By Thaimu Thullah
Members of a traditional society group in Kayonkoro Village, Biriwa Chiefdom, Bombali District, Northern Sierra Leone, are desperately in search of Lansana Tarawallie, a native of the chiefdom and of 2 New Street, Fourah Bay Road, Freetown, on allegation of violating their norms, practices, customs and tradition.
Times SL Newspaper gathered that Tarawallie has long been tipped to be the heir to a traditional throne, a position once occupied by his late father. It is understood that part of the chiefdom’s culture is to initiate and crown the second son to a father, who has more than two wives. In this part of the country, culture and traditions are taken as serious business and therefore they would not spare to kill anyone who is seen toying with their tradition.
In the case of Lansana Tarawallie , concerns are that he should be set ablaze for deliberately refusing to follow protocols, as per their tradition and customs. Lansana’s father, according to sources, while on his death bed, had earmarked his second son to take his position. Though his father was known to be a Muslim, his connection and affiliation to such customs and tradition have always been questioned by his children, including Lansana, who many believed was a pious Muslim while gyowing up. Children of the late man are of the belief that what they do in the secret bush is nothing but evil. Therefore, they consider joining their father’s secret society as nothing but evil. Lansana, being the second son, is said to have developed hatred for the secret society into which his father was a leader. On the death of his father, Lansana was taken to the secret bush, where certain rituals and ceremonies were performed before burial. It was learnt that Lansana, who witnessed the scene, objected to such rituals to be carried out on the corpse of his late father, and therefore refused to be part of such society. According to tradition, once you are to be crowned, there are sacrifices that you have to follow, and in the case of Lansana, he was asked to provide cows, goats, and other items by the society men, to be used to appease the gods against any calamity.
There are reports in the past of different calamities that have befallen the cheifdom, believed by elders and residents to be a result of violations of customs and traditions. This has made society members to stand firm in defending the tradition and customs of the society, and will not spare any means to eliminate anyone who dares to violate their tradition.
However, sources say that Lansana simply disappeared after telling them that he was going to ease himself, leaving the secret society men in wonder as to how they can fulfill the ritual. He was nowhere to be found, and this made the society men to go on a massive hunt for him. If seen, he can either be set ablaze or be buried alive.
Civil Society Organizations, as well as human rights groups, have been denouncing such practice. The government has kept sealed lips on issues of such nature, despite the fact that quite a good number of souls have perished through this aged customs and traditional practice. Concerns are that he should be set ablaze for deliberately refusing to follow protocols, as per the tradition and customs.