The Joof family is one of the old

Senegambian The Senegambia (other names: Senegambia region or Senegambian zone,Barry, Boubacar, ''Senegambia and the Atlantic Slave Trade'', (Editors: David Anderson, Carolyn Brown; trans. Ayi Kwei Armah; contributors: David Anderson, American Council of Le ...

royal families of Serer ethnicity. The surname Joof, also spelt Juuf or ''Juf'' (in Serer and Cangin), ''Joof'' ( English spelling in

the Gambia The Gambia, officially the Republic of The Gambia, is a country in West Africa. Geographically, The Gambia is the List of African countries by area, smallest country in continental Africa; it is surrounded by Senegal on all sides except for ...

) or ''Diouf'' (French spelling in

Senegal Senegal, officially the Republic of Senegal, is the westernmost country in West Africa, situated on the Atlantic Ocean coastline. It borders Mauritania to Mauritania–Senegal border, the north, Mali to Mali–Senegal border, the east, Guinea t ...

and

Mauritania Mauritania, officially the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, is a sovereign country in Maghreb, Northwest Africa. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Western Sahara to Mauritania–Western Sahara border, the north and northwest, ...

), is a surname that is typically Serer. Though there are multiple spellings for this surname, they all refer to the same people. The differences in spelling came about because Senegal and Mauritania were colonized by France, while the Gambia was colonized by the United Kingdom. Although spelt differently, they are pronounced the same way. The

totem A totem (from or ''doodem'') is a spirit being, sacred object, or symbol that serves as an emblem of a group of people, such as a family, clan, lineage (anthropology), lineage, or tribe, such as in the Anishinaabe clan system. While the word ...

and

symbol A symbol is a mark, Sign (semiotics), sign, or word that indicates, signifies, or is understood as representing an idea, physical object, object, or wikt:relationship, relationship. Symbols allow people to go beyond what is known or seen by cr ...

of the Joof family is the

antelope The term antelope refers to numerous extant or recently extinct species of the ruminant artiodactyl family Bovidae that are indigenous to most of Africa, India, the Middle East, Central Asia, and a small area of Eastern Europe. Antelopes do ...

and

gazelle A gazelle is one of many antelope species in the genus ''Gazella'' . There are also seven species included in two further genera; '' Eudorcas'' and '' Nanger'', which were formerly considered subgenera of ''Gazella''. A third former subgenus, ' ...

, the symbol of grace, royalty, wisdom, hard work and protection in Serer mythology. The name of their

clan A clan is a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship and descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, a clan may claim descent from a founding member or apical ancestor who serves as a symbol of the clan's unity. Many societie ...

is ''Njuufeen'' (in Serer). The Joof family of

Guelowar Guelowar (or Gelwaar in Serer language, Serer), also spelled Gelwar, Guelwar, Guelware, Gueleware or Gueloware, was a maternal dynasty in the pre-colonial Serer people, Serer kingdoms of Kingdom of Sine, Sine and Kingdom of Saloum, Saloum (in the ...

matrilineage also have another totem called Mbossé (a form of lizard, as in the Mbosseh festival). They are the only ones permitted by custom and the rules governing totemic prohibitions to make libations to this reptile (not be confused with the primordial tree in Serer cosmogony) Diop, Cheikh Anta, ''The Cultural Unity of Black Africa: The Domains of Patriarchy and of Matriarchy in Classical Antiquity.'' Third World Press, 1978, p. 190, Members of the Joof family from other Serer maternal clans also have their own maternal totems (see that article). Members of this family had ruled over many of the pre-colonial kingdoms of Senegambia, including the

Kingdom of Sine The Kingdom of Sine (or Siin in Serer, variations: ''Sin'' or ''Siine'') was a post-classical Serer kingdom along the north bank of the Saloum River delta in modern Senegal. Toponymy and Demonym During the Guelowar Era the region was named a ...

