Biography

Pa Afolabi Oyelayo Akintola was also known as “Akins” by his close friends. He was born in the village of Fiditi in Oyo State to humble parents Rev. Phillip A. Akintola Aiyegoro and Mrs Ruth Ogunkunle Akintola. He was the last born in a family of four children -all deceased. When he was just a couple of weeks old, he was transported to Lagos to be taken care of by his Uncle Olugbode for five years before he returned with his mother to Fiditi. For his kindergarten, he was educated at the Methodist Church where he obtained his first double promotion to 2nd year at the end of the 1st quarter of his 1st year in school. The second double promotion he obtained was in Standard 1 during his primary school days at Ogbomosho when the Head Teacher insisted that he should be moved to Standard 11 due to his brilliance. For his standard IV, he relocated to Lagos to rejoin his elder brother and attended Ade Oshodi Baptist Day School, Tapa street Lagos. 

From Ayo Oshodi Baptist day school Standard VI, it was an easy transition to Baptist Academy  Class 1 in 1943 through a successful performance of the Common Entrance Examinations. At the end of secondary school education, he led his class in the overall results in Cambridge school certificate examinations. 

Subsequently, he entered the labour market and was quickly picked up by UAC as Manager in Training.  He resigned to follow his passion to work for the Civil service in H.M Customs and Excise in 1950. After four years in the clerical position of the Civil service, he attained the level of Chief Clerk which was four steps above his entry-level due to his diligence at work and was recommended by his Head of Department. 

At the end of his fifth year, he was nominated for a Federal Government scholarship to study Accountancy which was a rare feat in those days.  However, the drawback was that he had to proceed to the Nigerian College of Arts, Science and Technology at Ibadan (NCSAT) (now University of Ife) for three years before he could proceed to Leeds College of Commerce to complete the Accountancy Program.

The highlight of his studies at the NCSAT was when Queen Elizabeth 11 and Prince Phillip visited and they got to chat with him in passing.  At the termination of his studies at NCSAT, he moved to finish up his Accountancy program in Leeds. 

Being in the U.K was a first of sorts for him and he had to adapt quickly to a different environment. Making new friends and succeeding in his program was quite challenging but he was able to pull through. After the program, he had to stay back for two years for the internship aspect of the course. 

Upon the successful completion of his academics abroad in 1960, he returned to Lagos where he started work at the Ministry of Finance in 1961.  However, the lure of private practice drew him and he subsequently resigned from civil service to start up his own accounting firm a partnership, which he initially formed with his fellow accountant-Mr  Olatunde Ayoola but following divergent interests, he went solo with the firm known as Afolabi Akintola and co. 

He met Agatha Olabisi Akintola along the line and after several years of courtship, got married and was blessed with five children and several grandchildren. By dint of hard work, he attained the heights of fellow in his field of practice. He worshipped at the First Baptist Church, Broad Street, Lagos where he was also the Auditor of the Church for decades, a Choir member, member of Usher’s union, member of the board of trustees of the Church, a member of the Fiditi ASU Club and was a great philanthropist.

He loved to discuss current affairs, eat amala with gbegiri without “koko” alongside his every Sunday, Pounded Yam and Egusi with chilled Star beer.

He passed on the 13th of March 2021 at the age of 89 years.