By: reporter Sam Wleh
“We will not rest until we have her pound of flesh. No one has destroyed our traditional secret society in ages or has impaired our transitional ceremony like how Hen Gant did in 2012”, according to Officer Kiazolu went he was interviewed at a traditional ceremony in Grand Cape Mount County on July 10, 2019, by our reporter Sam Wleh.
These were the direct quotes of Seebowlee’s uncle, went he was asked by police Officer Varney Kiazolu, about the whereabouts of his niece who escaped to the US in early 2013. The story was carried by the Chronicles Newspaper sometimes in 2013 that a Human Rights activist (Gant) risked his life and saved Madam Nepe from becoming initiated by her relatives and the Sande society.
The officer has since blamed the getaway of Seebowlee on the rights activist that he has threatened to deal with this man once and for all.
“it is the policy our Sande and Poro societies, to kill anyone who speaks publicly about our rituals”. One traditional chief told our reporter.
In many parts of Africa, particularly Liberia, condemning ‘Female Genital Circumcision’, (FGC), could mean more than just political suicide for any Liberian leader or ordinary people. The same rule dictated media coverage. A silent war was ravaging Liberia’s girls with barely a mention, as it had done for centuries. It is a taboo topic in Liberia to expose secret societies.
Meanwhile, the whereabouts of the activist in question is unknown but it is believed that he fled with the lady to the US. However, some of his relatives and close friends had complained about consistence harassment by unknown men.
In recent times, an activist was killed in Cape Mount for exposing the practice of the Sande and Poro.
“The incident involving Gant and my niece has thrown the succession of the ceremony of my family member into serious doubt”, another uncle of Seebowlee said. It is apparent that if this lady does not take over from her grand-ma “Zoeship” will be taken away from our Kiazolu’s family. Let it be noted that the family will be disgraced and driven away from the clan forever. Therefore, one can see the reason why both individuals are wanted for different reasons.
There has to be a way out of this impasse in this country between the traditional people and others who are determined to save young ladies as old as 3 years old. The political leaders are caught between the rock and the high place and are not willing to risk their political careers. Only some Right activists have shown over the years that they are willing to risk their own lives to save the victims of FGC. The idea (Human Rights) that traditional leaders have called a sell-out of our cultural values to the Whiteman.
