Former Electoral Commission boss, Supreme Court Justice and Statesman Professor Vincent Cyril Richard Arthur Charles Crabbe, popularly known as V.C.R.A.C Crabbe, was buried yesterday, Thursday, October 4, 2018.
Members of the Grand Masonry Lodge were fully represented at the funeral of a respected statesman, who was a member of the lodge to pay him their last respect, MyNewsGh.com can confirm.
In attendance at his funeral, aside the masons 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.
VCRAC Crabbe died at the age of 94 on Friday, September 7, after a short illness.
He was a freemason who himself attended the funeral of Dr K.B Asante who passed on in March this year.
Freemasons
President John Agyekum Kufuor, an acclaimed Freemason- that 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.C. Crabbe, Aggrey-Orleans among others.
In attendance were some Freemasons who in masonry wear who filed past the coffin and surrounded it for their ritual masonic funeral rites.
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.
We further learnt that a Masonic funeral is done at the request of a Master Mason himself before hos 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”.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SWQVkbNZvs
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.
Source: MyNewsGH.com
