By Mohamed Bah
232News
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Forceful initiation into the Poro Secret Society is something which is common in Sierra Leone, of which the act itself is predominate in the Northern part of the country.
Hosts of individuals had been forcefully initiated which is against their wish and believe as human beings into such a secret society.
And leaving the region for the city is not safe neither, as you will be chased by gallant soldiers of the society to fulfil your obligation as one of them.
One such individual who is on the verge of being introduced into the Poro Culture, is Lahaiba Kallay. Lahaiba’s father, Pa Amara Kallay is a strong member of the Poro Society, who wants his son to take over from him as Chief of the Poro
Society in Kasunko Chiefdom, Koindaugu district, northern part of Sierra Leone.
On the contrary, Lahaiba, his son is not in love with such a society and not interested at all. Therefore, he refused to adhere to the call of his father to take over from him and continue with his legacy in the Poro Secret society.
Lahaiba junior sees this society as one which is against his faith and believe as Christian and at the same time is a violation of his human rights.
According to the Human Rights Defenders, that it’s a violation of somebody’s right to forcefully initiates him or her into any society or group.
The organisation noted that people should have freedom to choose what they want and who they want to associate with. “Thus, forcing people is a gross violation of those people’s rights” they stated.
Since Lahaiba had rejected the call to take over from his father, his family including his father’s young brothers and other relatives are searching for him to ensure that their name is one which does not bring disrepute to the society, by forcefully initiates him as the Poro Chief.
In this regard, they have intensify their search for Lahaibai Kallay. It is a must for them to find him in order to take over from his father, thereby protecting their family name in the Poro Society.
Despite the matter being reported to the Police, it has been treated by the law enforcement authority with levity, as one that has to do with tradition, of which some of the officers as well had gone through.
Victims who had been forcefully initiated into the Poro Secret Society, including Alusine Abu Kanneh told this medium that, going to the Police is not an option. “Even if you go to the Police, they will come after you.”
They said the best option based on what happened to them, is for one to leave the shore of Sierra Leone. “If you are in this country, they will come after you as they did with us and forcefully initiated us into the so called Poro Society,” they averred.
The life of Lahaiba Kallay is in precarious situation after the death of his mother, Mariama Kallay, by refusing blatantly to follow the footsteps of his father.
In some of these instances, you might be killed by family members for what they tagged as gross defiant not only to them but to the society in general.
Knowing the consequence of his action, Kallay junior has been on the hide ever since his mother passed away and his life has been on the balance.
His mother who used to be one of his defenders is no more, as death took her away.
Speaking from undisclosed location, Lahaiba Kallay appeals to the entire world for him to be protected against the wish and aspiration of his family members, that want to forcefully initiates him into one of the deadliest secret societies by making him the Poro Chief.
