In 2011, Umaro met Patrick who was a university student and they became close friends. Patrick encouraged him to further his studies with a promise to be his sponsor. In that same year, Umaro learnt that Patrick is a gay but he was so indebted to him and they became secret lovers. Patrick introduced him to a very small and secret gay community in Freetown.
The following year, Umaro entered the Njala University where Patrick was already a student. Their relationship continued to get stronger but secretly.
In July this year, Umaro was in his final year in the University preparing for the first semester examination when Patrick came to help Umaro with his studies. Since they were secret lovers they thought nobody else was around so they got naughty and started kissing. They were very intense in their romance when Umaro’s step brother who is an Islamic clergy entered the room and saw them having sex. He started shouting which called a lot of people including family members and neighbors. They came and saw Umaro and Patrick naked and they stared beating them with sticks and throwing stones at them. Umaro was miraculously able to escape but Patrick was not as lucky.
The rumor of Umaro being a gay was everywhere and it reached his father who was in a meeting in a mosque. He fell from the chair he was sitting and became unconscious. He was rushed to the hospital while Patrick was still going through mob beating. By the time the police reached the scene, Patrick was already unconscious.
Umaro’s father died on the same day and Patrick died two weeks later.
Umaro’s step brothers, other extended family members and the fanatic Muslims in his community have declared him wanted for the death of his father and for bringing disgrace of being a gay to them. Umaro went in hiding amount the secret gay members he had met through Patrick. They decided to contribute for him to leave the country. In August this year he left Sierra Leone without telling the people I love.
This is a very serious matter that needs government’s attention to protecting the lives of all persons with no discrimination. The question is, can people continue to run from their country because they are gays? We will look more into this in our subsequent editions.
