#Freetwon March 10, 2023# Report reaching this press indicates that, Madam Emma Mabinty Bangura is currently on the run as a result of pressure from women of the Bondo secret society.
Since the death of Emma Mabinty Bangura’s mother, Bondo secret society women has been putting pressure on the young lady to take the mantle of leadership.
Mabinty is from a small village called Songo, in Koya Chiefdom with Bondo society practice as part of their tradition. This young lady according to the report, is part of society after she was forcefully initiated. During the process, Mabinty went through hell and decided not to be part of society that is barbaric and unprogressive. As devoted Christin, her Christianity does not permit such practice and has decided to disassociate herself from the Bondo secret society, describing their act as inhuman.
Emma Mabinty Bangura while recounting her ordeal in the hands of the secret society women exposed the practice narrating that two people died in front of her during the initiation.
Despite the horrible happenings in secret society nothing seems to be done as most government officials including law enforcers are part of secret society.
Mabinty is now confronted with the dilemma of taking up the position as head of the soweis, a position she has refused since she was first asked to take up.
With her refusal, the Bondo women group in Songo Village openly confronted by storming her home with the aim of physically taking her to the societal bush for the rituals.
She was able to fight her way out of the village and was later declared wanted.
The Bondo women in Songo have described her behavior as a total disrespect to their custom and traditions. According to tradition, the position of Sowie is bestowed on women after the death the mother. Mabinty is now running away from her village, a place she once called home.
Despite international treaties and UN conventions on human rights, Sierra Leone is among the countries that still practice forceful initiation to women which does not happens only in Koya chiefdom but other parts of the country.
The whereabouts of Emma Mabinty Bangura is still unknown as nobody knows where she has taken refuge
