Fanta Fofanah’s Quest for Freedom
In the secluded corners of Sierra Leone, where age-old traditions often suffocate personal freedom, lies the haunting tale of Fanta Fofanah—a woman caught between the unrelenting grip of cultural conformity and the complexities of her identity. Our reporter from Bombali District uncovered the story of Fanta’s relentless quest for survival, piecing together a narrative of trauma, forced initiation, and a desperate fight for freedom. Through the hushed testimonies of those who knew her and the few brave enough to help, Fanta’s story, deeply tied to Manjoro village in the Bombali District, emerged as a symbol of resistance against a life bound by tradition and fear.
Fanta Fofanah’s ordeal began in 1999, in the aftermath of Sierra Leone’s brutal civil war. Displaced, vulnerable, and grappling with her identity as a young bisexual woman in a society where such truths are not just taboo but considered dishonorable, Fanta found herself forced into the secretive Bondo society by her family. Her grandmother and aunt, powerful figures within the group, viewed her sexual orientation as an affront to their family’s honor and their deeply ingrained traditional values. Despite her mother’s dying pleas to protect her from the Bondo rituals and the path the family had set for her, Fanta was lured into the forest under the guise of gathering firewood. Once there, she was forcibly initiated into the society, subjected to a brutal practice meant to “purify” her and prepare her for the life of a traditional wife.
“She was only a child,” one source from Manjoro village recalled. “Her family didn’t see her for who she was—they only saw the shame they believed she brought upon them. They thought the Bondo initiation would fix her, force her to marry a man, and forget the relationships she had with both men and women.”
After the initiation, Fanta Fofanah’s life became a series of traumatic events. Forced into multiple marriages to men she did not love and pressured to assume a leadership role within the Bondo society, she lived under constant control. Her family believed that marriage to a man would “cure” her of what they deemed her “unnatural desires.” “They told her she would disgrace the family if she refused,” a close acquaintance explained. “But Fanta knew who she was. She couldn’t be changed by their rituals or forced marriages.”
In 2014, after years of living under the oppressive weight of these expectations, Fanta managed to flee Sierra Leone, seeking safety and a fresh start in Brazil. She believed the distance would allow her to live freely, without fear. Information about her escape was gathered from interviews conducted in the village and through discussions with relatives who remain in contact with her. According to one family friend, “She didn’t tell anyone where she was going at first, but later we learned from someone in Freetown that she had left for Brazil. That’s when we knew she had found a way out.” She said
A reliable family source informed this reporter that Fanta entered a relationship with a woman named Francess in Brazil in order for her to forget about her past and rebuild her life. However, when Fanta Fofanah attempted to end the relationship, Francess became possessive, and the situation turned violent. Francess’s obsession culminated in death threats, once again forcing Fanta to flee, this time hiding within the streets of Brazil, where she had hoped to find peace.
“She thought leaving Sierra Leone would mean freedom,” said a friend who had been in contact with her after she fled. “But no matter how far she ran, her past, her identity, and the fear followed her. She couldn’t escape the judgment that had been instilled in her from birth.”
Fanta’s story is one of survival and resistance. Her journey from forced initiation in Manjoro village, escaping oppressive marriages, to the uncertain life she now leads in hiding reflects the ongoing struggle for personal autonomy and acceptance. Her bisexual identity, seen by her family as something to be erased or corrected, became one of the driving forces behind her persecution. But Fanta’s will to survive, and her refusal to be silenced, stands as a testament to her resilience.
Despite being far from the traditions that once bound her, Fanta Fofanah remains haunted by the trauma of her past. Her struggle sheds light on the deep-rooted practices that still control the lives of many in Manjoro village and other parts of Sierra Leone. Fanta’s journey exposes not just the hidden practices of Bondo, but also the deep intolerance toward those who deviate from societal norms. In a world that constantly tried to change her, Fanta’s determination to stay true to herself speaks volumes about the courage it takes to seek freedom against all odds.