Efforts by the National Chiefs and Elders Council of Liberia, in coordination with their Guinean counterparts, to resolve a reported ritual-related health case involving Christian Youhn of Mao Town, Nimba County, have ended without success.
Youhn, who has been suffering from a persistent penile erection for nearly two months, traveled to Guinea in the company of family members and local authorities in search of a traditional remedy. The trip, sanctioned by Nimba County Chiefs and Elders Council Chairman Robert Geleh and Vice Chair for Culture and Tradition Moses Vah, aimed to trace the source of a ritual allegedly linked to the incident.
However, upon their arrival, the delegation was unable to locate or meet the herbalist believed to have performed the ritual. The failed intervention prompted Youhn’s return to Liberia on Monday, October 20. Upon his return, he accused Bill Duo and Prince Duo, the two brothers earlier implicated in the case, of misleading him about the ritual’s origin and purpose.
The cross-border mission, intended as a traditional conflict resolution effort, has since drawn criticism from community members and local observers who argue that reliance on unverified spiritual and ritual practices continues to endanger lives and undermine due process.
Authorities and traditional leaders in Nimba County are expected to re-examine the matter to determine an appropriate course of action, as the victim’s condition reportedly remains unchanged.
