‘Why People Have So Many Misconceptions About The Ogboni Fraternity’

• -Supreme Leader of Reformed Ogboni Fraternity,  Otunba Francis Meshioye

Otunba Francis Meshioye is the Supreme Leader of the Reformed Ogboni Fraternity (ROF) worldwide. He holds the title of the Olori Oluwo of the fraternity. Eminent Nigerians who have occupied this position in the past include Sir Adeyemo Alakija, and Sir Adetokunbo Ademola. Few months back, it was 100 years that the ROF was formed and the society had series of activities to mark the centenary celebrations. Not too long ago, the Olori Oluwo of the ROF, Otunba Francis Meshioye (who holds other chieftaincy titles), an acomplished administrator and businessman, spoke with TOPE AILERU OF CITY SCOOP on the activities of the society. He dwelt on many issues, shedding light on some of the perceptions the public has about ROF, which many people regarded as a secret society.

Looking back at the activities of the Reformed Ogboni Fraternity in the last 100 years, how has the society impacted on humanity and what has the experience been like for you, as the head?
The Reformed Ogboni Confraternity Incorporated was established in December 18, 1914. So, 2014 makes it a 100 years since it was formed. Since its establishment, the fraternity has gone through diffrent experiences. The ROF was started by less than 10 people.
It was a message that was sent through a servant of God, in the person of Archdeacon T.A Ogunbiyi, a devout christian and Member of Parliament, who is late now. After the fraternity was established, notable and influential people joined as members and till date, we have maintained that tradition. The first person to occupy the seat I am occupying today is Sir Adeyemo Alakija, who was the founder of the Nigeria Government Press and the Pioneer General Manager of the Daily Times of Nigeria. The next person who took over after him was sir Adetokunbo Ademola. We have also have people who have led the fraternity too like Chief Oladehinde Lawson, and others. We also have leaders in the Christian world too, who have been leaders in the ROF. People like Archbishop Vining of blessed memory and others. So, like I said earlier, we have gone through so many experiences. However, we have grown in many ways. We have grown in membership, we have grown from the less
than 10 members it was 100 years ago to a large number now. We have grown from having just one conclave at that time to about 1.5million members, and we now have our presence all over the country, in Europe and in America too. Our membership is growing on a daily basis. Like every other organisation, we have had our own challenges and we have overcome them. Since it is a Non-for-profit organisation, we have never had any problem about funding, we make do with whatever we have as our means. We are incorporated, we have our certificate, we file our annual returns, we do all we need to do legitimately and we thank God we are still here 100 years thereafter.
To an average man on the street, how would you describe the concept of the Reformed Ogboni Fraternity? Is it a religion, or is it an organisation that is pursuing a religious cause?
The Reformed Ogboni Confraternity Incorporated is not a religious organisation. It embraces anybody who believes in God, who strives to live a moral and humble life, and who wants to uphold the tenets of God.
So, does that mean anyone could be a member whether he is christian or muslim, once he believes in God?
Yes, anybody can become a member once you believe in God. You could be a Hindu, Christian, Muslim or anything, as long as you believe in God.
What are the basic requirements of becomeing a member of the ROF?
The first thing is that you must be an adult.
..From what age?
It is as described by the laws of the land where you are at that particular time. And you must be working, because its going to cost you some money. You must have a good, known means of livelihood. You must be willing to live a noble life, be upright in your conducts, and be ready to obey the laws of the land. These are very key if you want to become a member of the ROF.
There is a general public perception that the ROF is a secret society that people don’t know about their activities. It may interest one to learn however that despite this skeptical perception by the public, you are growing in membership everyday. What do you think is making more people join you?
I think, in the first instance, an average life searches for light. Notwithstanding anything, an average mind wants to know God and wants to be noble and respected. So we have many people in this category who have always wanted to find a better understanding of God and living. They ask questions like how can I know God? How can I live a noble life? How can I be recognised for good works in the society. So, despite anything been said or done openly or secretly people still search and find light. If you join the ROF, it is like coming to the light. You experience God’s real intentions for human beings. And when you come into that, after a while you should be able to raise your shoulder high. You would have found yourself living a life full of good deeds and thereby, you light will shine and that will attract other people who want to emulate your lifestyle. I think this explains why more people are coming to join.
Based on this explanation, it sounds like the fraternity is build on a principle of having a link with God, which makes it appear like a religion. If you are a member of the ROF and you embrace those tenets you mentioned, is there still need to be a christian, muslim or have another religion?
Why not? I remeber telling you about Archbishop Vining, a reputable clergy man and christian who was a senior member of the ROF. Sir Adetokunbo Ademola was a Knight of the Catholic church. And I don’t even understand why some people think our activities are secret. The buildings we use as temples, where we have our meetings are not hidden, infact they are all clearly marked. We have our signposts there. We hold our meetings during the daytime, infact we take minutes of our meetings. Most people who are members today probably didn’t know all these before their search for light and better living brought them and when they saw our ways, the quickly key in to the concept, which the ROF propagates.
Can you tell us about what some of the activities are like; for instance how you conduct your meetings and other things you are involved in?

