Fleeing Tradition: Liberian Man Fights for Life Against Forced Poro Society Initiation

By Joseph Saah

In a harrowing tale of survival and defiance, Alexander Wongen Benson, a native of Liberia, has fled his homeland for fear of facing relentless persecution from traditional elders in his village of Butuo, Nimba County. The ordeal, which began on December 9, 2022, highlights the often-overlooked dangers that cultural practices pose to those who dare to defy them.

Benson, who had traveled to Butuo to visit his family on his birthday, was blindsided by a decision made by the village Chief and elders to forcibly initiate him into the Poro Society, a traditional secret society deeply rooted in Liberian culture. When he refused, fearing the implications of such an initiation, he found himself the target of an aggressive pursuit.

“Fearing for my life, I made the brave decision to run away,” Benson recounted. “The Traditional Elders and even some of my own family members were after me, angered by my decision to turn my back on the Poro Society bush”, Benson asserted.

For three days, Benson navigated the dense tropical forests without food or water, constantly looking over his shoulder as a group of thirty men, armed with machetes and sticks, hunted him down. In a moment of sheer luck, he managed to escape the forest and secure a ride to Monrovia with a driver named Simon, who took pity on him after hearing his story.

Once in Monrovia, Benson sought help from the authorities, only to be met with indifference and bureaucratic obstacles. “I went to the police, hoping they could offer protection and justice,” he told the Democracy Watch Newspaper. “But the CID Officer, Momo Sheriff, refused to handle my case, claiming that traditional matters were beyond their jurisdiction,” he said.

Directed to the Liberia Traditional Council, Benson was left with a sense of hopelessness, fearing that seeking their aid would only result in his return to the village and further danger. The Council, recognised as the highest governing body on traditional issues, including matters related to the Poro and Sande societies, held little promise for his safety.

Living in fear in Monrovia, Benson faced continuous threats from members of his village who were determined to see him initiated. On February 11, 2023, his fears escalated when a friend, Simon, warned him that the traditional elders were closing in on his location. Benson fled once again, seeking refuge with another friend in Marshall, a town outside Monrovia.

However, the consequences of his defiance and escape have continued to haunt his family. Tragically, after Benson fled Liberia, his wife was brutally murdered by members of their community on December 2, 2023. She had refused to perform rituals that would supposedly ensure Benson’s return or afflict him with madness or blindness. Following the killing of his wife, Benson’s mother became the next target, accused by the community of conspiring with her son. After enduring multiple attacks and being hospitalised, she was forced to flee Liberia and is now residing in the United States, where she sought refuge on April 20, 2024.

Benson’s story sheds light on the plight of individuals who face persecution due to cultural practices that clash with their personal beliefs.