By Foday Moriba Conteh
News intimated this medium was reliably informed that in Makari Village, Makari Gbanti Chiefdom, Bombali District, Northern Province of Sierra Leone Poro Secret Society members of Makari Village have mounted a round the clock search for Mohamed Fuad Bangura now declared fugitive.
He is accused of refusing to comply with the tradition of the community, which dictates that after the death of his father Foday Bangura who was a herbalist and a member of the Poro Society, Mohamed Fuad Bangura must be initiated into the Poro Secret Society and adhere to the oath of secrecy.
The said practice is said to be a tradition in the chiefdom that every male child whose father is part of the secret society once he passed away his male child becomes an heir to take over his father, of which every family in the community is expected to comply, as deviating from it is tantamount to disobedience to the gods of the land and is seen as a sacrilege.
According to our source, the Poro Society is hell-bent on initiating Mohamed Fuad, because his father was a member of the secret society, which makes him eligible to be part of the Society.
It was also revealed that Mohamed Fuad Bangura has reached the age to be initiated; therefore, he is expected to voluntarily report to the Poro Society elders for the due ceremony. But certainly, Mohamed Fuad Bangura is not interested to join the Poro Society because it’s not morally decent and unethical for his health and the Islamic religion which led him not to cooperate with the process.
Conversely, the ideology or mentality of Mohamed Fuad Bangura about the society doesn’t go down well with the elders as they brand it to be disrespectful and is unacceptable.
As he became eligible for initiation, our source disclosed, he simply declined their invitation, and it became apparent that the society is poised to abduct him and forcefully initiate him, since he had shown unwillingness to join the secret society and to take over his father. It was at the point that the mother of Mohamed Fuad Bangura Maseray Yillah decided to facilitate the escape of his son out of the country for his safty.
According to our investigation, it was revealed that the members of the society had raided the family home of Mohamed Fuad Bangura on several occasions, and are currently offering a reward (according to tradition) of 1 goat, 2 cows, 12 cups of rice and one chicken for information leading to his location whenever he visits Sierra Leone.
Our investigation further revealed that in January 2022, one Abdul Kamara of the same village, who is also currently on the run, was abducted and taken to the Poro Society bush, where he was to undergo the most inhumane ritual, described as part of their initiation rites in the Makari Gbanti Chiefdom. Our information further revealed that Abdul Kamara narrowly escaped from the hands of the initiators in the secret shrine in the bush, out of fear that he might lose his life.
A senior member of the Society group disclosed to this medium, on condition of anonymity, that the fugitive, Mohamed Fuad Bangura refused to come home after information was leaked that four (4) Boys who went through the initiation nearly died that same month before completion of the ceremony.
According to sources close to the Secret Society hierarchy, the penalty of betrayal (refusing to comply with the tradition of the community) is death through unconventional means that leave no room for police investigation.
It could also be recalled that due to the rampant unethical activities of these secret societies in the country, the Government of Sierra Leone in a press release through the Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs has placed ban on all secret societies activities in the country, but surprisingly even though the Government has placed a ban on it some are still practicing it in the name of maintaining the country’s tradition.
The continuous activities of these secret society groups mean that the Government is unable to put a stop to all secret societies. Recently the Anti-Corruption Commission was unable to interview the former President of Sierra Leone, Ernest Bai Koroma, on matters raised in the Government’s White Paper because he’s a member of one of the secret societies and whenever they are out in the streets even the Police cannot go out on the streets which prevented the official of the Commission from doing the said interview.
Till Press time, family members of Mohamed Fuad Bangura have confirmed to this medium that they are constantly under harassment and threat by the elders of the secret society and, that the members of the Makari Gbanti Chiefdom Secret Society group are still searching for him with a reward of one (1) goat, Twelve (12) cups rice and one chicken for information leading to his location whenever he visits Sierra Leone.
