David Dafinone (1927 – 2018)

Just as Nigeria was set to celebrate its 58th independence anniversary on October 1, 2018 the news broke of the demise of one of her illustrious sons – a former frontline politician, consummate businessman and a technocrat par excellence, Chief David Dafinone.

A former senator and chartered accountant, Dafinone died in Lagos on Sunday, September 30, 2018.

He was aged 91.

Born in Sapele, Delta state on March 12, 1927, Dafinone, who was a senator in the Second Republic between 1979 and 1983, finished his secondary education in Abeokuta, Ogun state.

He served as chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Nigerian International Biographical Center, Apapa in Lagos.

The late Dafinone was also a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, Institute Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, National Geography Society; member Nigerian Institute International Affairs, International Biographical Society (life), National Policy Council, and Urban Land Institute.

Dafinone obtained his Bachelor of Science in Economics from University in London in 1958 and served in various capacities at the Nigerian Civil Service, Kaduna, 1946-1956.

At only 21, Dafinone was the civil servant handling the native treasury estimates for the entire Northern Nigeria for the colonial administration.

Such a responsibility spoke volumes of the confidence the administration reposed in such a young man.

After Dafinone had prepared the estimates, a Special Finance Committee appointed by the administration and comprising Sir Ahmadu Bello, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Alhaji Muhammadu Ribadu, Alhaji Aliyu Makaman Bida and Alhaji Yahaya Madawakin Ilorin would vet the figures before they eventually go to the governor-general for his consent.

Dafinone excelled in that role, as he shone brightly as Assistant Secretary to the Special Finance Committee of the five Northern leaders named above so much so that he was recommended for the two-year First Devonshire diploma course in Public Administration at the University of Exeter in August 1951.

On completion of the course in 1953, he enrolled for a degree in Economics (with specialization in accounting) at the University of Hull.

But he would transfer to the University of London as an external student in 1956, from where he graduated in 1958.

He, thereafter, immediately enrolled for the ACA professional examinations and became a chartered accountant in 1963.

Dafinone came back to Nigeria and joined Delloites, Haskins and Sells, a firm of Chartered Accountants, as an Audit Manager.

He was said to have established a strong relationship with leading politicians of the First Republic and credited with assisting the Prime Minister, Sir Tafawa Balewa, in drafting questions and answers in the parliament.

On August 18, 1966, Dafinone established his own firm of chartered accountants, D.O.

Dafinone and Co. (now Horwath Dafinone).

Having served meritoriously in the federal civil service and with a flourishing private practice in accounting, Dafinone deemed it fit to track back home to serve his people by participating in politics.

He joined the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) in 1978 and was part of the writers of the NPN manifesto in his office on Broad Street, Lagos.

He contested for the Bendel South Senatorial election in 1979, which he won with 59,632 votes to beat Thompson Salubi of the Unity Party of Nigeria, who had 24,874 votes.

He was Chairman, Senate Committee on Commerce, Industries, National Planning and Steel Development between 1979 and 1983, and was re-elected for a second term in 1983.

After the truncation of the Second Republic on December 31, 1983, Dafinone went back to his practice, but began to play a leading role in the struggle for the creation of Delta state from Bendel state.

That effort succeeded when Bendel state was split into Delta and Edo states in 1991.

In recognition of his immense and selfless contributions to the socioeconomic and political development of Okpe Kingdom, he was honoured in 1997 with the traditional title of Owhere 1 of Okpe Kingdom by the Orodje of Okpe.

An award of certificate of excellence for professional practice by the Delta State Government was also given to Senator Dafinone in September 1997.

In 2001, he was awarded the ICAN Certificate of Merit for Outstanding contributions to the Accounting profession by the institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria.

And in 2003, the Federal Government conferred on him the National Honour of the Officer of the Federal Republic, OFR.

On August 1, 2000, Guinness World Records recognised Senator Dafinone as the patriarch of the family with the highest number of chartered accountants (who are members of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England Wales) in one nuclear family – a recognition that has received resounding ovations from far and wide.

In 2006, he received a ‘definite entry’ in the Cambridge Blue Book for an outstanding contribution in the field of accountancy.

The industrious, patriotic and incorruptible life and times of Dafinone is quite exemplary and worthy of emulation by all Nigerians, particularly politicians who are already in a frenzy to grab power at various levels in 2019.

As the countdown to the 2019 general elections begin, the Dafinone legacy of politics without acrimony or violence should be the guiding principle of politicians jostling for various elective offices across the country

Leave a Reply