Gambiaj.com – (BANJUL, The Gambia) – MC Cham Sr., the final surviving member of the Gambian delegation to the historic Marlborough House Conference that negotiated the country’s independence from Britain, passed away on Friday at his home in Banjul, family sources confirmed. He died shortly after Friday prayers following a brief illness.
Cham’s death marks the end of an era, closing the chapter on a generation of political figures who not only witnessed but actively shaped The Gambia’s transition to self-rule in 1965. As part of the United Party delegation, Cham sat at the negotiating table alongside P.S. Njie, K.W. Foon, and I.A.S. Burang John.
The talks also involved representatives of the ruling People’s Progressive Party (PPP) led by Prime Minister Sir Dawda Jawara, with senior figures such as S.S. Sisay, Kalilou Singhateh, Henry Madi, Amang Kanyi, A.B. Njie, Famara Wassa Touray, S.M. Dibba, and Omar Mbacke.
J.C. Faye attended as High Commissioner to the UK, while I.M. Garba Jahumpa represented the Gambia Muslim Congress.
Beyond his role in securing independence, Cham went on to serve in key ministerial portfolios during the PPP era. In 1972, he was appointed Minister for Education, Youth, Sports, and Culture, where he introduced Oustass instruction into formal Gambian schools, an initiative that left a lasting imprint on the education sector.
As Finance Minister during the 1970s, he was credited with delivering a balanced national budget, a rare achievement at the time. He later held several other cabinet positions, cementing his place among the country’s most influential post-independence statesmen.
Retired Gambian diplomat Hassan Gibril described Cham as a visionary whose contributions “have been multifaceted and far-reaching.”
“His leadership and vision helped shape the nation’s policies and programs, earning him the respect and admiration of his peers and his people,” Gibril said. “His commitment to education and youth development was evident in his passionate advocacy for the empowerment of young Gambians. Moreover, he was the longest-serving president of the Gambia Football Association, from 1966 to 1977.”
Banjul Mayor Rohey Malick Lowe, speaking with deep personal emotion, paid tribute to Cham not only as a statesman but as a guiding presence in her own life.
“It is with a heart weighed with profound sorrow, yet a spirit lifted by immense gratitude, that I reflect on the life and passing of my grandfather, my husband, and my revered mentor, Honorable Alhaji Momodou Cham,” she said.
“To the nation, he was the esteemed MC Cham, a founding architect of our democracy. To me, he was ‘my darling Grandpa’—a name that embodied our cherished bond of guidance, affection, and unwavering support.”
She described him as the “foundational architect” of her political consciousness and a steady force whose wisdom shaped an entire generation.
“May Allah forgive his shortcomings and grant him Jannatul Firdaus,” she said, offering condolences on behalf of the family.
MC Cham Sr.’s life spanned the arc of Gambian nationhood, from colonial rule to independence and the early decades of state-building. His passing leaves behind a legacy etched into the political, educational, and cultural fabric of the nation he helped birth.
The Gambia Journal offers its deepest sympathies to MC Cham’s family and the whole country. May Allah pardon him.
