Former governor of Akwa Ibom State Udom Emmanuel has encouraged the federal government to honor the late Chief Akintola Williams, the dean of accounting, for his years of selfless service and honor to the country.

In a statement released on Wednesday in Abuja, Emmanuel expressed sorrow at the passing of Williams, who made history as Nigeria’s first chartered accountant.

He praised the late accounting doyen as a torchbearer, upright, strict disciplinarian, great mentor, and a guy of remarkable intelligence who had a lasting impact on the accounting profession on a global scale.

Emmanuel said, “ Chief Williams was an exceptionally brilliant, versatile, insightful and incorruptible professional; an awe-inspiring personality, who gloriously bestrode his chosen path like a colossus and played very pivotal roles in building the Nigerian financial sector as well as instilling the much-needed accounting precepts for the development of our dear nation.”

He further stated that, “Over the years, as Nigeria’s first Chattered Accountant, the leading father of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), the last surviving of the founding fathers of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Chairman of various key economic institutions including the Nigerian Industrial Development Bank, the Audit Committee of the the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) the Federal Income Tax Appeal Commissioners among many others, Chief Williams exhibited unmatched patriotism in setting highest ethical benchmarks for best practices in Nigeria.

“As a Father of Accounting in Nigeria, Chief Williams devoted his time, energy and resources, in public and private practices, towards nation building as well as training and equipping of budding accountants especially through his firm (Akintola Williams & Co,) now Akintola Williams, Deloitte & Touche.

“He was an epitome of faith, honesty and hardwork. Even in old age, he was always full of practical ideas, had solution to every knotty issue and continued in that path to the very end.

“He left indelible footprints and remain the undying source of inspiration for many, as his legacies will continue to live and impact lives for many generations to come.”