Accounting practitioners in the country have been charged to uphold the ethics of their profession which demands probity, transparency and accountability at all times. The Asagba of Asaba, His Royal Majesty, Prof Epiphany Azinge; gave the charge when a delegation of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Asaba, and District Society, paid him a courtesy visit in his palace. He noted that the position of accountant was very tempting and required a great deal of discipline and strong character to resist the tendency to cut corners, but stressed that, like Caeser’s wife, they must be above board. The Monarch described accountants as members of a highly established and highly respected profession, who, by their training, were invited to serve the nation meritoriously to the best of their ability, pointing out that notable accountants of old were not only seen as role models in their own right, but also inspired others to pick interest in the profession.
His Royal Majesty said: “When I see people like you, what readily comes to mind more is to reflect on what I think you have done and what is left undone. The challenges before you as a body; because we have to pigeon hole chartered accountants and your Institute against the backdrop of where we are today in this country; where we think you have failed us as a people.
“I say this because the level of corruption in this country at this point in time, especially official corruption, cannot be discussed without considering chartered accountants, who are auditors of public bodies, as either accomplices or outright complicit in whatever is going on.
“So, whenever we talk about the ravages of corruption in Nigeria, you cannot, in all good conscience, exclude yourselves. That’s where I believe, Mr Chairman, you have a job to do; a job of cleaning and sanitising your membership. The way I say this to you is the way I will say it to the lawyers as well.
“Professionals in the country may have failed the nation, and there comes a time when we have to say enough is enough. It’s not for your personal glory alone that you are a chartered accountant or a member of ICAN. What is the legacy? Because the way I believe you may have been doing it now is certainly not the way the doyens to your profession did it.
So, go back home and clean the audience table, sanitize your membership, hold them accountable. People must be accountable, politicians should be accountable, and anybody holding public trust must be accountable. Even as I sit on this throne I see myself as accountable to my people, and that made it possible for me to be here.
“In all I do here I try to give account to Asaba people. Ideally I ought not to because I am a Monarch, I am a sovereign. But I have chosen to do so that at any point in time people will know that this is what I am doing. If there’s any money that is available, spend it and account to your people. That word accountable is a derivation from what you people practice. So, whenever we say that people must be accountable we are making reference to your profession. Like Caesar’s wife you must be above board. That is my challenge to you”.
In an address, the Chairman, ICAN Asaba and District Society, Akiri Ogheneriobororue, said the visit was to celebrate the Asagba’s achievements and reaffirm the Institute’s commitment to partnering with him.
Akiri said ICAN, Nigeria’s foremost and leading professional accounting body, was established by law to promote excellence in Accounting, Finance and Management, articulating the roles to include regulating accounting profession in Nigeria, setting standards for accounting practices, offering professional certifications, and providing training and development for members.
He added that with membership strength of over 60,000 across Nigeria and globally, ICAN was affiliated to several professional bodies, with a view to collaborating globally, adopting best practices, and enhancing professional development for its members.
“Your Royal Majesty, it is pertinent to note that ICAN Asaba & District Society was established in 1997, with a distinguished son of Asaba and first Accountant General of Delta State, late Sir J.U.T Okolie; as the pioneer Chairman.
“Your Royal Majesty, we also wish to use this opportunity to inform you that our members in private practice, who are domiciled here in Asaba, are ever ready to offer top notch professional services to you and your subjects. We implore Your Royal Majesty, as well as your subjects, to consider first, our members in matters of professional and ancillary services.
“Finally, our conferences are open to both members and non-members, and as such the palace is encouraged to sponsor as many of your subjects to any of the conferences that are always impactful and knowledge base.
Together, we can drive progress and prosperity in Asaba”, the Asaba ICAN and District Society Chairman stated.
