Kadiatu Kamara, a resident of 263 Bai Bureh Road in Freetown, has reportedly gone missing since August 2025, following what family sources describe as intense pressure to assume leadership of the Sowei society.
According to relatives who spoke to this newspaper on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals, Kadiatu allegedly fled after persistent demands from her aunt, Fatu Kanu, said to be the head of the Sowei society, urging her to take over the leadership role in line with traditional expectations.
A close family source disclosed that Fatu Kanu reportedly claimed it had been “revealed” to her that the time had come for Kadiatu to succeed her as head of the Sowei society. The source added that Kadiatu strongly resisted the move, which is believed to involve leadership over practices linked to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), commonly referred to as Bondo initiation.
Family members believe Kadiatu’s disappearance is directly connected to the pressure exerted on her, noting that members of the Sowei society and some initiates are allegedly still searching for her and demanding that she be handed over.
The Sowei society, a highly secretive traditional institution in Sierra Leone, is widely regarded as influential and feared, particularly among initiates and sections of the public. The society is believed to enjoy the backing of powerful individuals, making resistance to its authority difficult in many communities.
Despite ongoing advocacy against the practice, Female Genital Mutilation remains a compulsory rite of passage for many girls in parts of Sierra Leone, carried out under the auspices of the Sowei society.
As at press time, the whereabouts of Kadiatu Kamara remain unknown, and family members say they continue to live in fear while hoping for her safety.
