Escaping Tradition? Young Liberian Woman Noskie Defies Sande Society Forced Initiation and FGM Amid Threats
By Jerry Flomo
In a gripping testimony shared exclusively with Democracy Watch Newspaper, 22-year-old Evangeline Mamonie Nosike recounted a harrowing ordeal in which she faced continuous threats of forced initiation into Liberia’s traditional Sande society—a practice that includes female genital mutilation (FGM). Despite multiple police reports that are in possession of this newspaper, Evangeline Mamonie Noskie told Democracy Watch that Liberian authorities have dismissed her concerns, citing the issue as a “traditional matter” beyond their intervention.
“My mother died in 2015, and my father in 2018, leaving me and my younger sister, Janjay Noskie, to fend for ourselves,” Evangeline Nosike began, explaining that she had grown up with her sister in Hotel Africa, Liberia. In 2022, Nosike’s aunt, Mary Cisco, informed her it was time for her to join the Sande society, but Nosike firmly refused, rejecting the initiation process. However, her refusal only seemed to escalate the pressure.
In March 2022, Janjay Noskie, her little sister, was reportedly forced into the Sande bush. Evangeline Nosike recalled receiving a chilling anonymous text afterward, stating that her sister had gone to fulfill her “duty” and that her turn would come the following year. “I reported it to the police, but they told me there was nothing they could do since it involved the Sande society,” Nosike said, expressing frustration with the lack of support from local law enforcement.
As Nosike sought help, she reached out to a local pastor, Paul K. David, who advised her to leave the community due to the potential danger posed by the Sande society. “He told me to stay in prayer and urged me to leave Hotel Africa if I wanted to protect myself,” she recounted. Her uncle, David Cisco, who opposed FGM, suggested she flee the country altogether, fearing for her safety. When this paper contacted David Cisco, Noskie’s uncle, he confirmed the horrifying story of Evangeline Noskie and admitted that he advised her to flee the country for the safety of her life. Accordingly, this paper also reached out to Noskie’s pastor, Paul David, who confirmed to us that he advised Noskie to leave the Hotel Africa community due to the danger posed to her life.
Nosike’s sister, Janjay, fell ill soon after returning from the Sande bush, and doctors reportedly informed Nosike that Janjay’s genital mutilation had been improperly conducted, leaving her with severe health complications. On May 5, 2022, Janjay succumbed to her injuries. “I watched my little sister die right before my eyes,” Nosike recalled tearfully. “It felt like I had lost my entire family.” This newspaper has obtained a copy of the medical report of the late Janjay, Evangeline Noskie’s little sister through family members, which confirmed the cause of death attributed to the improper cutting of her genital organs.
Despite her resolve to avoid initiation, Nosike continued to receive ominous messages. “They told me I’d be mocked, disgraced in public, and that my life was in danger if I refused,” she said. After relocating to a friend’s home in Thinkers Village for safety, Nosike received yet another threatening text, insisting that her initiation was “a MUST” and that her defiance could result in her death. Desperate, she sought help from local police again but was told they could not intervene. When this newspaper contacted the police, they confirmed Noskie’s claims.
Democracy Watch reached out to the individuals Nosike mentioned, corroborating much of her story. Her plight shines a spotlight on a broader issue. While the United Nations and international human rights organizations condemn FGM, Liberia remains one of the few African nations where the practice is still widespread and customary.
Article 5 of the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa (the Maputo Protocol) explicitly condemns FGM, yet Liberia has yet to enforce legislation protecting women and girls from this practice.
Nosike’s story underscores the challenges many young women in Liberia face as they navigate the conflict between traditional customs and individual rights. “All I want is to live my life in peace without fear of being forced into something that took my sister’s life,” she stated.
As Nosike continues her fight, her story raises pressing questions about the protection of vulnerable individuals in Liberia and the role of law enforcement in cases involving traditional practices.