, the

Kingdom of Saloum The Kingdom of Saloum (Serer language, Serer: ''Saluum'' or ''Saalum'') was a Serer people, Serer monarchy, kingdom in present-day Senegal and parts of Gambia. The precolonial capital was the city of Kahone. Re-established in 2017, Saloum is now ...

and the Kingdom of Baol. The royal princesses (

Lingeer Lingeer (also: ''Linger'' or Linguère) was the title given to the mother or sister of a king in the Serer kingdoms of Sine, Saloum, and previously the Kingdom of Baol; and the Wolof kingdoms of Cayor, Jolof, Baol and Waalo in pre-colonial S ...

s) from the Joof family were also given in marriage to the pre-colonial kings and princes of

Senegambia The Senegambia (other names: Senegambia region or Senegambian zone,Barry, Boubacar, ''Senegambia and the Atlantic Slave Trade'', (Editors: David Anderson, Carolyn Brown; trans. Ayi Kwei Armah; contributors: David Anderson, American Council of Le ...

. Some of these included the kings of Jolof, kings of

Waalo Waalo () was a kingdom on the lower Senegal River in West Africa, in what is now Senegal and Mauritania. It included parts of the valley proper and areas north and south, extending to the Atlantic Ocean. To the north were Moorish emirates; to the ...

, kings of

Cayor The Cayor Kingdom (; ) was from 1549 to 1876 the largest and most powerful kingdom that split off from the Jolof Empire in what is now Senegal. The Cayor Kingdom was located in northern and central Senegal, southeast of Waalo, west of the kingdom ...

and Baol (after 1549 following the Battle of Danki). From these marriages, they provided many

heir Inheritance is the practice of receiving private property, titles, debts, entitlements, privileges, rights, and obligations upon the death of an individual. The rules of inheritance differ among societies and have changed over time. Offi ...

s to the thrones of these kingdoms. Sarr, Alioune, "Histoire du Sine-Saloum (Sénégal). Introduction, bibliographie et notes par Charles Becker". Version légèrement remaniée par rapport à celle parue en 1986-87 Although usually associated with Serer royalty, the Joof family also figure prominently in Serer religious affairs.

History of the Joof family

The Lamanic era

The Wagadou period

The Joof family is one of the old families of Senegambia. Serer oral tradition speaks of a noble called Lamane Jegan Joof, owner of a large

herd A herd is a social group of certain animals of the same species, either wild or domestic. The form of collective animal behavior associated with this is called '' herding''. These animals are known as gregarious animals. The term ''herd'' ...

livestock Livestock are the Domestication, domesticated animals that are raised in an Agriculture, agricultural setting to provide labour and produce diversified products for consumption such as meat, Egg as food, eggs, milk, fur, leather, and wool. The t ...

and estate who was also a farmer. He migrated from Lambaye following an argument with his relative, the king of Lambaye. The dispute concerned the governance of Lambaye and over-taxation of his herd which he considered unjust. As such, he decided to head south and founded Tukar with his younger brother Ndik Joof. The tradition then went on to say that, he had a son called Sosseh Joof (Socé Diouf) who was the heir of Tukar. Some scholars have proposed that, Tukar (and many of its surrounding villages such as Njujuf, Sob, etc., which were founded by Lamane Jegan Joof making them part of his estate and

colony A colony is a territory subject to a form of foreign rule, which rules the territory and its indigenous peoples separated from the foreign rulers, the colonizer, and their ''metropole'' (or "mother country"). This separated rule was often orga ...

) now a rather large village in present-day Senegal, is an ancient village and well before the

period (1335 Sarr, Alioune, ''Histoire du Sine-Saloum (Sénégal)'' Introduction, bibliographie et notes par Charles Becker. 1986-87, p 19) and placed the foundation of these villages in the 11th century, if not earlier.Bressers & Rosenbaum, ''Achieving Sustainable Development'' (2003), p. 151. The Joof family had ruled Tukar for many centuries, inherited from their ancestor Lamane Jegan Joof through the Serer Lamanic custom, a rather strict custom of Serer

land law Land law is the form of law that deals with the rights to use, alienate, or exclude others from land. In many jurisdictions, these kinds of property are referred to as real estate or real property, as distinct from personal property. Land use ...

and

inheritance Inheritance is the practice of receiving private property, titles, debts, entitlements, privileges, rights, and obligations upon the death of an individual. The rules of inheritance differ among societies and have changed over time. Offi ...

