First female chartered accountant tasks members on integrity

•SWAN presents 40th anniversary book

The first female chartered accountant in the sub-Sahara Africa, Chief Mrs. Olutoyin Olakunri, has charged women to uphold the integrity of the profession.She spoke at the presentation of a book to mark the 40th anniversary of the Society of Women Accountant of Nigeria (SWAN).Olakunri, who is also the first chairperson of SWAN, lamented that the accounting profession is no longer as clean as it was in her days.

While admitting that the negative impacts in the country must have made it so, she advised accountants to cherish accuracy and imbibe integrity as their watchword.He urged them to play their roles well and not allow themselves to be pushed to the back.

The 287-page book comprising 21 chapters is titled SOARING…Inspire. Influence.The book tells the story of women accountants in Nigeria and their historical interpretations of what they have achieved in the last 40 years.

Prof. Adejoke Oyewunmi, of the Department of Law, University of Lagos, reviewed the book.She eulogised Chief Mrs. Elizabeth Adegite, whom the book described as the ideology, strategist and chief navigator of SWAN.She said the book chronicled SWAN’s journey, tracing its course while using its aims and objectives as a compass.

According to her, the book targets the objectives of confronting readers like some of its accounts of stormy seas and mystic clouds, which heralded the don of clearer skies, necklaced with colourful rainbow results.

The piece also took the defining initiative that dealt a blow to the unjustifiable and highly discriminatory exclusion of women from the accounting profession.In her remarks, wife of the Governor of Lagos State, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode, commended the association for its role in national development.Ambode noted that it had impacted the career development of the coming generation of young Nigerian women.

Also, the chairperson of SWAN, Mrs. Folake Onabolu, explained that the book was meant not only to capture the stories behind SWAN, but also to recognise and appreciate the valuable contributions of its founding members.

“Following the footsteps of these 10 illustrious pioneers, there have been many of note who over the years, have made immense contributions professionally, materially and otherwise to the growth and continuous development of the society. “To all of these our great predecessors, we owe a duty to capture their good deeds in words,” she said.