A bright future was cut tragically short in Tombahun Village after Aminata Jabbie, a 19-year-old woman, died from complications related to a forced Bondo Society initiation, reigniting urgent debate over the practice of female genital mutilation (FGM) in Sierra Leone’s rural communities.
Aminata, a member of the prominent Jabbie family, had long resisted pressure to join the Bondo Society-a traditional secret society whose initiation rites still include FGM, despite growing national and international condemnation.
Following the death of her grandmother, Mama Kumba Jabbie, a revered Bondo matron, Aminata was designated as her spiritual successor. Her continued refusal to undergo initiation was seen by relatives as defiance of tradition. According to family sources, tensions escalated, and she was accused of dishonoring her lineage and rejecting ancestral customs.
In January 2025, Aminata was tricked into accompanying relatives into the bush, under the guise of attending a family ceremony. Once there, she was forcibly initiated.
During the cutting procedure, Aminata began bleeding excessively. Traditional healers attempted to stop the hemorrhage with local herbs, but her condition deteriorated rapidly. It was only when she was in critical condition that she was transported to Bo Government Hospital, where medical professionals confirmed she had died from blood loss and infection.
“We see these cases too often,” said a nurse at the hospital, speaking under condition of anonymity. “When they bring the girls early, sometimes we can save them. But most times, it’s already too late.”
Her death has sent shockwaves through the community. While public condemnation remains cautious due to cultural sensitivities, private grief and regret are spreading. Many now question whether traditional practices should come at such devastating costs.
“Aminata’s voice was strong. She believed better future for girls in her community,” said a local women’s rights activist in Bo. “Her death is a reminder of what’s at stake when culture refuses to evolve.”
She was buried in Tombahun last week, not in the festive ceremony traditionally reserved for initiates, but in a quiet and sorrowful funeral marked by reflection. Family members, who once insisted on her participation now grapple with the consequences of that decision.
“She didn’t have to die for us to see,” whispered a grieving relative at the graveside. “We were blind in the name of tradition.”
Aminata’s death is now being cited by health professionals and rights groups as a call to strengthen national advocacy against FGM, enforce existing child protection laws, and provide alternative rites of passage that preserve culture without causing harm.
As Sierra Leone continues, its national dialogue on gender equality and harmful traditional practices, Aminata Jabbie’s story stands as a painful lesson and a powerful call to action.
May her departed soul rest in peace 🕊️ this is really sad 😢