. In 2004, Lamane Njaga Dibor Ndoffene Joof (Lamane Diaga Dibor Ndofene Diouf) was the last lamane of Tukar.Galvan, ''The State Must Be Our Master of Fire'' (2004), pp. 109-111. In the early history of the

Ghana Empire The Ghana Empire (), also known as simply Ghana, Ghanata, or Wagadu, was an ancient western-Sahelian empire based in the modern-day southeast of Mauritania and western Mali. It is uncertain among historians when Ghana's ruling dynasty began. T ...

to its end, the royal princesses of the Empire married into the Serer aristocratic families, some of these included Joof family. These royal princesses belonged to the maternal clan Wagadou (''Bagadou'' in

Serer language Serer, often broken into differing regional dialects such as Serer-Sine and Serer-Saloum, is a language of the Senegambian branch of the Niger–Congo family spoken by 1.2 million people in Senegal and 30,000 in the Gambia as of 2009. It is the ...

). With the Joof paternal clan, they ruled the Kingdom of Baol and provided many kings from the patrilineage Joof (the Joof paternal dynasty of Baol). Some of these kings include Boureh Joof (Bouré Diouf), Guidiane Joof (Guidiane Diouf), Ma Joof, Jinak Dialane robably GnilaneJoof, Maguinak Joof, etc. These kings preceded the Guelowar period by at least two or three centuries and long before the Fall paternal dynasty of Baol and Cayor who inherited the throne around 1549 after the Battle of Danki. The general consensus is that, after the demise of the Joof paternal and Wagadou maternal dynasties of Baol with other Serer paternal dynasties who jointly ruled Baol, the Fall paternal dynasty succeeded them, hence the first Damels and

Teigne Teigne (Serer language, Serer:Teeñ, alternate spellings include Teñ, Teen, Teign, Tègne, Tin, or Tinou) was the title of the monarchs of the pre-colonial Kingdom of Baol, now part of present-day Senegal. Etymology and Origin The title "Teigne ...

s (titles of the kings of Cayor and Baol, respectively) from the Fall patrilineage were of Wagadou maternal descent. They simply married into the old royal family and succeeded to the throne. The 11th-century legendary figure Amar Godomat or Ama Gôdô Maat, ''né.'' Ama Kodu Joof, is a member of this family. Ama is also known as Xamakodu Fa Maak (meaning Hamacodou The Elder, in Serer).

The Guelowar period

The Guelowar period starts from 1350 during the reign of the first Guelowar king of Sine - Maad a Sinig Maysa Wali and ends in 1969 after the death of the last king of

Sine In mathematics, sine and cosine are trigonometric functions of an angle. The sine and cosine of an acute angle are defined in the context of a right triangle: for the specified angle, its sine is the ratio of the length of the side opposite th ...

and

Saloum The Kingdom of Saloum ( Serer: ''Saluum'' or ''Saalum'') was a Serer kingdom in present-day Senegal and parts of Gambia. The precolonial capital was the city of Kahone. Re-established in 2017, Saloum is now a non-sovereign traditional monarch ...

( Maad a Sinig Mahecor Joof and Maad Saloum Fode N'Gouye Joof respectively).Sheridan, Michael J., & Nyamweru, , Celia, ''African Sacred Groves'', James Currey, 2008, p. 141. Maysa Wali and his family (the maternal clan Guelowar) fled

Kaabu Kaabu (1537–1867), also written Gabu, Ngabou, and N'Gabu, was a federation of Mandinka kingdoms in the Senegambia region centered within modern northeastern Guinea-Bissau, large parts of today's Gambia, and extending into Koussanar, Kou ...

