Afenyo-Markin’s Freemason Quote Sparks Debate at Parliament’s Induction Ceremony

A moment from the Induction and Orientation Programme for Members of the Ninth Parliament (Cohort 1) on Saturday, January 11, 2025, has sparked a lively discussion after Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin quoted a passage from a Freemasons’ text during his address.

The programme, intended to prepare both new and returning Members of Parliament for their governance roles, took an unexpected turn when Afenyo-Markin referenced Freemasonry principles in his speech. His focus was on themes of unity, humility, and equality in leadership, which he emphasized as essential for effective governance.

Quoting from the second-degree working tools of the Freemasons, Afenyo-Markin said: “We have all sprung from the same stock, partakers of the same nature, and sharers in the same hope. And although distinctions amongst men are necessary to preserve subordination, yet ought no eminence of situation make you feel superior over the other.” He further highlighted the transient nature of power and the ultimate equality of all people, regardless of their status, saying, “As the time will come, the wisest of men knows not how soon, when all distinctions, save those of goodness and virtue, shall cease, and death, the grand leveler of all human greatness, shall reduce us to the same state.”

While some have lauded Afenyo-Markin’s call for humility and unity, others have questioned the appropriateness of referencing Freemasonry during such a formal parliamentary event. The use of a Freemasons’ text has sparked a range of reactions, with some viewing it as a thought-provoking reminder of the equality of all individuals, while others argue it may not be fitting for the occasion.

Regardless of the differing views, the moment has certainly left a lasting impression, and the debate surrounding the inclusion of Freemasonry principles in political discourse is likely to continue in the days to come.