Reports reaching this medium has indicated that there is a manhunt for Abubakarr Turay, by members of the country’s most powerful ‘Poro’ secret society.
The search for Abubakarr is said to have intensified following his alleged illegal entry into the female ‘Bondo’ secret society bush in Lunsar north west region of the Republic of Sierra Leone.
According to reliable sources, this medium gathered that Abubakarr’s intention of entering such prohibited place by men was to rescue his fiancée Ismatu Kamara who was allegedly forcefully taken there for initiation after refusing to replace her late mother as Sowie, a senior hierarchy in ‘bondo’ society as tradition demands.
Tradition dicates that at the demise of the head, automatically the eldest daughter succeed her mother but family sources disclosed that, Ismatu opposed the idea to replacing her late mother, an action that angered ‘Bondo’ society members which they regarded as disrespect and violation of their traditional belief.
Due to Ismatu’s refusal to accept the demand warranted youth from both ‘bondo’ and ‘poro’ societies to descend on her to take her to ‘bondo’ bush for initiation in fulfillment of the tradition.
However, Abu Bakarr who out rightly opposed to the request given his background as a devout Christian, was severely beaten and injured in the process when he attempted to resist the irate youths from taking Ismatu away.
It is an abomination in Sierra Leone for one to enter either the male ‘Poro’ society bush or the female ‘Bondo’ society bush if you’re not a member, and it’s a crime punishable by forceful initiation or harsher punishment, sometimes death, in case of refusal.
So Abubakarr’s attempt to free his fiancée from the ‘Bondo’ bush was seen by members of both secret societies as blatant disregard to their culture and tradition, hence the need to hunt him down for his action.
Few hours after the incident, precisely at midnight on that fateful day, according to report, Abu Bakarr braved it out to the bush to rescue his fiancée, and luckily for him, he met her captors heavily drunk and sleeping.
For forcefully and unlawfully entering in the ;bondo’ bush without any permission Abubakarr was accused of committing an abominable offense which requires great consequences.
During the course of our investigation, we discovered that when these society members found out that both Abu Bakarr and his fiancée have escaped, they immediately chased them to Freetown where they suspected both might be hiding.
A neighbor told this medium that these desperate society people looted the Abu’s father’s home and threatened to come back and deal with both Abubakarr and his fiancée. Both Abubakarr and his fiancée Ismatu have been wanted for violation and insubordination.
This medium also discovered that Abu’s father was told that anytime they see his son they will torture him to death for violating their tradition and her fiancée Ismatu’s refusal to assume her late mother’s role as ‘Sowie.’
Unverified report indicated that both Abu Bakarr and fiancée were facing difficult challenges following their escape as they experienced frequent robber attacks, arrest and detention and intimidation.
Abubakarr’s fate is said to be bleak as he could not think of returning home. As we went to press ‘poro’ society people are still in desperate search for Abu Bakarr and fiance by harassing family members who they accused of aiding and abetting their escape.