Background
Momodu Lamin Saho was born on December 12, 1932, in Bathurst, in a Muslim Wollof family.
Momodu Lamin Saho was born on December 12, 1932, in Bathurst, in a Muslim Wollof family.
Educated at the Muhammadan School (1940-1946) and in the Methodist Boys’ High School (1946-1949). After a year as an agricultural instructor, he went to Fourah Bay College in Freetown in 1951, followed by Durham University, where he graduated as a Bachelor of Commerce.
In January 1955, he entered government service as an administrative officer, rising to the commissioner before going to London University to study inter-governmental fiscal relations. He then switched to full-time legal studies and was called to the Bar at Middle Temple in 1963. Back in Gambia, he went into private law practice and became solicitor of the Supreme Court, before being made a nominated member and appointed Attorney-General in August 1968.
Around 1975, when it was not fashionable to talk about human rights, the Gambian Attorney General, ML Saho raised the issue at a Commonwealth Law Ministers meeting in Canada. So began the journey of the adoption of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights.
"SUMMARY - CITING UGANDAN "ATROCITIES," THE GAMBIA IS
URGING CREATION OF COMMONWEALTH HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION. HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES ARE AMONG INTERESTS OF ATTORNEY GENERAL MUHAMADU LAMIN SAHO DURING CURRENT US-VISIT TO DISCUSS GAMBIAN FOOD ASSISTANCE REQUEST. END SUMMARY.
2. RADIO GAMBIA IS GIVING PROMINENT COVERAGE TO
PROPOSAL MADE BY ATTORNEY GENERAL SAHO AT JUST-CONCLUDED COMMONWEALTH LAW MINISTER'S CONFERENCE IN WINNIPEG FOR CREATION OF COMMONWEALTH HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION. CALLING HUMAN RIGHTS A CENTRAL CONCERN OF GAMBIAN INTERNAL AND DOMESTIC POLICY, SAHO REPORTEDLY STATED THAT "CURRENT ATROCITIES BEING CARRIED OUT IN A MEMBER COUNTRY--UGANDA--WERE TOO SERIOUS AND BASIC A VIOLATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS TO BE IGNORED." HE PROPOSED CREATION OF WORKING GROUP REPRESENTATIVE OF COMMONWEALTH MEMBERSHIP TO DRAFT INSTRUMENT LAYING OUT COMMISSION'S FUNCTIONS AND MEMBER NATIONS' RESPONSIBILITIES IN AREA OF HUMAN RIGHTS.
COMMISSION WOULD BE DESIGNED TO FOSTER ATMOSPHERE OF
AWARENESS AND SET OFFICIAL STANDARDS TO SUPPORT PEOPLES
AFFECTED BY HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS. SAHO CALLED FOR
FINAL RATIFICATION OF DRAFT AGREEMENT BEFORE 1979 COMMON-
WEALTH LAW MINISTERS' MEETING.
UNCLASSIFIED"
A hardworking and efficient Bathurst lawyer, with wide academic qualifications, gained at three universities, and extensive experience in the field and in government. Not a politician with a personal power base, he was made a nominated member to become Attorney-General and an effective member of the cabinet.
