By Brima Musa

Eight young men who fearlessly and heroically rescued and escaped with a young female known as Edna Kamara Jones, from the clutches of Soweis that were about to carry out FGM (Female Genitial Mutilation) against her wish, are the latest objects of fetish curses by the Bondo shrine and risk mysterious ritual death if they are caught.
According to our information, it was one fateful day in March 2017 that Festus Prince Jones led seven other young men to a Bondo Society shrine in Kamabai, Bombali District, Northern Region of Sierra Leone. The eight young men after searching and locating the location of the secret Bondo Society shrine, executed a daring rescue and escape mission when the word reached them that the victim had been forcefully abducted from her home in the same town.

In their daring and bold attempt, they desecrated the shrine, damaging images of idols and tools used in the FGM practice and even carting away some diabolic FGM evidences which were later found abandoned in a public market square in Kamamabai.
Reliable sources in Kamabai later recounted to this press that this singular brazen act by these eight youths led by Festus Prince Jones to rescue Edna Kamara Jones so angered the Bondo Society conclave in Kamabai that they have declared the eight men including the female that was taken away wanted. Thy have gone further to lay a curse (as is their tradition) on the people who desecrated their shrine and have put in motion plans to have them ritually murdered when they are eventually caught.
Kamabai in Bombali District is notorious for its practice of FGM and other dangerous and anti-social practices in the name of culture and tradition which however negate basic human rights. It is commonplace in Kamabai to hear of incidents were initiates into the Bondo Society which is for women and young girls and the Poro Secret Society for men and young boys turn up dead after being mutilated and in some cases with their body parts missing.

The government of Sierra Leone on the outset is working with international partners to stamp out such diabolic practices but the reality is that political will is lukewarm because there are members within government who are either members of these secret societies or have relatives engaged in practicing these acts.
However, the fact remains that Festus Prince Jones and his bold friends must be given a pat on the back for rescuing the young lady Edna Kamara Jones; although it is painful to note that their safety and protection cannot be guaranteed by the Sierra Leone Government for the reasons stated above.
As a medium, our advice to these bold and daring human rights defenders is for them to stay in hiding or in exile until the current head of the Bondo Society shrine from where Edna was rescued dies. Until that happens, the ‘death warrant’ over the heads of these young people hangs in the air.