IBADAN LODGE - NO. 5316 (1931)

For a long time the need for a Lodge at Ibadan had been keenly felt by many Masons stationed or resident in that City and area. The nearest Masonic Lodges to Ibadan in 1931 were located in Lagos. In the year 1931 a Petition to form such a Lodge was signed by twelve Masons. The Petition was sponsored by St. George’s Lodge No. 3065. The Warrant to found the Lodge was issued on 4th November 1931, and the Conse­cration took place at the Mapo Hall, Ibadan on 19th December, 1931. The Lodge was consecrated by the District Grand Master. The ban­quet following the Consecration was held in the old R.W.A.F.F. Mess Old Barracks, Ibadan.

The first Master of Ibadan Lodge No. 5316 was P. F. Her­bert. The first Senior Warden was J. R. V. Smyth, P.P.G.Stwd. (Cambs.). The first Junior Warden was H. R. Routledge. At the first Regular Meeting which was held at the Mapo Hall on 16th April 1932, two candidates were initiated. They were C. P, Murray and W. D. MacGregor. Bro. MacGregor became Master of the Lodge in 1938.

The Lodge originally held its Meetings in one of the Committee Rooms of the Mapo Hall, Ibadan. A view of the Mapo Hall is depicted in the Lodge Crest and on the Summons. After negotiation, the old R.W.A.F.F. Barracks building was taken over from the Army for a nominal payment of £100 with a 99 years’ ground lease from Govern­ment at a nominal annual rental. By special Dispensation from the Grand Lodge, the meeting place was changed to the Old Barracks buil­ding in 1932 and Ibadan Lodge has met there ever since. Over the years, this building has been modified and improved to form the present fine Temple.

On 15th December, 1962 J. B. Lewis was installed as the Worshipful Master of Ibadan Lodge. Another remarkable occasion was the arrangement to welcome the Assistant Grand Master, Major General Sir Alan Adair Kt. to Ibadan, during his tour of Nigeria, when a “Special Joint Meeting” was held by Ibadan Lodge No. 5316, Eureka Lodge No. 6222 and Wes­tern Nigeria Lodge No. 7806 at the Ibadan Masonic Temple on 4th March 1963. A summons bearing the crest of all three Lodges was issued.

It might be pertinent to mention that at its regular meeting of 20th July, 1963, a notice of motion was made that Ibadan Lodge should sponsor the proposed Ibadan Royal Arch Chapter No. 5316 and on Saturday, 29th February 1964, the Chapter was consecrated at the Ibadan Masonic Temple.

The regular meeting of the Lodge held on 20th February, 1965 was worthy of note. Besides that it was an official visit by the District Grand Master, the Hon. Mr. Justice L. Brett, Kt., B. Byer became the 100th Initiate of Ibadan Lodge at that meeting.

The history of Ibadan Lodge cannot be complete without mentioning its honorary member the Hon. Mr. Justice S. Quashie-Idun Kt, P.D.G. REG. who died in a London Hospital on 13th March 1966. Members of Western Nigeria Lodge held a Memorial Service at Agbeni Church, Ibadan on Sunday 3rd April, 1966 for the late Quashie Idun who was the first Master of Western Nigeria Lodge. Also the first Master, and Founder member, of Ibadan Lodge, P. F-Herbert P.D.G.W. passed away on 31st March 1966.

Ibadan Lodge qualified for the permanent Grand Lodge Jewel, com­memorating the 250th Anniversary of Grand Lodge with a payment of £96.00, one pound for every member on the roll as at 31st December, 1965. During the year 1967/68, Ibadan Lodge donated a D.G.M. chair and cushions to Eureka Lodge as its contribution towards their new Temple. Members’ efforts were accomplished when by 19th April, 1968 the Lodge Temple had been fully air-conditioned. Also about that same time W. R. Wood, M.B.E., who had served as secretary of the Lodge for 5 years retired from Nigeria. In June 1969, the half-yearly Communication of District Grand Lodge was held at the Oluyole Temple and was jointly organised by Ibadan Lodge, Eureka Lodge and Western Nigeria Lodge.

IMPORTANT LANDMARKS
On October 13th 1971, a gathering of brethren from the 3 EC Lodges in Ibadan, i.e. Ibadan Lodge No. 5316, Eureka Lodge No. 6222 and Western Nigeria Lodge No. 7806 was held at the Premier Hotel in Ibadan. In attendance was the District Grand Master, A. Glyn Davies. This first gathering of brethren was organised by Ibadan Lodge under the chairmanship of B. Dyer who first suggested that such a gathering be held.

In attendance at the Regular Meeting of 19th February 1971 was R. C. Burgess, P.D.G.D.C. last surviving founder member of Ibadan Lodge, Burgess sailed out on the MV Aureol from the U.K. arriving in Apapa the day before the meeting. Staying in Ibadan over the weekend he was given a tour of Ibadan and also Oyo Township where in the early 1930s he set up the first Survey School in Southern Nigeria. Early Monday morning, he set off to Apapa, back on the MV Aureol which sailed later that day.

