“Let’s be honest, in today’s world, nothing moves without money, and nothing about money moves without law.” These were the opening words from Saada Loo, an LLM graduand specialising in International Financial Law and Regulation. Her tone is deliberate, unflinching. “I’ve always been intrigued by how financial systems are built, regulated, and occasionally, creatively interpreted,” she adds, her voice layered with insight and a hint of humor.

It was not just a passing interest. It was a fascination that rooted itself early, perhaps with a little nudge from the suits and swagger of Harvey Specter on TV, but matured into a deep intellectual pursuit. “Specialising in this field felt like stepping behind the curtain to understand who’s pulling the levers,” she says. “And how law either keeps the show running or brings it to a halt.”

Strathmore University, to her, wasn’t just an option. With its academic rigour, stellar faculty, and commitment to shaping thought leaders, Strathmore was the one place that matched her ambition stride for stride. “It was the only choice that truly made sense,” she affirms.

When the Personal and Academic Collide

If there is one moment that defines Saada’s postgraduate journey, it is this: the sudden, heartbreaking loss of her supervisor, the late Dr. Wilfred Mutubwa. “No one warns you that mid-LLM, you might have to navigate grief while still chasing deadlines,” she reflects. What makes it more poignant is the last thing he ever told her: “Please proceed to Chapter 3.” A sentence that was routine, until it became sacred.

Grief, however, did not come alone. In its wake came resilience, fueled by the presence of a new mentor who walked with her through the fog. Dr. Antoinette Kankindi, in stepping in, didn’t just replace supervision, she became the anchor Saada did not know she needed.

“Our weekly 10 AM Wednesday check-ins became more than just academic touchpoints,” Saada shares. “Some days, we dissected legal arguments. Other days, it felt like therapy. She had this remarkable way of weaving together academic rigor and quiet empathy.”

The pressure was intense; under three months to complete a thesis amidst emotional turmoil. And still, the work got done. Chapters got rewritten, sometimes entirely, and the mentorship blossomed into something bigger than academia. “She didn’t just help me finish; she ensured I finished in a way that honored the journey I had been on.”

The Evolution of a Legal Mind

Before the LLM, Saada saw law in structure: statutes, precedents, procedure. After? She saw a living, breathing system that was flawed, human, and political. Particularly in the world of finance, law is not just about enforcement; it’s about impact. “It shapes economies. It governs industries. It reacts to human realities,” she says.

Two moments etched this evolution clearly.

The first was a class on capital markets law. A jurisdiction had borrowed legal frameworks from elsewhere, without tailoring them to local economic realities. “That’s when I realized: law doesn’t exist in a vacuum. If it’s disconnected from the ground it’s meant to govern, it fails.”

The second was a story shared during a mergers and acquisitions session. The founder of a thriving company was redirecting profits to support his community, Black Tax, they called it. “Due diligence had to consider more than financial risk,” Saada says. “It had to factor in social capital and cultural nuance.”

For her, these were revelations. “The LLM didn’t just teach me legal principles, it challenged me to see law as a living, evolving force, constantly shaped by the world around it.”

When Finance Becomes Personal

Every day, Saada saw the law in motion. In rising buildings, mobile payments, bustling marketplaces. International Financial Law and Regulation, to her was the pulse of everyday life. “Finance shapes everything. Understanding its legal framework meant understanding the world,” she explains.

From corporate governance to digital platforms, from trade to public policy, her LLM gave her the lens to see how financial law quietly influences it all. “This LLM gave me the tools to navigate legal systems at a global level, seeing beyond statutes into the underlying structures that shape the world we move through every single day.”

A Law School That Pushes You and Grounds You

“8 AM to 7 PM classes for two weeks straight. It felt like high school with more caffeine and better snacks,” she laughs. But behind the jest is a respect for the academic environment that stretched her limits. “Strathmore’s Law School is demanding. But it’s also deeply rewarding. You leave class exhausted, but hungry for more.”

It was also the people.

Dr. Kankindi, her supervisor turned mentor turned brunch companion, became a defining figure. “She walked with me through grief, through research, through self-doubt. What began as academic guidance became something so much more.”

Then there was Alex Kitavi, the ever-patient program administrator. “He picked up every single time I called,” Saada smiles. “No matter the hour, no matter the reason, Alex was there, probably questioning how one student could have this many inquiries but still answering every time.”

Beyond the Classroom

Through Dr. Kankindi’s civic initiative programme, Saada saw the law beyond theory. Raw, urgent, lived. “You realize privilege hits differently when you are working in communities that don’t even have access to minimum education,” she says. “It reshapes your understanding of justice, of access, of what the law should be.”

That kind of exposure forces you to ask bigger questions: Who isn’t in the room? Whose voice isn’t heard? Who gets left behind?

Grit. Grace. Growth.

Personally and professionally, Saada’s journey was marked by transformation. “There were times I thought the universe was conspiring against me,” she admits, laughing. “But with God, family, and friends, I made it.”

An insolvency seminar stands out for her. The speaker unpacked how borrowed laws often ignore African realities. “Effective legislation isn’t about copying what works elsewhere; it’s about designing policies that align with local contexts, economies and governance structures.”

For Saada, that moment sealed her future. To be part of legal systems that reflect, not replicate. Systems that respond, not impose.

The Most Unexpected Lesson?

“That the journey isn’t linear. And that’s okay.”

The LLM taught her more than financial law. It taught her resilience. Adaptability. Purpose. “Challenges will come. Sometimes, when you least expect. But how you respond, that’s what shapes you.”

And as for motivation?

“God. My family. My people. They grounded me,” she says. “They reminded me why I started, why I couldn’t quit. And most importantly, they reminded me who I want to become.”

Today, Saada Loo is ready to walk across the graduation stage with a deeper calling. To use her voice, her knowledge, and her heart to shape systems that work for people.

And yes, somewhere in her journey, she did proceed to Chapter 3. And now, she’s writing the rest, her way.

Article written by Stephen Wakhu.