Mohamed Abdul Koroma, born in Magbanteh village, Marampa chiefdom, Port Loko district on 27th May 1997, has found himself in serious danger following his refusal to maintain the laws of the poro secret society tradition to become his late father’s successor as chief and member of the secret society.
Until his death, Mohamed Abdul Koroma’s father was the section chief of Magbanteh section, Marampa chiefdom and senior and respectable member of the poro society and as the society’s laws demands, the eldest son of a chief or a senior member of the society should immediately become the successor, a proposal Mohamed out rightly refused to accept, given his religious background as a devoted Muslim that abhors such outdated practices regarding it as cult and unholy.
Mohamed is the only son and eldest of the eight siblings to his late father and therefore obliged to accept the request or face the consequences including persistent harassment and even death which the young man has braved.
According to one of his close associates Alimamy Chernor Kamara who resides at 9 Kissy Brook in the capital, Freetown and witnessed Mohamed father’s burial in Gbanteh on 27th December 2019, immediately the late chief was buried, members of the secret society including his own family members who are also members approached him with the request to replace his late father’s position, as chief and member of the secret cult, a proposal he rejected.
His rejection was seen as a blatant violation and total disregard to their society which prompted his arrest and forcefully took him to their society bush for conscription.
Although Mohamed Abdul Koroma managed to escape from his captors with the help of some fiends but his situation still remains critical, according to his friend Alimamy, as his captors have vowed to do all in their power to track him down and cow him to submission.
What has made the situation more difficult for the enterprising young man is the fact that, despite human right organizations and defenders have frowned against such secret society traditional exercise referring to it as a violation of their victims’ rights; its practice is still widespread across Sierra Leone. And successive governments have always turned blind eyes to such cruel practices, given its sensitive nature which is sometimes used as political tool to oppress opponents.
As a result of this, family sources indicate that before Mohamed Abdul Koroma disappeared following that incident, he expressed fear that his safety is no longer guaranteed because he has no protection even from the government and his life is under constant threat.