On the night of 6th May, 2022, the lives of Fatmata Mansaray and Christiana Kanie Mansaray could have been snuffed forever in Kambia District, Northern Province of the Republic of Sierra Lone, had it not been for the daring escape they made from the hands of their captors who now want them dead if seen anywhere in Sierra Leone.
Our investigations reveal that following the death of the two girls’ beloved mother on 1st May, 2022, the elder daughter, Fatmata Mansaray, according to tradition was to take over the role of her late mother as Sowei, the head of the Bondo Secret Society that performs the Female Genital Mutilation on young girls and women.
According to our source that preferred anonymity for fear of her own life, disclosed to this medium that, before their mother’s burial on 3rd May 2022, Fatmata Mansaray and Christiana Kanie Mansaray were whisked away from their home and taken away by members of the FGM cult into the Bondo shrine in the middle of a thick forest where she was required to perform the FGM ritual on her younger sister and then assume the leadership role of her late mother in the Bondo Secret Society. She went on to say that, tradition demands that the penalty for turning down the request of members of the Sowei’s society is death. She further informed this medium that, Fatmata Mansaray even before the death of her mother has been a strong critic of the Bondo society, adding that, on several occasions, Madam Fatmata Mansaray has openly condemned the practice of her mother as head of the Sowei by referring it as ‘evil’.
Reaching out to the Head of Initiation of the Sowei’s Council, Mammie Fatu Kamara, informed this medium that Fatmata Mansaray and Christiana Kanie Mansaray have insulted the entire membership of the Sowei’s Council.
“It is an affront to deny the request of members of the Bondo Secret Society,” she angrily said, adding that, the penalty for disobeying and running away from the Bondo initiation bush is death by hanging. Mammie Fatu Kamara explained that, Fatmata Mansaray was reluctant to perform the ritual on her younger sister, as tradition demands.
“Fatmata Mansaray had the got to tell us in our faces that she will not accept our practice by referring to our practice as ‘evil’ and that girls had been known to die after being cut,” she narrates, adding by claiming that it is not their wish for any girl to die during initiation but it is the wish of the gods. Mammie Fatu Kamara said that they threatened to kill Fatmata Mansaray if she fails to do what she is supposed to do according to tradition and both of them were tied up and left to ponder over their plight.
Mammie Fatu Kamara further told this medium that after two days, they discovered that both Fatmata Mansaray and her younger sister had escaped. She warned against anyone trying to provide shelter to Fatmata Mansaray and her younger sister. She explained further that Fatmata Mansaray and her younger sister have committed a sacrilege and they must be killed which will serve as a warning to others.
In Sierra Leone, many people have strongly advocated for the elimination of the Female Genital Mutilation (FMG) practice due to the death of many girls during initiation ceremony but certain set of highly influential people are in support of the practice. Our findings further reveal that the FGM practice is deadly and it caused trauma, depression and other serious health complications to many girls in Sierra Leone.
However, all efforts made to get the reactions of Fatmata Mansaray and Kanie Mansaray have proven futile.
Also, when we contacted members of the security sector to comment on the issue, they declined claiming that “it is a traditional matter and it is beyond their control.”
