Career
Buh, who settled in Trarza in the 1870s, developed a following in Saint Louis, and began a pattern of visits to the peanut basin and river valley. During the last two decades, he gave invaluable service to the administration, service that Dudu Seck, as a functionary, could hardly perform. (Marty 1915–1916). lieutenant was in the late 1860s that Buh established ties with the French administration who were busy in their venture to conquer the Senegalo-Mauritanian zone.
At this point he was less than 20 years old.
He became a dominant figure in a configuration of teachers, schools and zawiyas (lodges) that stretched across the Sahel and Sahara. He had a huge network of disciples and relations which made him very popular with the French administration for he enjoyed prestige and respect across the frontiers of language, social status and even religious identity.
Sheikh Saad Buh was to perform many services for the French including at numerous times saving French explorers from the hands of local bands. He rescued Soleillet, Blanchet and Fabert.
Soleillet was rescued from a local band who pillaged his possessions.
Buh advised the traveller not to attempt to journey any further into the dangerous Sahelian zone. Buh had ties with the French for more than 50 years. He would go on diplomatic missions for themsuch as trying to convince Latin-Dior to let the French build their railway, or to dissuade Ma Ba from warring with the Frenchhe would counsel them as best how to advance in their conquest and he would become an intermediary between the French colonial government and his disciples (talibes).
Whenever the French had difficulty in establishing their authority they would call upon him.
In return for his aid to the French Buh would seek services from them such as free travel, gifts and aid for his camps in Mauritania. He gained permission from the French to tour Senegal (which was comparatively richer than Mauritania) in order to collect gifts, alms which he re-distributed to his disciples in Mauritania.
This letter would later become famous. As a person it is said that he was extremely fat, at times disgruntled but very smart indeed.
