A tense and alarming situation has unfolded in the Borborkombor Section of Kakua Chiefdom, Bo District, where the Bondo Secret Society is allegedly targeting a woman who refused to assume a traditional priestess role—forcing her into hiding amid death threats.
Mrs. Aminata Lebbie, a local resident, reportedly became the target of threats after rejecting her appointment as the next Sowie (priestess) of the Bondo Secret Society—a position meant to follow in the footsteps of her late grandmother, the society’s revered spiritual leader.
According to family sources, Aminata was selected for the role from birth under a secret arrangement between her grandmother and family elders, without her knowledge. The plan was to initiate her after she completed her higher education.
Following her graduation, tribal elders formally approached her with the longstanding agreement. Aminata refused, angering society members who saw her decision as an affront to tradition and a betrayal of her family’s legacy.
From 2020 to 2022, multiple attempts were made to persuade her, but she remained firm. Eventually, tribal authorities issued a formal letter stressing her “cultural obligation” and warning of possible repercussions. Some local leaders also condemned her refusal as disrespectful to sacred customs.
Tensions reached a peak during a planned meeting with the chiefdom’s elders. Anonymous sources allege that members of the secret society hid inside the chief’s residence, intending to force her initiation. However, Aminata escaped by pretending to go to the restroom, fleeing through nearby bushes and leaving the village behind.
Since then, she has faced repeated death threats and narrowly avoided physical attacks. Out of fear for her life, she has gone into hiding. Sources claim that members of the Bondo Society in both Freetown and Bo have launched a nationwide manhunt for her.
Due to the secretive and gender-exclusive nature of the Bondo Society, Aminata has found it nearly impossible to seek police assistance, as cultural taboos prohibit discussing the society’s affairs with non-initiates, especially men.
Her current whereabouts remain unknown, and there is no indication that the pursuit by society members will cease anytime soon.
