grammar School, Bariga, Lagos.

The school, which was the first of its kind in Nigeria from 1859, later went on to become the breeding ground for some of the most renowned nationalists in Nigeria and the who-is-who in the country’s early life. These included Sir Herbert Macaulay; former Nigerian president, Ernest Shonekan; legal luminary, G.O.K. Ajayi; pioneer business mogul, Henry Fajemirokun; and the Ransome Kuti brothers (Prof. Olikoye, Dr. Beko and Fela and many others.

The footprint and record that Pa Williams left in the school still remains glamourised and celebrated almost a century later. This easily earns him a place in the then newly established Yaba College of Technology from where he proceeded to the United Kingdom in 1944 to pursue a degree in Accountancy at the University of London.

In 1950, after obtaining a degree in Commerce and qualifying as ACCA in 1952, in record time and the first African to attain that status, he worked in the United Kingdom and returned to Nigeria to sharpen his skills and found the first indigenous accountancy firm. Today, that company has a record 600 staff.

A Garland of Honours

Due to his long presence in the public space, Akintola Williams’ life was at every stage, adorned with accolades and recognitions. Although these are numerous at professional level, it will be enough to recognise his conferment with Officer of the Federal Republic (OFR) in 1982 by former President Shehu Shagari; Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in 1997 and Nigerian National Order of Merit. At the zenith of professional attainment, he was honoured with Fellowship of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England (ICAE) and Fellowship of ICAN and ANAN. He was honoured with an honorary doctorate degree by the University of Lagos (UNILAG) and, in 1995, also received another honorary fellowship from Yaba College of Technology (Yabatech)

Last Word

It is often said that a “life well lived is a legacy that never fades”. The life and times of Akintola Williams will, therefore, always be imbibed in the annals of Nigerian history. Although, he has since departed, leaving an unfillable vacuum, his towering impact continues to inspire and influence future generations of Nigerians not only in his chosen accountancy profession but in virtually all other spheres of national life.

It is commonly said that life is not always a bed of roses, In the case of Pa Akintola Williams, he faced many battles and challenges, including the demise of his soul mate, Ma Mabel Efunnoye. In all the situations, he remained composed and resolute.

That is why he was able to pave the way for others to follow, breaking down barriers and achieving many firsts throughout his career and engagements. As once said by the sage, Nelson Mandela, the greatest glory of living lies not in not falling but rising every time you fall. Indeed, Pa Williams’ achievements embody this spirit of resilience and determination.

His legacy is a testament to the power of hard work, obsession to a culture of integrity, and an impetuous passion for excellence. For countless generations to come, he will continue to inspire and influence many patriots, business leaders, entrepreneurs, and particularly those from his chosen profession of accountancy.

Dr Igali is a career diplomat, award-winning writer and retired Federal Permanent Secretary in Nigeria