Members of the Freemasonry paying their last respect to the late V.C.Members of the Grand Masonry Lodge (Freemasonry) have stormed the burial service of the Former supreme Court Justice, Professor Vincent Cyril Richard Arthur Charles Crabbe to pay their last respect to him on Thursday in Accra.
The former Justice who was popularly known as VCRA Crabbe was also a former Electoral commission of Ghana and a great Statesman.
MyNewsGh.com can confirm that, aside the masons other dignitaries who attended the funeral were the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo, Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, First Lady Rebbecca Akufo-Addo, and the Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Mike Aaron Ocquaye.
Other dignitaries include former President Jerry John Rawlings and former President John Dramani Mahama, parliamentarians, government officials among others.
VCRA Crabbe died at the age of 94 on Friday, September 7, after a short illness.
He was a freemason himself and he attended the funeral of the former masonry member Dr. K.B Asante's funeral this year March.
The masonry members were in their attire as they went round the coffin of the late Crabbe to perform their normal rituals.
Freemasons
The former president of the republic of ghana, John Agyekum Kufuor, an acclaimed Freemason who said there was nothing “secret” about Freemasonry except a shared passion to help- the Freemasons allowed cameras to capture them freely as they paid their last respect to the late diplomat who gave his all in service to mother Ghana over 70 years, from the classroom as a mathematics teacher to Ghana’s Cabinet and to world of diplomacy.
Among those captured by cameras at the ceremony as part of the funeral Prof V.R.A Crabbe, Aggrey-Orleans among others.
MyNewsGh.com’s research revealed that a Masonic Funeral rite is a rite afforded to all Master Masons in good standing within their respective lodge.
It is a ceremony whereby a Master Mason may have the Masonic funeral rites performed by his lodge for the pleasure of those who have known him and his works.
MyNewsGh.Com further learnt that a Masonic funeral is done at the request of a Master Mason himself before his death or his family and the service may be held in a chapel, home, church, synagogue or Lodge room with committal at the graveside.
Some prominent personalities and Masonic Leaders in Ghana, include His Royal Majesty, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene, who is a Grand Patron of the Grand Lodge of Ghana; and Former President John Agyekum Kufuor, a Freemason and Senior Grand Warden of the United Grand Lodge of England.
They have both spoken and encouraged people to have an open mind about Freemasonry.
His Royal Majesty the Otumfuo said: “I am a proud Freemason and I confirm that the principles and tenets of Freemasonry that we are taught in the Lodge, especially in the areas of governance and accountability have always stood me in good stead in my daily functions as Asantehene”.
Former President John Kufuor, who is the First Black African to be elevated to the highest rank of Freemasonry, said Freemasonry was an ancient craft and hitherto, it was almost a taboo to talk about it publicly because the ‘High-and Mighty’ and the ‘Powers-that-be’ in society at that time, wanted to expunge it, because they did not understand the principles underpinning it.
By: Joyceline Natally Cudjoe.
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