Youth Escapes Forceful Poro Initiation

As this period marks the season of initiation in several chiefdoms, numerous youths in various villages in the North and Eastern provinces of Sierra Leone are presently fleeing their respective chiefdoms for fear of being forcefully initiated into the Poro society.
This customary traditional practice has forced many youths in some chiefdoms in the Port Loko districts in the Northern Province and in Moyamba and Pujehun districts in the Southern Province who fear being forcefully initiated into the society, to abandon their villages without the consent of their family members.
Unfortunately for Ransford Emrys Conteh-O’her who travelled with his grandparents to their village Loko Masama, in Port Loko District northern Sierra Leone during the summer of 2008, which began in December, to celebrate the Christmas and New Year holidays with family members. Growing up in Freetown, the Capital City of Sierra Leone youths are always excited to visit other family members and friends and spend enjoyable time with them back in the provinces.
Speaking to a reliable source at Loko Masama village who prefers anonymity for his safety said, “Ransford is coming from a religious family background that condemns the cruel and barbaric practice of the poro society in their village, little did he or his grandparents knew that plan where on the way to forcefully initiate Ransford into the poro society. One night while Ransford was playing with friends when he was asked by some elders in the village to go with them to the nearby village he followed them thinking it was some fun they were going to have.
He unconsciously walked into the poro Society shrine which is a taboo for non-members to go in and out of the shrine without being initiated into the society.
The source further that, Ransford managed to escape from them and fled for his dear life, the was a manhunt for him and his family home in the village came under persistent attack by the poro members who threatened to lynch him whenever they lay hands on him.” He concludes.
Members of the poro society are very powerful and very influential in this country and they can commit hideous crimes and go scot-free.