By Hassan Bruz
Primitive loyalty is still a major setback in the West African state of Sierra Leone, where young people are being compelled to adhere to customs and traditions. It is one of the countries where forceful initiation into secret societies, such as Wonday, Gbangbanni, Ojeh and Poro, remain a normal trend in spite of the series of Human Rights treaties that have been signed by successive governments.
These societies are so much cherished that there is hardly anyone to question their legality regardless of the excruciating pain people go through to become members. The people who are not valiant or tough enough to survive the agony are believed to have been consumed in the Evil Forests. As a matter of fact, most of them have never returned to share their experience.
Sheku Kargbo is one of the few that have managed to survive these tribulations. He was carted away into the ‘Evil Forest’ following his refusal to accept the recommendation of his father – Pa Umaru Kargbo, who wanted Sheku to succeed him as chief of the Poro Society. Even though he was able to escape from the cruel hands of his captives he would like to share his experience so that the authorities could see the need to put a final stop to the practice.
He has since been declared wanted by members of the Poro Society who have even levied a handsome prize for anyone who could surrender this ill-fated man for a continuation of the initiation process. But Sheku was fortunate enough to have fled the country barely moments before his hiding place was invaded by an angry mob of Poro Society people.
Even though he is yet to disclose his location, Sheku has stressed out the need to make a summary of what he went through upon the instructions of his biological father. He is of the conviction that his narrative would provoke the need for the authorities to stop what is being referred to as barbaric pattern. The incident happened nearly one year ago in the Northern District of Port Loko.
It all started on a night in April 2019, when his aging father – Pa Umaru Kargbo who doubles as the head of the Poro Society and bears the title of – ‘Pa Yamba – Bana’, ordered his son- Sheku Kargbo- to meet him at home for an important talk with some elders.
Sheku went on time and was subsequently introduced as one of the twin sons of ‘Pa Yamba Bana’. The father went further to say he was getting too old and tired to continue to head the affairs of the society and was thereby glad to present Sheku as his successor.
Interestingly, the twin brother of Sheku fled the District few years ago. The idea for Sheku to replace his father was immediately endorsed by all those present with the exception of Sheku. He turned down the offer out rightly to the full hearing of those elders. He based his submission on the grounds that this is a modern age and he would prefer better options as a young man. He further observed that the initiation process is often marred by human rights violations and he cannot be a party to such contraventions.
This did not go down well with the father who viewed Sheku’s utterance as cross insubordination. Pa Yamba Bana became so angry that he immediately invoked some evil spirit on Sheku, which made him unconscious and later found himself in the middle of a thick forest. He woke up to a situation in which he was required to either accept the dictates of his father or faced instant death.
Sheku was quick to realize that his father could not be more serious, when some of his fellow captives who wanted to put up a stiff resistance were instantly massacred.
He explained how he was able to sneak into the thick backwoods while the elders were busy fabricating charms and invoking spirits in a bid to appease the gods and ancestors. He eventually surfaced to a distant village by daybreak from where he prevailed on a commercial driver for a free drive to the national capital of Freetown.
Sheku had already developed heart problems before he was allowed to seek refuge to a catholic parish. It was as a result of his health complication coupled with the fact that he was being vigorously pursued by members of the Poro Society, that the Bishop of that Parish paved his way out of the country.
There are similar scary stories in Sierra Leone since the departure of Mr. Sheku Kargbo whose wife and children have now been abandoned to their fate. Although the Sierra Leone Government has now put a temporal ban on secret societies, yet there are a lot of what appears to be ritual killings in the country.
The most recent of these incidents has to do with the untimely death of one Ibrahim Kamara. This 26 year old man was an Islamic scholar that was allegedly murdered while attending a traditional ceremony.
It is alleged that the body of this ill fated Islamic scholar was later thrown into the Hydro Dam at Gbungbunna. There is also the case of Mohamed Conteh, popularly known as ‘Yahanama Fire’- the herbalist who is said to have championed the killing of three people at Four Mile – a village at the outskirts of Waterloo Rural District. Sources say he promised to purify them from all forms of evil spirits.
It is pointless to mention the issue of cultism, which seems to be a way of life in several institutions of learning in Sierra Leone. Quite a good number of pupils and students have lost their lives during initiation processes across the country. It is on this backdrop that people say it was a good idea for Mr. Sheku Kargbo to have fled the country.