By Alpha Sesay
On 12th December 2021, reports reaching this medium indicated that Mohamed Kamara, a 23-year-old Sierra Leonean from the north-western region, is in hiding after refusing initiation into the powerful and secretive Poro Society. His defiance has sparked a deadly backlash from members of the society, sending shockwaves through his community and family.
Eyewitnesses in his father’s village, where Mohamed was first introduced to traditional secret societies, recall that he was initiated into the Ojeh Society at just ten years old in Sanda Village, Karene District. “We saw how frightened he was even then,” said Foday Gbanabom Kamara, Mohamed’s uncle. “He was always quiet, withdrawn, and seemed haunted after the rites. We knew something broke in him during that time.”
Following his Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in 2011, which qualified him for university admission, Mohamed began facing intense pressure—particularly from his father and village elders, most of whom are members of the Poro Society to take over his father’s position within the group.
Mohamed refused, citing the trauma and fear he experienced during his Ojeh initiation. His rejection was met with outrage. “The entire village turned against him,” said Mariatu, a neighbor who witnessed the family fallout. “His father disowned him. He said Mohamed had brought shame to their name.”
Since then, Mohamed has gone into hiding. Reports suggest that a bounty has been placed on his head, with Poro members allegedly offering a substantial reward for information leading to his capture. Villagers claim several individuals who tried to protect Mohamed have been beaten or chased away from the village.
Local police have remained silent on the matter, raising concerns about institutional complicity. “It’s difficult to get help,” explained a human rights activist based in Makeni. “Many in authority—chiefs, police, even magistrates—are members of these societies. When you report, you’re often talking to the same people who uphold the system you’re trying to escape.”
Mohamed’s mother is reportedly facing serious threats from local enforcers of the society. “They come to her house at night, banging on her door, warning her to produce her son or face the consequences,” said a neighbor, who requested anonymity for fear of reprisal.
Secret societies like Poro and Ojeh are deeply embedded in Sierra Leone’s socio-political structure, especially in rural areas. While often seen as cultural institutions that preserve heritage, their opaque operations and coercive practices have drawn increasing criticism from human rights organizations.
As the search for Mohamed Kamara intensifies, many fear the worst. “He is not just running from a society,” said one local elder. “He’s running from a whole system built to silence people like him.”
Mohamed’s fate remains uncertain, but his story has reignited national debates about the role of traditional societies, personal freedom, and the limits of cultural authority in modern Sierra Leone.
