Tony Allott, Pioneer of the Study of African Law: A Personal Memoir

Extract

In 1959 I had just completed my Diploma in International Law at Cambridge under the supervision of Eli Lauterpacht, who was assisting me in finding a post in the international law field. One day; he said that he had been approached by the School of Oriental and African Studies to find a Research Officer in “African Law”—would I be interested? I asked him what on earth “African Law” was. He wasn't sure, but suggested that I go and discuss things with a Dr. Allott at SOAS.

Tony Allott was full of enthusiasm about a new comprehensive research scheme, the Restatement of African Law Project (RALP), set up at SOAS with substantial financial assistance from the Nuffield Foundation. The object was to facilitate, undertake and assist in the recording of customary laws in Commonwealth African countries in a systematic legal fashion (the choice of the term “restatement” having been influenced by the restatements of American common law). Tony said that two Research Officers had just been appointed: W. C. (Bill) Ekow Daniels of Ghana would deal with West Africa; Bill McClain (an American) would deal with Central/Southern Africa and, if I took the job, East Africa would be assigned to me.

I told Tony that this sounded all very exciting, but I knew nothing about Africa or African law, let alone customary law. How could I begin to restate something of which I knew nothing? Tony was not deterred.