By Joseph Conteh
On Saturday 18th January 2025, we received news from our correspondent in the northern town of Port Loko in Sierra Leone, describing heightened tension between the local Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) traditionalists and one Mr. Michael Turay an ardent opponent of FGM practice.
Our correspondence reported that Mr. Turay broke into the hut where the FGM practice that resulted in the tragic death of his sister occurred. It was reported that his sister died of excessive bleeding and infection as the traditionalists refused to relocate her to the hospital after the crude procedure.
Mr. Turay burnt the FGM hut in retaliation and in the process peeved the male secret society otherwise called the “Poro Society” that normally work closely with FGM traditionalists commonly referred to as “Soweis”. In a drastic turn of events, the Poro Society went and looted the Turay family house located at Lunsar Road in Port Loko town and also brutally tortured him.
At the time of coming to press, he has lost one of his eyes and his left foot has to be amputated. The barbaric way Mr. Turay was treated has put the township on the edge. Most of those associated with the Turay family have fled into bushes, while folks from the Poro Society continue to pursue them.
Challenging FGM practices posed so much risk in Sierra Leone. Many people who have stood up to this practice, through advocacy or forceful extraction of their relatives from the FGM hut have either lost their lives or permanently incapacitated and when lucky fled and seeks asylum outside Sierra Leone. Many Sierra Leonean anti-FGM advocates are living in exile for fear of the repercussions that will be minted against them by the Poro Society. This case is very similar to a most notable case in Sierra Leone dated back in December of 2019 when one Ahmad Abdul Sesay and his family narrowly escaped death for saving his daughter from FGM. Like many others after him, Ahmad whereabouts is still unknown.
These cases are common and will continue to rise because the individuals involved in this practice are political tools for politicians in Sierra Leone. As a result, no government has been willing to address the thuggery associated with FGM.
We at the Independent Observer, are continuing to call on the government through parliament to reign on this barbaric FGM practice and the associated violence normally minted by their male counterpart. Mr. Turay and all Sierra Leoneans standing up against FGM need justice.
