Twenty-three year old, Godwin Kanu David is nowhere to be found after he escaped from Makabie village in Bombali district, northern Sierra Leone on 26th February, 2019.
Kanu and his friends including some family members, according to reliable sources, were about to be forcefully initiated into an occult known in Sierra Leone as ‘Poro.”
He was to replace his late father, Pa Kanu who carried Pa ‘Yamba’ as his ‘Poro’ name.
Kanu became frightened on the eve of initiation after he was secretly informed that some initiates had died during the process. A fracas ensued during which he was tortured by some senior ‘Poro’ members.
He however managed to escape after a cool-off period to save his life. In Makabie village, it is unusual to see grown-ups who do not belong to secret societies particularly ‘Poro.’
The secret society is seen as a rite of passage from boyhood into adulthood. One hardly holds a post of trust and responsibility in Makabie and nearby villages without belonging to the cult group.
Belonging to the ‘Poro’ for leadership position has been a revered custom for ages. Highly influential men in society adore the custom. It is also a norm for secret society members to ensure that their male children are initiated.
It is a way of maintaining culture which generations yet unborn are expected to follow. The same thing would have occurred to David had he remained on the ground. The ‘Poro’ members are on the lookout for him. Incidents of ‘Poro’ members chasing non-initiates to bring them into the cult have lately intensified.
In January, this year, Abu Kamara of the same village was also hunted by the members. Like David, Abu was also going to replace his late father had they caught him.
In late March of the same year, Santigie Sesay had cause to escape after he got news that ‘Poro’ initiations were about to commence. He knew quite well that he would not be spared. The cult members are not restrained by any social status.
These unwarranted ‘Poro’ initiations have forced many young men to leave their homes for havens elsewhere.
Most have gone across national borders for their lives, and David is one of them.