in 1335 following a dynastic struggle. They were defeated by the Ñaanco maternal dynasty of Kaabu (their extended relatives) and were granted asylum in the

by a Serer noble Council called The Great Council of Lamanes. Having served as legal advisor to this noble Council for 15 years, Maysa Wali managed to win the confidence and trust of the council and the common people. He was nominated and elected by the council and the people as king of Sine. He was the first Guelowar king of Sine. He gave his sisters in marriage to the Serer nobility which sealed the union between Serer and Guelowar.Ngom, Biram ( Babacar Sédikh Diouf), ''La question Gelwaar et l’histoire du Siin'', Université de Dakar, Dakar, 1987, p. 69. It was the offspring of these marriages between the old Serer paternal noble clans and the Guelowar maternal clan of Kaabu that ruled the kingdom of Sine and later Saloum. In this Guelowar period, the Joof family (one of the oldest Serer paternal noble clans) provided many kings in the Kingdoms of Sine and Saloum (the Joof paternal dynasty of Sine and Saloum). The Joof family also founded three

royal house A dynasty is a sequence of rulers from the same family, usually in the context of a monarchy, monarchical system, but sometimes also appearing in republics. A dynasty may also be referred to as a "house", "family" or "clan", among others. H ...

s as follows (in the order of foundation):''La famille Juuf'' n« L'épopée de Sanmoon Fay », n''Éthiopiques (revue)'', no. 54, vol. 7, 2e semestre 199

::::::::::::* The Royal House of Boureh Gnilane Joof ( Serer: ''Mbind Bure Nilaan'',Buschinger, Danielle (ed & trans: Kloos, Jan Willem), ''Van den vos Reynaerde: mittelniederländisch - neuhochdeutsch'', Presses du Centre d'Etudes médiévales Université de Picardie (1992), p. 59, other: ''Keur Bouré Gnilane'') ::::::::::::* The Royal House of Jogo Siga Joof (Serer: ''Mbind Jogo Siga'', other: ''Keur Diogo Siga'') ::::::::::::* The Royal House of Semou Njekeh Joof (Serer: ''Mbind Sem-Jike'', other: ''Keur Semou Djiké'' or ''Keur Semou Ndiké'') They all trace their descent to

Maad Ndaah Njemeh Joof Maad Ndaah Njemeh Joof ( Serer : Maad Ndaah Njeeme Juuf or ''Mad Ndaah Njeeme Juuf'') is one of the patriarchs of the Joof family, himself the medieval King of Laah (or ''Lâ'') in Baol now part of independent Senegal. ''La famille Juuf'' n« ...

(also known as ''Bour Ndaah Ndiémé Diouf'' or ''Ndaah Njeeme Juuf'') - the king of Laah (or Laa) in

Baol Baol or Bawol was a kingdom in what is now central Senegal. Founded in the 11th century, it was a vassal of the Jolof Empire before becoming independent in the mid-16th century. The ruler bore the title of Teigne (title), Teigne (or Teeň) and re ...

, around the 13th century. Maad Ndaah Njemeh Joof was the father of Maad Niokhobai Joof (also king of Laa) who was the father of the Great Maad Xole Joof (''né:'' Xole Njuug Juuf (King of Paataar) - the conqueror of Baol as

, was the first of the Joof family to marry a

( Maad a Sinig Maysa Wali's niece). From that marriage, he had Maad a Sinig Niokhobai Mane Nyan Joof (''French:'' Niokhobaye Mane Niane Diouf) and Maad a Sinig Gejopal Mane Nyan Joof (''French:'' Guédiopal Niane Mane Diouf), who were the first kings of Sine during the Guelowar period from the patrilineage Joof. Their brother Jaraff Boureh Gnilane Joof (''French:'' Diaraf Bouré Gnilane Diouf) was not a king of Sine, but a Jaraff (equivalent of

Prime Minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...

), who gave his name to the first Royal House of the Joof Dynasty (in the Guelowar period) and it is from that ''"The Royal House of Boureh Gnilane Joof"'' derived from, which provided several kings in Sine and Saloum. The Joof Dynasty that succeeded to the throne of Saloum came from Sine.Diouf, ''Chronique du royaume du Sine'', pp. 712-33.

Historic battles involving this family

This table lists some of the historic battles of

involving the kings or princes belonging to this family: left, upThe ''Junjung'': the Serer war drum of

(19th century)

Genealogy

A short genealogy showing the descendants of Maad Ndaah Njemeh Joof.

Status in Serer religion

The Joof family figure prominently in

Serer religion The Serer religion or Serer spirituality (''Serer language, Serer:'' A ƭat Roog, meaning "the way of the Divine", "path of God", or "religious life"Kalis, Simone, ''Médecine traditionnelle, religion et divination chez les Seereer Siin du Sén� ...

