Akintola Williams, who celebrated his 104th birthday on August 9, is a trailblazing figure in the Nigerian accounting world. He played a pivotal role in placing Africa on the global accounting map alongside a major South African firm led by Howard Pim. The centenarian explained that several factors, including dedicated teachers and a determination to succeed, contributed to shaping him into the accomplished individual he has become.



Akintola Williams, who turned 104 years old on August 9, is a revolutionary figure in the accounting world, both in Nigeria and on the continent. His role alone in placing Africa on the global accounting map, alongside a South African firm led by Howard Pim, has been pivotal and inspiring.



In a 2011 interview, Williams attributed his longevity to moderation in all aspects of his life. He emphasized the significance of simplicity, avoiding controversies, taking ample rest, and engaging in mental, physical, and spiritual exercises.



“The key to my longevity is moderation. In everything I do, I strive to be moderate – a little of this and a little of that, not too much. Whether it&#8217;s what you eat, what you drink, or whatever you do, just be moderate and you&#8217;ll live a refreshing, strong, and fulfilling life,” he told Vanguard News.



Due to his academic prowess, he received a United African Company (UAC) scholarship from 1939 to 1941 for higher education at Yaba Higher College in Nigeria&#8217;s largest city, Lagos. Here, he earned a diploma in commerce. He furthered his education at the University of London in 1944, focusing on banking and finance, and graduated with a bachelor&#8217;s degree in commerce in 1946.



In 1949, at the age of 30, he became a qualified chartered accountant in England – the first Nigerian to achieve this feat.



Williams has explained that several factors, including the dedication from his teachers and a will to succeed, contributed to shaping him into the person he is now.



In various media, he was quoted to have said: “I would say a number of things made it possible for me. First, [there] were masters in the favorite subjects which eventually was necessary for my profession in accounting, namely, mathematics.”



He returned to Nigeria in 1950, working as an assessment officer at the Inland Revenue until March 1952, when he left to establish his own accounting firm, Akintola Williams and Co.



This firm reportedly became the first indigenous chartered accounting firm in Africa, expanding beyond Nigeria to Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Swaziland as well as Ghana, Egypt, and Kenya. As Nigeria gained independence in 1960, his firm developed relationships with significant clients in insurance, utilities, railways, and ports.



Williams retired in 1983 at the age of 64, but he continued to contribute to humanity through mentoring and supporting the growth of other indigenous chartered accountancy firms.



In 2004, his practice merged with two other accounting firms to form Akintola Williams Deloitte (now Deloitte &amp; Touche), the largest professional services firm in Nigeria. While Williams&#8217; leadership contributed to Deloitte&#8217;s growth across Africa, he also made an impact beyond accounting, including his involvement in promoting arts, culture, and music.



Williams held key positions, including President of the Association of Accountants in Nigeria and founding President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN). He played a role in establishing the Nigerian Stock Exchange in 1960 and remained an advisor to its operators.



The Akintola Williams Arboretum at the Nigerian Conservation Foundation headquarters in Lagos and other honors such as the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) in 1982 and Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR) in 2001, recognize his outstanding achievements.



In April 1997, Williams was appointed Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire for his services to the accountancy profession and his promotion of arts, culture, and music through the Musical Society of Nigeria.



On May 8, 2011, the Nigeria-Britain Association awarded him for his contributions to democracy and development.



As a pioneer and pacesetter, Williams laid the foundation for numerous institutions in Nigeria. He served on various boards, including the Federal Income Tax Appeal Commissioners, the Coker Commission of Inquiry, and the Commonwealth Foundation.



His contributions have left a lasting legacy, and it’s been said that, even to this day, Deloitte Africa continues to uphold his values and positive impact across the continent.

Akintola Williams, an icon in Nigeria’s accounting world; image supplied

The 104-Year-Old Pioneering Nigerian Chartered Accountant Still Inspiring Many  

It’s a scorching day in Johannesburg when we meet Busisiwe Mdletshe, clad in a chic knee-length dress and black heels. At 35 years old, she has a resume that would take as many pages to list her achievements.
Mdletshe owns a swanky accounting firm in the city and has a corporate profile few can dream of. But it was hardship that made her what she is today.
The eldest of eight children and born to a factory worker father and a mother who worked as a domestic helper in a small village called Engonyameni, south of Durban, in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal, Mdletshe grew up poor, very poor.
Very early she knew her ticket out of poverty was to stay focused at school.
Encircled by rolling hills, acacia trees, gurgling waterfalls and natural forests, the idyllic landscape of Engonyameni could have made anyone laidback about their dreams.
Not her. Mdletshe today leads her own company, BtmtCapital, which specializes in accounting and tax advisory services. Her focus is to ensure full tax compliance. She inspects the tax impact of investment and retirement decisions and also looks at the tax and foreign exchange effects of offshore investments.
Prior to starting her own company, Mdletshe served as tax specialist and auditor at South African Revenue Services (SARS), where she led a team of investigators.
“Having gained experience from Mercantile Bank and SARS, I realized there was a niche in the market. We needed to provide a service to those who evaded tax, without intention, but [for] lack of understanding [of] compliance,’’ says Mdletshe.
Her most recent achievements include a radio slot with Metro FM and Nongoma FM, where she offers finance and investment tips.
Although Mdletshe is now immersed in the high-powered world of business and living the sophisticated city life, she says she will never forget her roots.
“When I work at my company and earn profit, I get happy, but when I see the foundation bringing change to the youth, I get satisfied,’’ says Mdletshe of  her BusiM Foundation, an initiative she says was inspired by a return visit to her hometown and the schools she attended that pushed her to strive for success.
“In my village, there are a lot of people who would pass matric but won’t pursue their studies further, due to poverty limitations and lack of funding for university. As a result, they end up having babies or get married or attract diseases or get involved in drugs.”
Her own life was far from perfect. Mdletshe’s parents were never married and lived separately.
“I was constantly moving between relatives and that motivated me to remain focused at school.”
After finishing matric, Mdletshe secured a place at university to study accounting, but couldn’t enrol for lack of money.
This was until her stepmother advised her father to secure an early retirement from his factory job and withdraw money from his pension fund to settle her university fees. Her father, stepmother and cousins joined hands to fund Mdletshe’s education. And this despite the fact that there were seven other siblings to feed.
“I was frustrated a lot but that did not demotivate me, I still knew that in order for me to get out of that situation, I needed to make sure I do well and get my degree,” she says.
Mdletshe obtained her bachelor’s degree in accountancy, auditing and taxation from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, and followed it up with a couple of postgraduate degrees.
Going forward, Mdletshe wishes to support the Department of Education to ensure pupils who achieve the targeted pass rates pursue their dreams at the tertiary level.
She aims to host career expos every year where professionals from institutions can offer guidance to pupils. And the first of many initiatives towards her vision began in April 2015, when a number of academic and business stakeholders assembled in Engonyameni in support.
“For me, I saw us breaking poverty in that area,” says Mdletshe.
The foundation has raised up to R40 million ($2.5 million) worth of bursaries through its partnerships and has awarded top achievers in the KwaZulu-Natal region. Mdletshe had the mind to work hard. The millions followed.

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The 104-Year-Old Pioneering Nigerian Chartered Accountant Still Inspiring Many

An Account Of Poverty And Profit