Refusing to Handover Daughters to Bondo Society ………
Bakarr Family Escapes Death
BY ABDULAZIZ SAMURA
Reliable information reaching this medium revealed that the Bakarr Family are in danger, the husband, wife and children suffered in the hands of the Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) otherwise known as ‘Bondo’ Society leaders for failing to comply with their cruel dictate. In a letter of summon issued by the Local Chiefdom Court in New Site Section of Kakua Chiefdom, Bo District to Mrs. Sabiatu Babatunde Bakarr, justified how alarming the situation is as a result of her persistent refusal to initiate her daughters Chrissab Blessing Yeanie Bakarr and Audrey Favor Yaratu Bakarr into the Bondo Society. “It is also stated that Sowei Tajoe had visited Mrs. Bakarr’s mother, who is also a member of the aforementioned society several occasions reminding her that her granddaughters must be initiated into the Bondo Society in fulfillment of the requirement of family culture and tradition. This summon revealed that her sister’s two daughters were initiated into the society last year among other children in her family. However, the summon continued that Mrs. Bakarr defiantly refused to bring her own daughters and that prior to that period, she had promised to bring her daughters for initiation several times, but ended up not acting in accordance with her promise. Therefore, the Bondo Society has asked me to intervene by compelling you to follow the culture and tradition of our chiefdom by taking the appropriate steps in ensuring that you bring your daughters for initiation in the next meeting during the Christmas period.” In view of the above, you are hereby summoned with your daughters (Chrissab and Audrey Bakarr) to report on or before 20th December, 2023,” the summon ended. This outlet has been reliable informed that during the Easter holiday in April 2023 shortly after the summon was delivered to Mrs Bakarr, her mother took her daughters unknowingly to the sacred society bush for initiation. Mrs Bakarr and her husband had to rush to the sacred bush and rescue their daughters on the grounds of their strong Christian faith and that they are not ready to compromise it with evil traditional custom. They met stiff resistance, but succeeded in taking them out of the bush they referred to as the evil forest. Little did they know that the secret society women called on the society men to form a joint force, ensuring that they destroy the Bakarr Family for humiliating their culture and tradition. It is at this backdrop that the family left to an unknown location. “The Bondo Society women went on the rampage to various neighboring chiefdoms and villages in search of the couple and their daughters who had gravely embarrassed their custom and tradition.”Reliable sources also confirmed that their house was also surrounded by both society men and women but they were not seen. During the Christmas holiday in December 2023 when Mrs Bakarr visited her aging father in Kakua Bo , she was forcefully taken to the sacred society bush where she was stripped naked , shamed and assaulted by the elderly women including her own family members. This was because her mother had informed the Bondo Society that her husband is with children out of the country. Mrs Bakarr had informed us that her family made reports to the police about their ordeal but there was no assurance of their safety as this is a family and traditional matter. According to our investigation, the people of Kakua Chiefdom are left with mixed feelings as to whether the treatment vented by the Bondo Society on the Bakarr family is justifiable. This medium will continue to follow the happenings of the saga and as obliged, continue to inform the public outcome of happenings on the said matter.