Administrator, Accountant-General
Williams Tadaerigha Dambo was the Accountant-General of Nigeria and Director of Funds at the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). He was a recipient of the Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR).
Who was Williams Tadaerigha Dambo?
An accountant par excellence, Williams Tadaerigha Dambo, OFR (1923-1993), fondly called WT Dambo, was from Nembe-Bassambiri in Nembe Local Government Area of Bayelsa State. He was an intelligent and rare individual. WT Dambo achieved Grade I in the London Cambridge Examination. He then joined the Federal Public Service as a clerk, working his way through the ranks to become the Accountant-General of Nigeria for eight years. Additionally, he served as the custodian of funds at OPEC in Vienna, Austria, for five years. WT Dambo was a faithful member of Faith Baptist Church, Port Harcourt, until his death in 1993.
When and where was he born?
Williams Tadaerigha Dambo was born on March 28, 1923, in the Nembe-Bassambiri district of Eastern Nigeria (now Bayelsa State).
His Parents
His father, Pa Oje Walson Dambo (now deceased), was a successful businessman from Bassambiri who left an indelible mark on the Nembe Kingdom. Williams Tadaerigha Dambo’s mother was Mrs. Inabogote Dambo.
Education
WT Dambo had his primary education at the Native Administrative School, Nembe, from 1934 to 1940. He then gained admission to the prestigious Kalabari National College (KNC) in Buguma, Eastern Nigeria, in 1941. At KNC, he demonstrated exceptional academic brilliance. Despite the challenges of accessing recommended textbooks for his external exams due to World War II, he achieved Grade I in the Senior Cambridge Examination in 1945. With such outstanding results, he was expected to pursue careers in Law, Engineering, or Medicine. However, Dambo chose the relatively lesser-known accountancy profession after his experience as a clerk in the Treasury Department, which sparked his interest in accounting. After completing his intermediate ACCA exams, he moved to the Leeds College of Commerce in London in 1957, graduating in 1959 with his ACCA finals.
During his career, WT Dambo also undertook advanced management courses: the British Council Advanced Management Course in the United Kingdom in 1968 and the Advanced Management Course at the University of Pittsburgh, USA, in 1977.
His Career
WT Dambo returned to the Treasury Department in 1962, serving in various Federal Ministries before his appointment as Deputy Accountant-General of the Federation on July 1, 1971. Between 1972 and 1974, he served as Director of the National Provident Fund. He reached the pinnacle of his career when he was appointed Accountant-General of the Federation on July 1, 1974, a position he held for eight years until his voluntary retirement in 1982. As Accountant-General, WT Dambo served on several Federal Boards and was twice the Chairman of the Rivers State (and later Bayelsa State) government-owned Pan African Bank Ltd in the 1980s and 1990s. After his retirement, he worked as the Director of Funds at OPEC in Vienna from 1983 to 1987.
His Awards
WT Dambo’s distinguished service and impeccable performance earned him the National Honour of Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) from the Federal Government.
His Legacy
One of his significant achievements as Accountant-General was ensuring that all Ministries and other governmental agencies became self-accounting. He also established federal pay offices in all states of the Federation.
Professional Memberships
WT Dambo was a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (FCA) and the Institute of Certified and Corporate Accountants (FCCA). He was elected Chairman of the Conference of Accountant-Generals of States and, in 1982, was unanimously elected as President of the African Accounting Council.
Personal Life
WT Dambo was a responsible family man. He was married to Mrs. Sybil Belemoye Dambo (now deceased), and together they had eight children.
Taken from:dambo2, page 01
His Faith
WT Dambo was a devout Christian and a faithful member of Faith Baptist Church, Port Harcourt. He was committed to tithing during his lifetime and even continued in faith after his passing.
When did Williams Tadaerigha Dambo die?
WT Dambo died on May 12, 1993, in Port Harcourt after a brief illness. He was buried in Nembe-Bassambiri on September 4, 1993. He was 70 years old.
