Songo Town has a unique attribute of being part of Port Loko District and the Western Rural Area District which has contributed to a binding co-existing relationship between the two districts. However, the town by itself has been grappling to uphold peace and unity which has led to instability.
Joseph Hindolo Momoh is the Executive Director Youth for Enlightened Society – Sierra Leone. He said there have been some cases of conflict and youth violence in the community which according to him were politically-motivated. He added that this has threatened the peace and security of Songo as a whole. Mr Momoh went on to say that the engagement was successful as elders and youths expressed their displeasures and later embraced each other as one family.
The most outstanding reasons identified for the conflict problems are lack of respect and unity according to the community people. Some of the youths said marginalization and abuse of power are some of the leading factors responsible for youth violence and instability at Songo Koya and Songo Colony. The whole community agreed that for peace to be restored there must be mutual respect between the elderly and the young people. Other youths added that young people must engage themselves in jobs or other creative and fruitful self-employment activities to deviate from violence and the notion of waiting on government’s assistance.
The frank talk revealed that Songo Town elders and the youths are equally responsible for the agitation, bitterness and hatred in the society as according to them there is absence of mutual respect and unity.
On behalf of the headmen in the respective areas, Alhaji Koroma, Headman for Songo Koya committed to involving the youths in all major decisions in the community to ensure their contribution as partners in development
