News report filtering into this medium has intimated that the parents, ‘poro’ and ‘bondo’ secret society stakeholders in Kambia district northern province of the Republic of Sierra Leone have unanimously resolved together with the Chiefdom Police authority to declare Musa Kanu wanted.
According to sources , the wanted declaration was made as a direct response to what they referred to as disorderly and violent conduct displayed by Musa against society stakeholders in January, 2019.
The said incident occurred following Musa’s rejection to a proposal made to him in order to replace his aged father as head of ‘poro’ society and his teenage daughter’s forceful conscription by ‘bondo’ women to also succeed his mother as ‘sowei’ an idea championed by Musa’s mother.
It could be recalled that in 2018, a meeting was conveyed by Musa’s parents, society stakeholders and community people in Kambia where it was proposed to him to succeed his aged father Yamba Kanu as ‘Poro’ Chief. This medium learnt that Musa stoutly turned down their proposal.
Another meeting was further conveyed, this time around between Musa and parents’ so as to persuade their son to comply with tradition based on the fact that he was the only son and possible successor to his father as head of ‘poro’ society similarly he also rejected; an act his parents deemed as insult.
At that particular meeting, Musa stated crystal clear that he was not obliged to add other names to the ones he already had. Continuing he emphasised that he doesn’t intend to get tied up with any crude traditional or cultural mentality; and later informed them of his plans to move to the city, Freetown.
Accordingly, laws of the Poro society dictates that, when your father as head presented you to ‘poro’ stakeholders whilst still alive as the eldest and only son, you automatically become his successor in the society bush (Banika), failure to abide with such traditional rites leads to severe consequences or death.
Traditional leaders including his parents became apparently outrageous with him; a situation that posed his life under immense pressure as he was humilated among his peers and the elderly in Kambia district .
Teenage boys who were captured into the ‘Banika’ against their wish for a whole year were given tradional names despite their opposition to these names.
One day, in a desperate mood to lure Musa, ‘Poro’ stakeholders ordered his father to forcfully conscript him to the ‘Banika’ sacred bush and anything contrary is termed as disowning a tradition and customs that had existed for generations.
Reports stated that on January 30, 2019 there was an open battle between Musa and stakeholders; as Musa’s mother instructed ‘Bondo’ women to forcefully take his teenage daughter into the ‘Bondo’ bush for initiation against Musa’s approval. The absurd reason given by Musa’s mother is for the teenage girl to replace her as ‘Sowei’ head of the ‘bondo’ secret society because she had no girl-child.
Following Musa’s reaction to enter the ‘bondo’ bush he was attacked by an army of outrageous secret societies operatives who overpowered him. He was mercilessly beaten up and in the process sustained severe injuries.
However, Musa managed to escape to a village called Yonkoro where he briefly sought refugee. His wife information indicated was arrested by Chiefdom Police officers whilst Musa was declare wanted.
Musa’s exact whereabouts are unknown after a search party went to Yonkoro village to apprehend or possibly strangulate him to death, but was nowhere to be found.
This medium gatheted that his life is in danger; as operatives of these secret societies vowed to eliminate him wherever he may be hiding.