By: Ibrahim Kargbo
What began as a family tragedy in the quiet farming community of Makint Village, outside Magburaka in the Northern Province of Sierra Leone, has spiraled into a tense cultural confrontation — as a young teacher, Abdul Samad Kamara, now finds himself a fugitive from the powerful and feared Poro Society.
Kamara, a part-time secondary school teacher in Freetown and the eldest son of the late Yamba Sampha Kamara, returned to his native village in early May 2025 to attend his father’s funeral. Yamba Sampha had been a respected elder and former high priest within the secretive Poro Society — a traditional male organization whose influence stretches across many parts of Sierra Leone’s north and south.
What Kamara allegedly didn’t know was that his father’s burial rites would serve as a transition point — not only for mourning but for spiritual inheritance. Within days of the funeral, local sources say, Kamara became the target of plans to induct him as his father’s successor in the society. Elders reportedly argued that as the first son, he was duty-bound to take up his father’s role.
But the story took a chilling turn in late May when masked men — clad in the red and white ceremonial garments commonly associated with the Poro Society — descended on the Kamara family compound late one night. According to villagers, the men sang ritual chants in the Temne language and warned others to stay inside. Abdul Samad Kamara was seized and taken to the initiation bush, a sacred forest area used for secret rituals.
“He was taken like it was a normal process,” said one village resident, speaking on condition of anonymity. “No one could say no. It’s tradition.”
However, Kamara had mysteriously escaped the initiation site. It is believed that he received help from someone inside the society — an extremely rare and dangerous act, given the strict codes of secrecy. Kamara’s escape has since enraged the society’s leadership, who consider it a sacrilegious act of defiance.
Chants have reportedly been heard across nearby villages: “Wunya wi tɔr mo, a na ka mɔr,” loosely translated as “The one who refused manhood must return through death.” According to cultural experts, this statement symbolizes the belief that no man can evade the ancestral rites without facing spiritual or physical consequences.
In the days following his disappearance, society members have allegedly declared Kamara “wanted,” not by police — but by traditional law. Armed initiates have been searching for him across Tonkolili and Bombali districts, determined to bring him back to the elders for judgment. Some have even warned locals not to shelter him, claiming that doing so invites curses on their households.
Sources also say the family of Abdul is now under immense pressure from the Poro elders to either produce him or provide a replacement for the initiation. Unable to meet the demand, the family has allegedly gone into hiding and is now also nowhere to be found.
The incident has once again drawn attention to the friction between Sierra Leone’s constitutional rights and the authority of traditional secret societies, which often operate with little accountability, particularly in rural areas. While the 1991 Constitution protects individuals’ rights to freedom of thought, movement, and association, forced initiation remains a recurring issue — especially for young men returning to their ancestral villages for funerals or cultural events.
Civil society groups have condemned the continuing practice of forced initiation, calling on the government and traditional leaders to respect individual autonomy and ensure that cultural practices remain voluntary. But many locals say the reach of the Poro Society, particularly in the north, leaves little room for dissent.
“There is law on paper, and then there is the bush law,” said a rights activist in Magburaka. “When these two clash, the state often looks away.”
Police in Magburaka have not issued any public statement on the matter. Efforts to reach senior officials at the Tonkolili District Police Division for clarification have so far yielded no response. It remains unclear whether any formal complaint has been filed or whether authorities intend to intervene.
As of the time of this report, Abdul Samad Kamara’s whereabouts remain unknown. Fears for his safety continue to grow, as community whispers suggest that the society’s enforcers are expanding their search beyond Tonkolili. Meanwhile, friends and relatives who spoke off the record say they hope he has managed to flee the region entirely.
In the absence of any legal protection or intervention, Kamara’s story echoes a growing list of similar cases — individuals caught in the dangerous crosshairs of tradition and personal freedom.
The Times SL will continue following this story.