Based on the recent increase of forceful initiation in Fadugu, Koinadugu district in the Gbangbani society, these reports have created a worrying concern for young boys in the community.
Consequently, this press embarked on an investigation to ascertain the veracity of this claims. The investigation unearthed series of human rights abuses perpetrated by members of the Gbanbani society who forcefully use force to initiate, leading young men to go missing.
Following up on a case in which a young man went missing in July 2019 by the name of Alpha Jalloh, now clocking a month confirmed by friends and relatives is nowhere to be found.
This medium also gathered in its investigations that Alpha Jalloh who went to the farm to do some land clearing never came back. However, when he was in his farm, he accidental set fire on their bush which forced him into the sacred bush. So, because of the transgression into their bush this made men wanted to forcefully initiate him. According to close sources that this press finds very difficult to accept to be interviewed stated that Alpha had been complaining about the persistent pressure he has been receiving from close friends about him joining the Gbanbani society.
This source went on to say that Alpha was arraigned before the elders and the necessary ritual arrangements was now made ready for him to be processed for the initiation rites. It reached a point in the ritual ceremony when a man came in requesting the presence of the elders. What they discussed our source cannot say. However, it was during that time Alpha was able to run away. Since then, nobody has been able to locate him.
This press went further to ask some relatives concerning their son’s whereabouts, no one did account for him or know exactly where he went to. In fact, our reporter observed that some of the some of the stakeholders in the community are complicit about what was happening.
The Gbanbani society many people who have attested to the fiat and treatments of this society never wants to cross path with such evil tradition again. Plenty believed that their ritual pontificates are largely detrimental to the health and well-being of the individual. Thus, it has been proven that people get killed in the initiation process and some are left paralyzed forever.
But the challenge has been complicity because of the influence it wills in the society. In the country, politicians do give their support to this society groups, which simply means a cat blanch to perpetrating violence and inhumane treatment has been given a go-ahead simple because of self-serving political reasons.
Given that there is still a ban in all traditional initiation activities, deaf hears have been given to such a debilitating practice which uses cruelty to coopt members in their group. If the government does not act fast, young and energetic youths like Alpha Jalloh will continue to be in the ruins.
