Poro society used in Kono to abuse people’s rights**
By Alhaji MB Jalloh*
Secret societies in most parts of Sierra Leone sprouted up from pre- and post colonial Sierra Leone.‘Poro’ was the most popular secret society in the country that was practiced by many ethnic groups including the Mendes, Konos, Sherbroes, Temnes, Limbas, amongst others.
Poro society in the Mende ethnic group, for instance, was seen as a breeding ground for young initiates to be transformed into manhood. They were given skills, taught to be disciplined young men and sharpen their responsibilities and obligations to society.
However, secret societies in certain parts of the rural areas in Sierra Leone are being practiced with so much exuberance and radicalism, and many of them have crossed the limit. A typical example of where the ‘Poro society’ is doing more harm than good is in some parts in the Nimikoro Chiefdom, Kono District, eastern Sierra Leone, where people’s human rights have been reportedly violated with apparent impunity.
Credible sources in the district say that when Poro celebrations are taking place in that part of the district, members of the society will go on the prowl to distress unsuspecting people who are not members of their Poro society, such as non- indigenes or settlers whose tradition and culture are not in tune with the Poro society.
People’s human rights are often trampled upon whenever Poro initiation takes place in the dry season; especially the non-indigenes who are not initiates and their tradition and culture forbid Poro society, the sources said. First, whenever members of the Poro society have events, those who are not members of the society would be forced to stay indoors. “Society members will go on the rampage and steal people’s property with impunity, and no action would be taken against them.
Consequently, many traders, miners, farmers who are not members of the Poro society have lost their belongings whenever members of the Poro society are out at night, and no authority would listen to their complaints”, the sources alleged.
Another disheartening situation, according to the sources, is when business houses are closed whenever Poro members are out to celebrate. Non-members who are mostly traders are forced to close their business houses to stay indoors, thus depriving them from their economic activities, the sources added.
The sources furthered that, people’s freedom to religion is also abused whenever there is Poro initiation. The activities of society members will always coincide with evening prayers when worshippers will not be allowed to take part in congregational prayers in either the mosques or churches, thereby limiting their freedom of movement. For their comfort, non-members of the Poro society would prefer to escape to where they can enjoy freedom until when the Poro initiation is over before they would consider returning to their settlement to embark on their activities.
Though Poro society is practiced among the Mende, Sherbro, Temne, Limba people, the way the Kono ethnic group practices the society is very much is becoming alarming to non- indigenes who do not belong to that society.“Why some of the Konos are using the Poro society to violate the human rights of non-members who may not be even interested in being members of that society in this 21st century?” a human right activist questioned.
As a democratic state, the human right activist argues that, everyone has the inalienable right to enjoy their freedoms and human rights without hitch. But unfortunately, he adds, traditional and cultural practices have deprived many people of those freedoms and human rights and Government seemed to have sanctioned the intimidation and molestation meted out to non-Poro society members because of tradition and culture which Poro society members consider as unquestionable.
The affected towns and villages in the district are Yigbeda, Njagbwema Ninikoro, Bakedu, Yiema Ferry, Kumaroh, Futingaya, Sagbeh and Bumpeh, all in the Nimikoro Chiefdom.
All efforts to reach the Paramount Chief of the Chiefdom, PC Aiah Denton Bona Foamansa to respond to the allegations proved futile. But his response will be published whenever he gets in touch with the author.
The author can be reached on WhatsApp:+966567672815
