BY GRANDBALL JOEL
THE Brethren and officers of the Grand Lodge of Nigeria, led by its Grand Master, Most Worshipful Bro. Chief Osiobe Okotie has marked their thanksgiving with the presentation of food and sundry items to an old people’s home in the state.
The thanksgiving and presentation of food items to St. Paul Catholic Old Peoples home in Bowen Avenue, Warri, was to marked the installation of Osiobe Okotie as the 4th Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Nigeria and the first from Lodge Warri Highland. Items presented include, tubers of yam, bag of garri, cartons of bathing soaps and detergents and beverages.
Speaking during the presentation, Most Worshipful, Grand Master, Grand Lodge of Nigeria, Chief Osiobe Okotie said, “We as Freemason, we believed in God, the brotherhood of God and man, and one of the cardinal principle of freemason is what we practiced today, relief which is known as charity. “In masonry we have cardinal principle which brotherly love, rel ief and t rut h and one of the essential principles of charity is what we witnessed today by identifying with the needy and less privileged because we were taught to be mindful of the need of others. “While we enjoy ourselves, we are a social group that build and make men and as a mason, you must adhere, obey the rules and laws of anywhere you reside at any time in your life.
“God has done a lot for me as an individual, I had surgery at the first quarter of this year after which I emerges as the Grandmaster with many contestants.
“As the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Nigeria, I will ensure that what we inherited from our mother’s Grand Lodge in Scotland and Ireland is practice to the latter and let the public know that we are not members of secret society.
“I am bold to tell you that the consent of the mason is from the Bible and the seat l am occupying is that of king Solomon and the wisdom seat because we believed in God “
“The thanksgiving is being celebrated by members, the Grand Master and officers of the Grand Lodge of Nigeria, including the brethren.”
Receiving the items, Chi som Udemba who represented the matron, Mrs Queen Nzei commend members of Grand Lodge of Nigeria for remembering the old people.
“The items presented would be used judiciously to serve the purpose and to the benefits of the old people here “. Udemba assured.
In his thanksgiving homily, titled the Power of Thanksgiving, held at the Lodge Warri Highland Masonic Temple, Rt.Wor. Bro Rev IKB Osakwe admonishes the Brethren to always be thankful to God under any circumstances.
He said, “As bad as these days are now, it is better than being dead and for such, we should appreciate God with Thank giving just as Jesus Christ gave God thanks before braking the bread that was used to feed over 5,000 people.
“Jesus gave thanks to God before he called forth Lazarus from the grave and the more we thank God, the more we are pleased.”