. Martin, Victor & Becker, Charles, "Lieux de culte et emplacements célèbres dans les pays sereer" (Sénégal), in ''Bulletin de l’Institut Fondamental d'Afrique Noire'', Tome 41, Série B, n° 1, janvier 1979, pp. 133-89 (pp. 15-34)

Many of the Serer

Pangool Pangool (in Serer and Cangin) singular: Fangool (var : ''Pangol'' and ''Fangol''), are the ancient saints and ancestral spirits of the Serer people of Senegal, the Gambia and Mauritania. The Pangool play a crucial role in Serer religion and hist ...

(saints and ancestral spirits) came from this family.Gravrand, "Pangool", pp. 332-3, 338, 342-3, 349. Though associated with Serer royalty, this family's involvement in Serer religious affairs are found within the

hermeneutics Hermeneutics () is the theory and methodology of interpretation, especially the interpretation of biblical texts, wisdom literature, and philosophical texts. As necessary, hermeneutics may include the art of understanding and communication. ...

of Serer religion and traditions. Some of the sacred Serer sites regularly venerated were founded or headed by this family which underpins their involvement in the Pangool cult. Some of these venerated sites includes Tagdiam, residence of Maad Semou Njekeh Joof who is associated with the cult of Tagdiam; and Tukar, founded by Lamane Jegan Joof. In the Serer religious calendar, the Raan festival which takes place once a year after the

new moon In astronomy, the new moon is the first lunar phase, when the Moon and Sun have the same ecliptic longitude. At this phase, the lunar disk is not visible to the naked eye, except when it is silhouetted against the Sun during a solar eclipse. ...

is held in Tukar.

Personalities with the surname Joof, Diouf, Juuf or Juf

The surname Joof, Diouf, ''Juuf'' or ''Juf'' is carried by several personalities, some of which include:

Royalty

Kingdom of Baol

* Lamane Jegan Joof, founder of Tukar in the medieval era (11th century) * Maad Ndaah Njemeh Joof, king of Laa (

; c. 1290) * Maad Xole Joof (''né:'' Xole Njuug Juuf (of Paataar), The Conqueror)), King of Paataar, Lâ (Baol), and Teigne of Baol (c. 14th century)Diouf, pp. 712-13. *

Jinaax Jalaan Joof (or Teeñ Jinaax Jalaan Juuf), King of Baol ( Lambaye). Relative of Lamane Jegan Joof.Becker, Charles; Martin, Victor; & Ndène. Aloyse; (Révision et édition par Charles Becker), ''Traditions villageoises du Siin'' (2014), pp. 191–192

Kingdom of Sine

* Maad a Sinig Boukar Tjilas Sanghaie Joof, king of Sine (reigned 1724–35), son of Maad Semou Njekeh JoofDiouf, "Chronique du royaume du Sine", pp. 14-18 (pp. 722-30). * Maad a Sinig Ama Joof Gnilane Faye Joof, king of

(reigned 1825–53) * Lingeer Gnilane Jogoy Joof, wife of Maat Souka Ndela Joof (parents of Maad a Sinig Kumba Ndoffene Famak Joof) *

Maad a Sinig Kumba Ndoffene Famak Joof Maad a Signig Kumba Ndoffene Famak Joof ('' Serer:'' Maad a Sinig Kumba Ndoofeen fa Maak Juuf, born circa. 1810 – 23 August 1871) was the King of Sine in modern-day Senegal. The Serer title '' Maad a Sinig'' means king of Sine, that is, ...

