Omodele Adigun
A former President of the Institute of Chartered Accountant of Nigeria(ICAN), Chief (Mrs.) Olutoyin Olusola Olakunri is dead.
Multiple online platforms yesterday said Mrs Olakunri slumped and died during a church service Sunday morning.
The deceased was the first female chartered accountant in sub-Saharan Africa and the second female President of ICAN.
Born on November 4, 1937, she attended primary school in Nigeria, and completed her secondary and tertiary education in the United Kingdom.
In February 1963, the late Mrs. Olakunri qualified as a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England & Wales; and became a foundation member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria [ICAN] in 1965.
In 1978, she became the Chief Promoter of the Society of Women Accountants in Nigeria [SWAN], which she served as Chairman for over a decade. Among other initiatives, SWAN had supported women to realise their potential in the fields of accountancy, mathematics and other numeracies. In 1997, in Paris, it launched the World Body for Women
Accountants; and had been supporting women of other professions to set up similar organisations at the national, regional and global levels.
The late accountant had worked with several organisations including the then Nigerian Industrial Development Bank [NIDB] and Casselton Elliot & Co. as a Chartered Accountant among others. She subsequently took a courageous leap into entrepreneurship & corporate management — owning and managing industrial outfits and venturing into stock broking.
She was also the first female President of the Institute of Directors [IoD Nigeria], former member of the National Revenue Mobilization Allocation & Fiscal Policy Commission, Vision 20:2020 Committee, & Council of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, Chief Olakunri was also a nominated member of the Constituent Assembly that generated the 1979 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Similarly, she was on the Finance Committee of Nigeria Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), and for 8 years on the Board of Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited.
Chairman of the then Education Trust Fund [now Tertiary Education Fund] for two terms, she has variously served on the Council of Federal University of Ado-Ekiti, Redeemer’s University, Bells University of Technology, & Achievers’ University. She is currently Chairman, the Committee of Elders.
Chief Olutoyin Olakunri has been recognized locally and internationally for her varied contributions to the professions and societal development. Among the honours are: Officer of the Federal Republic [OFR] of Nigeria; the African Leadership Forum Foundation for Distinguished Contribution to Women Empowerment in Nigeria; International Women Society for Meritorious Services to the Community; ICAN Merit Award for upliftment of the Accountancy Profession; University of Lagos Law Society for Contributions to the upliftment of Women in the Nigeria; Nigerian Library Association Award for Eminent Services Award; Honorary Doctorate Degrees from University of Ado-Ekiti [in Business Administration], Lagos State University [the Sciences], and University of Nigeria, Nsukka
She also held Chieftaincy titles in Owo, Ijebu-Ode, Abeokuta and Ijero-Ekiti.
She was married to Elder Simeon Olakunri, SAN with children and grandchildren.
Her 80th birthday was celebrated with pomp last November by her daughter and son-in-law, Derin and Segun Agbaje.