By Ahmed Habib Kallon
Reports reaching this newspaper state that Mr. Simeon Tucker, formerly of Makari village near Makeni in the Northern Region of Sierra Leone, is now on the run fearing for the safety of his life after he was declared wanted by members of the dreaded Poro secret society because of his refusal to be initiated into the society and succeed his late father as the Leader and Chief Initiator of the society.
According to the reports, it is the tradition of the Temne, that when the Head and Chief Initiator of the Poro secret society dies, he must be succeeded by either is son or nephew or grandson.
The reports further explained that when Pa Alfred Tucker died in late early April 2022, the deity chose his son, Simeon to succeed him, a decision that Simeon refused to accept.
The reports further explained that among other barbaric practices that they indulge in, the men of the Poro secret society normally force the succeeding Leader to sleep near the dead body of the former Leader and other day of his initiation, he is made to drink a mixture from the skull of a former Leader as part of the ceremony of taking oath of office and to ensure that he keeps the secrets of the society.
According to a middle aged man who claimed to be a relative of Simeon, but asked us not to mention his name for fear of reprisals from the Poro men, Simeon’s troubles started in early April 2022 when his father, Pa Alfred Tucker, who was the Head and Chief Initiator of the Poro secret society died and there was need to initiate another man, normally a son, nephew or grandson to succeed the deceased Leader.
He further explained that the deity of the Poro secret society revealed in a dream that Simeon was the chosen one to succeed his late mother.
The man further explained that when the Poro men, including her uncles approached Simeon with the decision, he outrightly refused to accept, which according to tradition, is an unforgivable abomination that is punishable by death.
He further disclosed that to carry out the edict of the deity, the Poro men decided to kidnap Simeon and forcefully initiate him into the society and make her the Leader of the society.
“Late one night in early May this year, 2022, some men kidnapped Simeon and took him into the Poro shrine but that with the help of some of the men who were against the injustice they helped him to
escape in the very early morning hours the next day,” he recounted.
He further disclosed that when the leaders of the society discovered that Simeon had escaped they declared him wanted and gave instructions that he should be found and killed in order to appease the deity of the society.
He also revealed that even Simeon’s family members were accused of helping him to escape and threatened with death which made them to run away from the town.
The man further explained that the Poro secret society men have a very organized network all over the country and that they have all been alerted about the abomination which Simeon had committed against the society with instructions that they should look for him and kill her in order to cleanse the society of the abomination that he has committed.
He stressed that the Poro men have vowed that they will not rest until they find Simeon and kill him.
When this Reporter requested for an interview with the Poro men, he was informed that nobody will talk to him and that if he continued to pursue the matter, he will not like what will happen to him.
He also revealed that the Poro secret society men are still searching for Simeon and that they will never forgive him but they will kill him the day they see him in order to cleanse the land of the abomination and appease the deity of the society.
He concluded that since his disapp
