Nailed on top of an electric post in Temeke area and some other parts of Dar es Salaam city are placards, complete with contact telephone numbers screaming to all and sundry to “join” Freemasonry ostensibly, to become filthy rich. A random message on your phone literally reminds you that by joining Freemasonry, your problems will disappear forever.

There is an unspoken notion that by merely joining the Masons, one can become wealthy. Indeed, witchcraft and the diabolical and the diabolical are seen by many as one of the ways of people enriching themselves and freemasonry is perceived to be one diabolical. Nothing can be far from this misinformed perception. 

The church, the mosques and internet have increasingly become the agent for peddling blatant lies, speculations, illusions and misinformation that has been in the forefront creating and grounding a fallacy that freemasonry is a quick-fix solutions to their financial problems thus, maligning the Craft as it is known. Freemasonry simply conjures up in the minds of many people a secret society of people with ability to transform the lives of people once they are initiated to the craft. Wrong. Associations with a now departed leader of the craft prove otherwise. 

During the life of one celebrated Tanzanian of Indian descent, the late Sir Janyantilal Keshavji Chande (fondly known as Andy Chande), a man who was a close friend of this writer, and the former Grandmaster of Freemasons in Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda and Seychelles the Craft is not what you think it is. There is more to it than the perceived and often misguided belief that freemasonry is a get-rich-quick diabolical system where the devil is core, Far from it!

In his book Wither Directing Your Course that was a collection of his communiqués to the various Masonic lodges in East Africa, he wrote that some of the noble attributes of the Order are “the cultivation and improvement of human mind, spirit and personality. The Order stresses the harmonious relationship with all religions – a subject he believed was topical and also appropriate in the light of the diverse of all freemasons.”

On the virtues and other personal attributes, book further notes that candidates must be of high moral standing and a high level of integrity.

“A candidate’s surroundings and motives should be thoroughly examined. Before promising him, you must feel that he will appreciate Masonic teachings and that he is not likely to bring discredit to the craft…I am sure that like me, you should many times ask yourselves what appeals to you in Freemasonry…there is always an element which eludes us; something mysterious, provocative, indefinable and yet personally definite.”  

The book further expounds that the Craft is a science of life and its main purpose is to spiritualise man and make him an integrated individual. “While Freemasonry is veiled in allegory, it embraces a wider range of and has a nobler object in mind, namely, the cultivation and improvement of mind, the human spirit and personality…Freemasonry inculcates ”

The craft teaches the great truths concerning the nature and existence of one supreme deity GOAT (great architect of the universe) and the immortality of the soul. According to the late Sir Chande, the craft is not a substitute for religion.

“Freemasonry is not a substitute for religion and admits no person who claims to have no religion to his account. Instead, the craft grounds morality and spirituality to its members and upholds with esteem individual religious standing no matter what their religions may be,” he said.

The book further says that the great merit of the Freemasonry harmonious relationship with all religions – a subject, the author believed is topical and also appropriate in the light of the diverse backgrounds of the Masons.

According to the late Grandmaster, the first Freemasons were initiated in Zanzibar more than 100 years ago and set off the first cogwheels of development in the whole of the East African region, laying foundations for the first industries and railways. At the time, Masonic lodges were reluctant to initiate people of Asian.

Opposed from time immemorial

People describe the Craft as “the secret society” yet, they consider themselves as “a society with secrets”.  What this means is that the Craft and is shrouded by mystery especially allegories used during their meetings. According to the late Chande, lately, and with the advent of internet, all the signs and symbols used are open to any curious person to peruse through. 

“All the rituals an d rites are open in the internet and any interested person is free to see for themselves is open for all. The only signs that is a secret is that of the identification of members. For one to join, there has to be though vetting by older members of the candidates. The paramount requirement is the integrity and blamelessness of candidates. No lobbying.” 

In 1990s when Kenyans were fixated with devil worship and satanic symbols, the late Chande, being the District Grandmaster based in Nairobi, was called upon by commission of enquiry on allegations of devil worship by the society set up by the late president of Kenya Daniel Arap Moi.  It was found out that in the workings of Freemasons, there was nothing to incriminate the Craft of any diabolical rituals.

Having been in existence for more than 300 years, drawing members from royalty, heads of states and industry, the Craft faced its test when in 1738, the Pope Clement XIV issued a bull order forbidding Catholics from joining Freemasonry.

No dark wealth that comes with joining the craft

To spark the interest, the proponents of lies have given it a diabolical twist saying that by joining the Craft (as Freemasonry is known) is the key to dark wealth. Wrong! This is because, according to the late Sir Chande, initiates into the Craft must understand that joining the Craft does not accrue pecuniary advantages, privilege or patronage through membership.  “Candidates must appreciate his financial obligation and the fact that the does not give any extra advantage to any of its members” he said.