, king of Sine (reigned 1853–71) * Maad a Sinig Semou Mak Joof, king of Sine (reigned 1878–82)Klein, Martin A, ''Islam and Imperialism in Senegal Sine-Saloum, 1847 - 1914'', Edinburgh University Press, 1968, p. XV. * Maad a Sinig Amadi Baro Joof, king of Sine (reigned 1882–84) * Maad a Sinig Jaligui Sira Joof, king of Sine (reigned 1885–86) * Maad a Sinig Niokhobai Joof, king of Sine (reigned 1886–87) * Maad a Sinig Kumba Ndoffene Fa Ndeb Joof, king of Sine (reigned 1898–1924) * Maad a Sinig Mahecor Joof, king of Sine (reigned 1924–69) * Lamane Diaga Dibor Ndofene Diouf, lamane of Tukar, last Lamane of Tukar as of 2004. * Maad a Sinig Niokhobaye Fatou Diène Diouf (reign 2019―present). In 2019, the Serer people of Sine decided to reinstate their monarchy, and Niokhobaye Diène Diouf was selected as Maad a Sinig (King of Sine). He is the current King of Sine as of 2025. On his paternal side, he belongs to the Royal House of Semou Njekeh Joof, and matrilineally, of Guelowar maternal descent.Actu Sen, "Intronisation du Roi “Maad a Sinig” de Diakhao : 51 ans après, le Sine restaure la couronne." By Matar Diouf (10 February 2020

(retrieved: 24 March 2025) Le Quotidien (Senegal), Le Quotidien, "Caravane de la paix : Les rois d’Oussouye et du Sine apôtres de la bonne parole." By Alioune Badara Ciss (27 May 2023

(retrieved: 24 March 2025) The Point (the Gambia), The Point, "King of Madala Sinic aad a Sinigvisits Senegalese Embassy in Gambia." By Adama Jallow (23 May 2023

(retrieved: 24 March 2025) The Serers of Saloum also reinstated their monarchy in 2017, and chose Niokhobaye's maternal uncle, Thierno Coumba Daga Ndao as Maad Saloum (king of Saloum)―also of Guelowar matrilineage. As Sine and Saloum are now part of independent Senegal, these two kings rule as constitutional monarchs. Unlike their predecessors who were absolute monarchs, these two kings have no official powers. Their role is merely ceremonial and diplomatic. Niokhobaye however, does have some influence, and has been able to utilise the old pleasant cousinship between the Serer and

Jola people The Jola or Diola (endonym: Ajamat) are an ethnic group found in Senegal, the Gambia, and Guinea-Bissau. Most Jola live in small villages scattered throughout southern Senegal, especially in the Lower Casamance region. The main dialect of the ...

by liaising with the King of Oussouye (Maan Sibiloumbaye Diédhiou) to help effect economic and cultural development, as well as bring about peace in Casamance―following decades long of the

Casamance conflict The Casamance conflict is an ongoing low-level conflict that has been waged between the Politics of Senegal, Government of Senegal and the Movement of Democratic Forces of Casamance (MFDC) since 1982. On May 1, 2014, the leader of the MFDC Suing f ...

―which has been a major problem of consequetive Gambian and Senegalese presidents since in 1982.

Kingdom of Saloum

* Maad Saloum Semou Jimit Joof, king of

(reigned 1898–1924)Klein, Martin A: "Islam and Imperialism in Senegal Sine-Saloum, 1847 - 1914." Edinburgh University Press (1968), p. XV" * Maad Saloum Ndeneh Jogop Joof, king of Saloum (reigned 1901–11) * Maad Saloum Semou N'Gouye Joof, king of Saloum (reigned 1911–13) * Maat Saloum Gori Joof, king of Saloum (reigned 1913–19) * Maad Saloum Mahawa Choro Joof, king of Saloum (reigned 1919–35) * Maad Saloum Fode N'Gouye Joof, king of Saloum (reigned 1935–69)

Kingdom of Jolof

* Lingeer Penda Kumba Ngouille Joof,

queen consort A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king, and usually shares her spouse's social Imperial, royal and noble ranks, rank and status. She holds the feminine equivalent of the king's monarchical titles and may be crowned and anointed, but hi ...

and queen mother of Jolof (wife of Bour ba Jolof Bakan Tam Boury Nabou Njie, king of Jolof, 1768–69)

Kingdom of Cayor

*Manguinak Joof, appointed ''Ber Jak'' of

(equivalent of Prime Minister) by his first cousin Damel Amari Ngoneh Sobell Fall after he assisted him defeat the king of Jolof at the Battle of Danki (1549).

