Pastor threatens “country devil” with a lawsuit

Rev. Karnley has argued that we live in modern times, and everything related to tradition should be done in the bush.

By Lincoln G. Peters 

Monrovia, October 10, 2024: A Pastor has threatened a country devil (traditional mask dancer) from the Poro Society in Bomi County with a lawsuit for allegedly adopting and forcefully initiating three persons.

The incident is said to have occurred in Gangama Town, Clay District.

The Poro and Sande societies are male and female secret societies that meet in sacred groves in the forest.

The poro, the more important of the organizations, is personified by the Great Masked Figure, or Grand Master, a person who only appears in public disguised.

Men belong to Poro, and the society maintains the continuity of religious and historical traditions. 

During initiation, young men are instructed to use sculptural figures. Some with massive bases are carried in procession by initiates, who swing them from side to side and strike the earth.

Pastor Thomas S. Karnley, Jr., explained the alleged incident during an interview with journalists on Tuesday, October 8, 2024, in Gangama Town, Bomi County.

Pastor Karnley narrated that on Tuesday night, the country devil from the Poro Society came to his healthcare center, which was undergoing construction, and abducted his stewards.

He explained that the county devil took three people from the town: Alex Johnson, Augustine, and Ansu.

Pastor Karnley disclosed that Alex is undergoing training at a nursing school also to help provide quality medical services when the facility is completed.

“I can’t tell you what all happened, but the devil and accomplices came and forcefully [broke into] the facility and adopted my stewards,” Karnley lamented.

“The country devil took them into the bush for forceful initiation. This is completely wrong. This is completely scary, and I will not take it lightly. Rather, I will take a lawsuit against the country devil,” he noted. 

Rev. Karnley said that these are modern times, and everything related to tradition should be done in the bush.

Rev. Karnley suggested it is wrong for the devil to leave the bush, come into town, harass people, and forcefully adopt them for initiation.

He indicated that he has met with all of the town’s elders and traditional leadership, but he will also make an official communication to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and other relevant authorities.

After that, Rev. Karnley said he would file a lawsuit against the country devil. 

“I’m taking this thing very seriously. We will go to court. The country devil should have limits, I mean they should have their means and bounds,” he continued.

For her part, Mrs. Miatta Johnson narrated that her husband, Alex Johnson, came home from school, and they were sitting in front of their house when they heard that the country devil was coming.

According to her, they went inside to sleep. When the devil came, Miatta stated that the devile told the Town Chief that her husband was a sinner.

She claimed that the devil demanded that her husband be taken into the bush.

“They brought my husband outside after bursting the door and damaging the medication that he sells. My husband was shouting, and they removed me from on top [of] him,” she narrated.

“They took [his] money, tablet, and phone. Please tell them to bring my husband back. My husband was crying and telling us to pray for him,” she concluded. 

The Town Chief of Gamaga Town, Eddie Gaylor, said he is unaware of the country devil forcefully adopting people.

“For what I know, Tuesday night, the man devil came from patrol and came to my house here, and I have no other way to welcome them because that is the culture,” said the Town Chief.

“They have everything in their hand. They moved around, and they left. That is all I know, and I can’t speak further to anything.”

He insisted that this was a tradition, and he couldn’t speak further.

“If they took people, I know that after some days, they will come back. But I don’t know where they are,” he said.