Administrator, Accountant-General
Williams Tadaerigha Dambo was an Accountant-General of Nigeria and Director of funds Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC); He was a recipient of 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 a rare breed. WT Dambo made Grade I in the London Cambridge Examination. Afterwards, he joined the Federal Public Services as a clerk and grew through the ranks and became Accountant-General of Nigeria for eight years. Furthermore, he was a custodian of funds at the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Vienna, Austria for five years. WT Dambo was a faithful member of Faith Baptist Church, Port-Harcourt till his death in 1993.
When and where was He Born?
Williams Tadaerigha Dambo was born on March 28, 1923, in Nembe-brass district, Eastern Nigeria (now Bayelsa State).
His Parents
His father’s name was Pa Oje Walson Dambo (now late) a successful businessman from Bassambiri that had kept footprints on the sands of time in Nembe kingdom and Williams Tadaerigha Dambo’s mother was Mrs. Inabogote Dambo.
Education
W.T Dambo he had his primary education in the Native Administrative School, Nembe from 1934 to 1940. Afterwards, he gained admission into the prestigious Kalabari National College, (KNC) Buguma Eastern Nigeria in 1941. At KNC, he set an exceptional academic brilliance such that, despite his inability to access recommended textbooks for his external exams due to World War II, he made Grade I at the Senior Cambridge Examination in 1945. With such distinctive result, he was expected by admirers to go for such professions as Law, Engineering or Medicine, but Dambo opted for the little known accountancy profession after his stint as a clerk in the Treasury department that kindled his interest in accountancy. After his intermediate ACCA, he moved to the Leeds College of Commerce in London in 1957, passing out in 1959 with also the ACCA finals in his kitty.
In the course of service, W.T Dambo undertook the British Council Advanced Management Course in the United Kingdom in 1968 and the advanced Management Course at Pittsburg, USA, in 1977.
His Career
In the course of serving, W.T Dambo undertook the British Council Advanced Management Course in the United Kingdom in 1968 and the Advanced Management Course at Pittsburg, USA, in 1977.
In the quest for job satisfaction, W.T Dambo went back to the treasury department in 1962 and served in several Federal Ministries before his appointment as Deputy Accountant-General of the federation on July 1, 1971.
Between 1972 and 1974, he was director of the National Provident Fund. He reached the climax of his career in the Federal Civil Service with his appointment as substantive Accountant-General on July 1, 1974, a position he held for eight years until his voluntary retirement in 1982.
As Accountant-General of the Federation, W.T Dambo served on several Federal Board and was twice the Chairman of the Rivers State (including also Bayelsa State then) government-owned Pan African Bank Ltd later 1980s and 1990s. Upon retirement, he took up an appointment with the organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) as the Director of Funds in Vienna from 1983 to 1987.
His Awards
Leaving a legacy of distinguished service with impeccable record of performance that earned him the National honor of Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR) by the Federal Government.
His legacy
It was part of his achievements in office as Accountant-General of the Federation that all Ministries and other governmental agencies became self-accounting, he also established federal pay offices in all States of the Federation.
Professional Memberships
W.T Dambo was a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (FCA), and Fellow, 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
W.T Dambo was a responsible family man. He was married to Mrs. Sybil Belemoye Dambo (now late) and they had Eight children together.
His Faith
W.T Dambo was a devout Christian with Faith Baptist Church Port Harcourt. He was faithful in his tithing while he was alive and even at his demise.
When did Williams Tadaerigha Dambo die?
W.T Dambo died on 12 May 1993 in Port Harcourt after a brief illness as reported and was buried afterwards in Nembe-Bassambiri on 4 September 1993. He was 70 years old.