Royal houses (Guelowar period)

* The Royal House of Boureh Gnilane Joof, the first

founded by the Joof family during the Guelowar period. Founded by Jaraff Boureh Gnilane Joof in the 14th century. * The Royal House of Jogo Siga Joof, the second royal house founded by the Joof family. Founded by Maad a Sinig Jogo Gnilane Joof c. 16th century. Unlike the other two royal houses, this royal house did not provide many kings. * The Royal House of Semou Njekeh Joof, the third and last royal house founded by the Joof family. This royal house was founded by Maad Semou Njekeh Joof in the 18th century.

Academic world

*Ismaïla Diouf, professor of mathematics at the Université Cheikh Anta Diop (

Dakar Dakar ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Senegal, largest city of Senegal. The Departments of Senegal, department of Dakar has a population of 1,278,469, and the population of the Dakar metropolitan area was at 4.0 mill ...

, Sénégal) * Mamadou Diouf, Senegalese historian, professor at the

University of Michigan The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...

*Arona N'doffène Diouf, professor at the

University of North Carolina The University of North Carolina is the Public university, public university system for the state of North Carolina. Overseeing the state's 16 public universities and the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, it is commonly referre ...

* Sylviane Diouf, historian and author *Cheikh Diouf, historian and

essayist An essay ( ) is, generally, a piece of writing that gives the author's own argument, but the definition is vague, overlapping with those of a Letter (message), letter, a term paper, paper, an article (publishing), article, a pamphlet, and a s ...

*Marcel Mahawa Diouf, a Senegalese historian, theologian and author on

, traditions and

history History is the systematic study of the past, focusing primarily on the Human history, human past. As an academic discipline, it analyses and interprets evidence to construct narratives about what happened and explain why it happened. Some t ...

.Peterson, Derek, Macola, Giacomo, "Recasting the Past: History Writing and Political Work in Modern Africa", Ohio University Press (2009) p. 299.

/ref> * Babacar Sédikh Diouf, a Senegalese historian and author on Serer history *Moustapha Diouf, a Senegalese sociologist and professor at the University of Vermon

Politics

* Ngalandou Diouf (1875–1941), Senegalese politician of the colonial era and parliamentarian of the French Chamber of Deputies * Abdou Diouf (born 1935), Senegalese politician, second president of Senegal and former

Secretary-General Secretary is a title often used in organizations to indicate a person having a certain amount of authority, Power (social and political), power, or importance in the organization. Secretaries announce important events and communicate to the org ...

Francophonie The Francophonie or Francophone world is the whole body of people and organisations around the world who use the French language regularly for private or public purposes. The term was coined by Onésime Reclus in 1880 and became important a ...

. * Coumba Ndoffène Diouf, Senegalese politician who held several cabinet posts. Former Foreign Minister of Senegal, Minister of Public Health and Social Affairs. *George St. Clair Joof (1907–1955), Gambian politician and

barrister A barrister is a type of lawyer in common law jurisdiction (area), jurisdictions. Barristers mostly specialise in courtroom advocacy and litigation. Their tasks include arguing cases in courts and tribunals, drafting legal pleadings, jurisprud ...

* Lucretia St. Clair Joof (1913–1982), Gambian politician and the first woman in the House of Representatives (the Gambia) * (1925–2006), Senegalese politician and engineer, who held several ministerial posts before and after Senegal's independence. * Jacques Diouf, Senegalese politician

Director-General A director general, general director or director-general (plural: ''directors general'', ''general directors'', ''directors-general'', ''director generals'' or ''director-generals'') is a senior executive officer, often the chief executive officer ...

of The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) * Madior Diouf (born 1939) Senegalese politician and professor of literature at the Université Cheikh Anta Diop. Member and leader of the National Democratic Rally. *Mame Birame Souleymane Diouf (also Mame Biram Souleyman Diouf), Senegalese politician, economist and Deputy Mayor of Sokone (

). * Ibra Diouf, member of The Pan-African Parliament * Abdoulaye Diouf Sarr, minister in the Senegal government until 2022

Legal profession

Some of these legal professionals have ventured into politics but they are more known for their legal than for their political occupation : * Alhaji Bai Modi Joof (1933–1993) (Alhaji B.M. Joof),

Gambia The Gambia, officially the Republic of The Gambia, is a country in West Africa. Geographically, The Gambia is the List of African countries by area, smallest country in continental Africa; it is surrounded by Senegal on all sides except for ...

