By Patrick Kai
The Amazonian Initiative Movement (AIM), a notable Non-Governmental Organization that had been and still continues to campaign against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Sierra Leone, held a two day engagement in Kenema and Bo with artists on the 4th and 5th July 2021 and 6th and 7th 2021 respectively.
Chairman of the event in Kenema, who also doubles as the chairman of Inter-Religious Council in the Eastern Region, Alhaji Sheku Kanneh, whilst addressing the participants at the Eastern Polytechnic Conference Hall in Kenema, first welcomed and appreciated the musicians for honouring the invitation of the organization.
He intimated that the Bondo Secret Society is a beautiful cultural practice that has many values, which according to him, must be passed on from one generation to the next adding that harmful practices like Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) must be eliminated.
Alhaji Sheku Kanneh emphasized the importance of the artists in the fight against FGM, hence the reason for their invitation to the deliberations.
The Chairman furthered that since the artists have wider listenership they should use their songs positively to preach against those harmful cultural practices that hinder the well-being of women in society.
The theme for the event, he revealed, is: “Entertain To Educate and Make a Change.”
He stated that the artists, who are referred to as “Artists for FGM”, are charged with the responsibility of educating the populace on the negative impacts of FGM on young girls and women at large through their songs.
Alhaji Sheku Kanneh emphasized that the aim of the project is not to criticize or to eliminate the Bondo Society but rather to refine it.
He maintained that any cultural practice that violates the human rights of others is not in conformity with the laws of the land and international laws.
On their parts, the two religious representatives from both the Muslim and Christian faiths said FGM is not acceptable in the sight of God.
Reverend Julius B. Sengovah, Chairman of the Council of Churches in Kenema puts it this way: “Cutting any part of the human body insinuates that God is not perfect in His creation. God made man perfectly in His image and likeness.”
He went on to say that the body is the temple of the living God and that anything done with the temple aggravates Him.
The Director of AIM, Rugiatu Neneh Turay nee Koroma stated that the artists were selected because their role is to entertain to educate with the aim of effecting a positive change.
Neneh Turay revealed that one of the quickest ways to spread information is through music and therefore they were selected to help preach against FGM.
She said the Bondo Secret Society is a respectable institution but lamented that the practitioners have made it disreputable by initiating under aged girls, commercializing it, as well as building Bondo houses in towns.
She warned older women to desist from initiating children below the age of 18 as well as separate Bondo from FGM.
Furthermore, she asked for the relocation of the Bondo houses into the bushes.
Likewise, she pleaded with the practitioners not to allow politicians to build Bondo houses for them but support their children to acquire education underpinning that education is more important to Bondo.
It was revealed by the Director that plans are underway to demolish the Bondo houses and replace them with schools.
She concluded by appealing to the artists to compose anti-FGM songs.
One of the renowned artists in the East, Musa Jaward commonly known as Jay-Shine, expressed his gratitude for the engagement.
He promised that they will disseminate all the messages received on FGM during the workshop in the form of songs in order for the odd parts of the culture to be expunged.
The hit maker confessed that singing such songs against a cultural practice may lead to the loss of fans, support among others, before he put forward a demand for some form of financial support from the organization to undertake such a venture.
Another prominent female artist, Patricia H. Conteh also known as Hawa Nyadebo said she learnt a lot during the two-day workshop relating to both the positive and negative aspects of FGM.
She vowed that none of her children will undergo FGM and committed herself to preaching against the negative aspects of culture.
In Bo the same issue was discussed and a resolution adopted to heighten the campaign against FGM.
The engagements were climaxed by the composition of anti-FGM songs, group work presentation, playing of documentaries on the negative impacts of FGM and sharing of t-shirts.
