Members of the Grand Masonry Lodge were fully represented at the funeral of respected statesman, K.B Asante, who was a member of the lodge to pay him their last respect.
Perhaps to provide further proof to the statement by former 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.
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. 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 graveside.
Prominent Freemasons in Ghana
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.
K.B Asante: a profile
He was born Kwame Baprui Asante on March 1, 1924 somewhere in the Greater Accra Region as the second of seven children.
He attended O’Reilly Educational Institute, Tudu, Government Junior Boys’ School, Adabraka, and Government Senior Boys’ School, Kinbu, from 1927 to 1937. He also attended Achimota College Upper Primary and Secondary School from 1938-1942 and later obtained a degree in Mathematics at the University College, Durham University. He was once a senior mathematics teacher at the Achimota College where he taught for three years after changing an initial plan of pursuing engineering.
Mr Asante worked as a secretary to Ghana’s first president, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah at the Flagstaff House for six years where he doubled as Principal Secretary at African Affairs Secretariat from 1960 to 1966. And he was the only member of Nkrumah’s government still living.
He served as Ghana’s Ambassador to Switzerland with concurrent accreditation as Ambassador to Australia from 1967-72. He also served as Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg and the European Economic Community from 1976-1978. He served as a senior statesman until his death.
He passed on in January 2018 and is survived by his wife for six full decades and five (5) children.
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