When we have our meetings, we discuss our attitudes, we examine our characters and we discuss our individual affairs and see how we can do better. We teach and remind one another how to live a better and upright life. We strive to embrace holiness and we use some of our activities to remind ourself about that. Though holiness doesn’t neccessarily mean that a person is wearing white, having a white headgear on and all that, but when you are regularly challenged to live a holy life, you find it easy to be holy. So basically, what the ROF teaches you to be morally upright.
Does that mean every member of the ROF is morally upright?
Yes, we all try to live a morally upright life, because that is what the ROF teaches you. Look at the people I earlier spoke about; Sir Adetokunbo Ademola who was the first Chief Justice of Nigeria, Sir Adeyemo Alakija, who was the founder of the Nigeria Government Press and the Pioneer General Manager of the Daily Times of Nigeria. If you check history and look at the lives these people lived, am sure no one will deny the fact that they live exemplary lives. And that’s what the ROF teaches you, that’s what the fraternity is all about. If aspire to be Godly, you will always be fair unto others in your dealings. We in the ROF always try to adhere to the custom of our forefathers, which is also in the Bible that ‘do unto others as you do to yourself’. So, the ROF is a cultural organisation that embraces Nigerian tradition, especially Yoruba customs, and that is the concept of Ogbonism.
Most Nigerians are Christians and Muslims and yet we still don’t have an upright society. Do you think both religions have done enough to make people live Godly lives?
I am not to talk for or against any religion. But ROF understands one thing which is key, we want to live everybody living well in unity. We have 4 key things that we pay attention to. One is religious and political differences, second is money, the third is women or what we call opposite issues and the fourth is power. Imaging if these for things are well addressed all over the world, what would the world be like? We at ROF try to look at these things and address them from the viewpoint of Ogbonism. I always say that if a good number of Nigerians are guided by the principles of Ogbonism by the perception of the ROF, there will be a big change in our society. There will be peace and we will have probity in all sectors. ROF is not against any religion, it only teaches the basic principles of how to leave a good life, which some of the religions also preach. But in our own case we have scaled down the principles to some acts that every human being can
easily carry out. If you are a christian, we want to see you becoming a better christian, if you are a muslim we want you to become a better one.
Sir, do you have young people as members of the fraternity?
O fcourse, we have many young people as members. Infact, I became a member of the Reformed Ogboni Fraternity Incorporated in my 20s. And many people can attest to the fact that I live an upright life. And all that I have been doing are things that I learnt in the ROF.
What inspired you to join the fraternity?
My quest to know God, to live a noble and upright life.
Didn’t you have a religion prior to that time?
I had, infact I still have a religion till today. But my quest was to go beyong a constricted concept. I wanted to learn more about God beyond the perception of a particular religion. God is not limited to a place or religion. I learnt some things about God from my church, but I chose to learn more. I want to undertsand the exact ways God wants us to live by my own realisation, and without bias.
So after you have found knowledge in the ROF, do you still have a religion?
Yes, I still do. My wife still goes to church and I do too. As long as the church doesn’t have any problem in me coming in. I am not an hypocrite, I don’t hide what I do. So, if I attend any church and anyone frowns, I stop going there and the ones who don’t frown at my presence I still go there. Let me tell you this, in the ROF we don’t bother about the way you do your religion in as much as you live the way God wants us to live. It may interest you to know that we have Imams, Alhajis, Pastors, Bishops and so on as members. We don’t only have them as members, they preside over congregations. Being members of ROF doesn’t stop them from being what they are in their religions, rather they live more exemplary lives that their followers emulate.
How do you take the perception people have about members of ROF being fettish and involving in secret acts?
That’s is due to lack of willingness to search for the truth behind a situation. For instance, how can someone say members of the fraternity suck blood, when such person has never been a member, he has never anyone whose blood has been sucked, and he hasn’t even seen anyone who looked like a person that sucks blood; yet he still goes ahead and spread his false story. We have heard people saying oh they join so that they can make quick money. But here I am, I work, infact I work hard for my money. It is a basic requirement of life, you must work before you have money. If that is so, then all our members will be be sitting down at home and money will be coming to them. Those stories are false. They have said so many things too; some say members swear to an oath that when they die, the fraternity takes over the body. That’s another lie. Anyone who was alive when sir Adetokunbo Ademola died would tell you how he was buried by the Catholic church. He was the
pioneer Olori Oluwo. The day he was to be buried, members of his lodge came to pay the event and paid their last respect to him before the catholic church took his body to Ikoyi cemetary for interment.
What does you office of the Olori Oluwo entail?
I am the head, the leader, I give directions, ensure things are in order. I do those things you will expect a leader of an organisation to do.