Regular Meeting of 18th September 1976.

The labor for the Meeting was to initiate Mr. J. P. B. Simeon, The British Deputy High Commissioner in Ibadan. At approximately 7.30 p.m. the power failed. It was a very hot evening. The WM. “Called off” and it was decided that because of the very unfavourable conditions and the great importance of the ceremony, “that of an initiation”, that the ceremony could not continue. The Lodge was “Called on” at 7.05p.m on Tuesday 21st September 1976 and Mr. Simeon was duly initiated.

Regular Meeting of 20th August 1977.

Official visit by the District Grand Master, T. Elmore. At this time many Lodge members were away on leave and the minutes show that every office was filled by members in an acting capacity. Despite this, the District Grand Master congratulated the members present for their performance.

Regular Meeting of 11th February 1978.

A letter was read from the Oyo State Government directing that the Lodge vacate its building before 15th February 1978. This directive was strictly adhered to and every item of furniture, equipment etc. was re­moved and stored away in various houses and garages. With the assistance and brotherhood received from Eureka Lodge No. 6222, Ibadan Lodge was able to meet regularly at the Oluyole Masonic Temple.

Regular Meeting of 18th March 1978.

Ibadan Lodge held its 500th Meeting at the Oluyole Temple. In atten­dance was the District Grand Master, T. Elmore, PJ.G.D.

Regular Meeting of 14th April 1978 at Oluyole Temple.

In consequence of the efforts by the Lodge solicitor and the guidance of senior District Grand Lodge Officers, particularly J. O. Laniyonu and The Hon. Mr. Justice A. Morgan, a letter was read from the Oyo State Government in which it stated that Ibadan Lodge were free to continue to use the “Ibadan Lodge Building”. The Lodge building was renovated and the first practice meeting “back at home” was held on Tuesday 6th June 1978. G. N. A. Orefeko P.D.G. Tyler retired as Tyler of Ibadan Lodge after having served 20 years in this office 1958-1978.

In 1979, Ibadan Lodge suffered a terrible blow when G. W. E. Treling passed away at the University College Hospital Ibadan on the 29th No­vember 1979, just 10 days after having been elected Master Elect for the ensuing year. This tragedy led to a second term of office, as Master, by E. E. Firth.

The 50th Anniversary of Ibadan Lodge No. 5316. was celebrated on Saturday 19th December 1981; fifty years to the day, Saturday 19th December 1931, when the Lodge was consecrated.

In attendance at this very memorable meeting were The District Grand Master, J. W. McEwen, The Assistant District Grand Master, Chief P. Olagoke, MFR.P.G.STD.B. many senior District Grand Lodge Officers, including D. R. Salt, a PM of Ibadan Lodge, who had traveled from U.K. to attend and, another member whom Ibadan Lodge is very proud of, Its only surviving founder member, R. C. Burgess, P.A.G. SUPT. WKS. who at the age of 80 had made the long journey from U.K. to be present.

For a long while, Ibadan Lodge remained essentially an expatriate lodge with no Nigerian member. By the late 1990s the Lodge began experiencing paucity of members, as most of the expatriate members were leaving Nigeria to go back to their home country. The situation became severe in the early 2000 – 2005, to the extent that the few remaining members, resident in or visiting Nigeria, were contemplating returning the Lodge’s warrant to the United Grand Lodge of England.

It took the intervention of the then DGM, Chief Adediji Adedoyin to halt this unprogressive idea. In 2006, the ADGM in charge of Ibadan Lodge, Babatunde Johnson suggested to the DGM to persuade the few members of Ibadan Lodge still resident in or visiting Nigeria, to admit Nigerian brethren as joining members in order to keep the Lodge alive and not return the warrant to the Grand Lodge.

This idea was accepted and four (4) distinguished Nigerian brethren namely: Chief Adediji Adedoyin (DGM at the time); Olorogun Moses Taiga (DDGM at the time); Babatunde Johnson (ADGM at the time) and Olajide Olagoke of Eureka Lodge were proposed and balloted for and became joining members of the Lodge in 2006.

Chief Adediji Adedoyin, Olorogun Moses Taiga, Babatunde Johnson and Olajide Olagoke have all been installed as Master of Ibadan Lodge in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 respectively and are now Past Masters of the lodge.

Several Nigerian brethren have since joined Ibadan Lodge. They include Chief E. Rossek, Otunba A.O. Mogaji, High Chief G.O. Osoba, Chief E.K Jacobs, Chief J.O. Ogbonna and a host of others. The Lodge is now growing from strength to strength.

Lodge Venue and Meeting Days

Meeting Days:

Second Saturday in February,
April, Third Saturday in August.
Installation First Saturday in
December.
Time: 12 noon

Venue:

Meets at Masonic Hall,
Old Barracks, Ibadan.

Contact:

Mail: P.O. Box 302 Dugbe, Ibadan, Oyo State.

Email: ibadan.lodge5316@
dglnec.org