ROF BRIEF HISTORY

ROF BRIEF HISTORY

The History of ROF as handed over to us, started with the amalgamation of the Northern and Southern Protectorates into what is now known as Nigeria in 1914. We were told that before the advent of Colonial Rule in this Country, particularly in Yoruba land, the Ogboni Osugbo was the government of the people. Some call this Ogboni Osugbo, or Ogboni.

During the Colonial Rule,the Bishop Lords imported into this country their type of Fraternity, such as Freemasonry, Odd Fellows, Shepherdry, Foresters, e.t.c. Our elites were enrollef into these Fraternities. The Churches in the early Christain world were persecuted in those dark days. Ironically they too did not spare both the Ogboni and the European Fraternities from persecution.

Out of the blues, however came a revolution within the church. A Clergy man of no means of order, an Archdeacon for that matter, decided to investigate and draw comparison between our OGboni and the European Fraternities vis-a-vis the Church. He has been a member of one of the European Fraternities - Freemasonry. He being an indigene of Isale-Eko (Lagos Island proper), easily got the opportunities to know and study Rituals and rites of Ogboni both in Lagos and Abeokuta/Ijebu. His inquistive mind, made him to journey to the far East and Jerusalem where he acquired more knownledge about what he had learnt at home. And also on his return, with the help of some other interested clergy, Lawyers, Doctors and Buisnessmen, the Hon.Archdeacon T.A.J Ogunbiyi founded the The Reformed Ogboni Fraternity in Lagos at Obun-Eko on December, 18th 1914; mainly for believers in God - the Supreme Unseen Being; purposely at the time to make a goodChristain abetter one, the best on the doctrine of Fatherhood of God and Brotherhood of man.

The Reformed Ogboni Fraternity has no room for feish or idolatrous matter of fact, at formation it was Christened, "OGBONI AWON ONIGBAGBO" i.e. Christian Ogboni Fraternity. The Reformed Ogboni Fraternity became a lawful registered Friendly Society under the Land (Perpetual Succession) Ordinance, 1924 in the Federation of Nigeria on 25thth June, 1943.

It is a Society of respectable men and women concerned with moral and spriritual values; a Society of people who prize honour and virtue above the advantages of any material gain.