SUCCESSION CUNUNDRUM; THE HEIR TO THE CHIEFTAINCY ESCAPES RITES
By Thaimu Thullah
The heir apparent to the chiefaincy of Karene chiefdom, Mr. Alhaji Abu Bakarr Jalloh has declined, and escaped the rites for him to be crowned after the death of his father Chief Jalloh of the same chiefdom.
Sources close to the throne have revealed that his refusal is based on his fear of the horrific, and immoral practices involve in the cultural rites which are contrary to his religious belief. Credible sources have further revealed that Mr. Jalloh had constantly frowned at this heriditary mandate to govern his people. He is quoted to have said that those cultural practices are inhuman, and outlandish that they should not be continued in the twenty-first century.
This paper has sought the opinion of the chieftaincy administration, but they have vehemently refused to comment on the issue, because it is a taboo according to annonnimous member of the clan.
It is widely beleived that Mr. Jalloh is out of the jurisdiction of Sierra Leone, and that a clandestine manhunt is underway to arbitrarily install him as the chief of the chiefdom. A human right activist has condemned and describe such action as a gross violation of the fundamental human rights as expreasly put in Chapter III of the Constitution of Sierra Leone Act No. 6 of 199, the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the European Convention on Human Rights and the African Charter on Human Rights.
However, a member of the chiefdom administration has opined that succession to the throne should not be coercive in modern times. But, another member told this medium on anonimity that tradition and customs are mandatory as inherited from their ancestors.
It is also enshrined in section 170 (2) Constitution of Sierra Leone, Act No. 6 of 1991 that the rules of customary law are inclusive in the common law of Sierra Leone.
Times SL latest findings are that among the main reasons why Alhaji Abubakarr Jalloh is being chased dead or alive is as a result of the fear that he might expose the secret of the society.
