SIR ADEYEMO ALAKIJA LODGE – District Grand Lodge of Nigeria

SIR ADEYEMO ALAKIJA LODGE - NO. 9870 (2013)

Sir Adeyemo Alakija Lodge was consecrated on 13th February 2013 by the District Grand Master, Olorogun Moses Taiga. The first Master of the Lodge was Babatunde Johnson, PGSwdB, PDDGM. The Senior Warden was Chief Elie Rossek, PADGM, PAGDC while the Junior Warden was Chief G.N.O. Osakwe, PADGM, PAGDC.

Sir Adeyemo Alakija, KBE was appointed the fifth District Grand Master for Nigeria in 1950 following the death of Dr. G. Munn Gray. He was installed by Sir Charles William Tachie-Menson, who was then the District Grand Master for Gold Coast (now Ghana). The installation took place at St. George’s Hall, Lagos on 22 December 1950. There were 163 Masons present at the ceremony; which was a large number by the standard of those days. It should be mentioned that Sir Charles W. Tachie-Menson was himself installed as District Grand Master of Gold Coast (Ghana) earlier on 30 March 1950.

During many of the years when the previous District Grand Master, Dr. G. Munn Gray had been unavoidably absent from Nigeria, the affairs of the District had been very ably managed by Sir Adeyemo Alakija. His appointment as District Grand Master, therefore, was received with general satisfaction by the members of the District. He was not only an outstanding Mason, but also an eminent legal practitioner. He was a Member of the Legislative Council 1934-1941. He was also one of the first two Africans to be a Member of the Executive Council, 1943. He was the second African to become ruler of a District; Sir Charles W. Tachie-Menson was appointed District Grand Master of The Gold Coast (now Ghana) the same year and became the first to hold this very distinguished position.

It is noteworthy to mention that a Lodge had since been formed and consecrated in honour of Sir Charles W. Tachie-Menson; that is the Sir Charles W. Tachie-Menson Lodge No. 8058EC in the District Grand Lodge of Ghana. Mention must also be made of the fact that at the half-yearly Communication of the District Grand Lodge held at St. George’s Hall, Lagos on 29th May 1951, Sir Adeyemo Alakija, KBE in his address made mentioned of the fact that he had also accepted appointment as District Grand Master of Nigeria under the Scottish Constitution. In May 1951, he had also been installed as Master of Ebute Metta Lodge No. 3973; being the first Nigerian to be so honoured since the consecration of that Lodge in 1920.

Sir Adeyemo Alakija died very suddenly on the 10th May 1952, the eve of the Installation Meeting of Ebute Metta Lodge when he intended to install as Master of the Lodge, his successor, R.C.C. Jarrett. It is said that at the moment of his death he was actually rehearsing the Ceremony of Installation and that he died with his copy of the Nigerian Ritual (Emulation) in his hands.

Late Sir Adeyemo Alakija, KBE was held in the highest esteem and with much affection and he carried out the important duties of District Grand Master successfully with dignity and understanding.