, legal adviser to the Gambia Press Union and defender of

free speech Freedom of speech is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or a community to articulate their opinions and ideas without fear of retaliation, censorship, or legal sanction. The right to freedom of expression has been recognise ...

. Commonly known as Lawyer Joof (not to be confused with the younger Joseph Henry Joof, who is also known as Lawyer Joof), younger brother of Alhaji Alieu Ebrima Cham Joof. * Joseph Henry Joof (born 1960), Gambian barrister, attorney general and politician.

Medicine

*Professor Boucar Diouf, member of the

International Society of Nephrology The International Society of Nephrology (ISN) is an organization concerned with kidney health, founded in 1960. In 1992 the society formed a task force to provide emergency kidney dialysis services in areas struck by disasters (usually earthquak ...

, member of the African board of the Commission for the Global Advancement of Nephrology (COMGAN), member of the African Associations of Nephrology, President and founder-member of the Senegalese Society of Nephrology (SESONEPH)

Sports

● El Hadji Malick Diouf (born 2004) professional footballer who plays for

SK Slavia Prague Sportovní klub Slavia Praha – fotbal (Sports Club Slavia Prague – Football, ), commonly known as Slavia Praha or Slavia Prague, is a Czech professional association football, football football team, club in Prague. Founded in 1892, they are ...

*Robert Diouf, professional Senegalese wrestler and former champion. * El Hadji Diouf (born 1981), Senegalese

footballer A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby lea ...

, winner of many trophies as well as the 2002 BBC African Footballer of the Year award. * Dame Diouf, Senegalese footballer and elder brother of El Hadji Diouf. *Pa'Malick Joof (born 1985), Gambian footballer and former player of SV Wilhelmshaven. * Mamadou Diouf, Senegalese footballer who played for

FC Metz Football Club de Metz () is a Football in France, French association football club based in Metz, Lorraine. The club was formed in 1932 and plays in Ligue 1, the highest division in the French football league system, for the 2025–26 Ligue 1, ...

. * El Hadji Diouf (footballer, born 1988) (not be confused with the other El Hadji Diouf), also a professional footballer. *Mamadou Diouf, professional

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appro ...

player and a member of the Senegalese national basketball team. * Pape Diouf (proper: ''Mababa Diouf'', born 1951), former journalist and president of

Olympique de Marseille Olympique de Marseille (, ; , ), also known simply as Marseille, or by the abbreviation OM (, ), is a French professional Association football, football club based in Marseille which competes in Ligue 1, the French football league system, top f ...

(2005–2009) * Mame Biram Diouf (born 1987), Senegalese footballer who plays for Turkish side

Konyaspor Konyaspor Kulübü (, Konya Sports Club), commonly referred to as Konyaspor, is a Turkish professional football club based in Konya, one of the largest cities in central Anatolia. Due to sponsorship agreements, the club is also officially known ...

. * Mame Tacko Diouf (born 1976), Senegalese 400 metres hurdler. * Mame Diodio Diouf (born 1984), Senegalese basketball player. * Valentina Diouf (born 1993), Italian volleyball player. * (born 1994), German basketball player and journalist. * Yehvann Diouf

Music and entertainment

::::::::*Boucar Diouf, Senegalese humorist ::::::::*, musician, percussionist and composer, band member of the Diouf Brothers (Les frères Diouf).Quebe Pop. ''"Lancement - Les Frères Diouf - DUND, Mercredi le 5 novembre 2003"''
::::::::*Pape Abdou Karim Diouf, brother of Élage Diouf and member of the Diouf Brothers band. ::::::::* Mouss Diouf (born 1964), actor ::::::::* Tamsier Joof, dancer, choreographer, radio personality and businessman ::::::::*

Hella Joof Hella Joof (born 1 November 1962) is a Danish actress and director. She was born to a Danish mother and an aristocratic Gambian father who belonged to the Joof dynasty. Joof directed '' En kort en lang'' (2001), '' Oh Happy Day'' (2004) and ...

, actress and director (of Gambian descent). ::::::::* Mamadou Diouf, musician and songwriter

Visual arts

The definition of

art Art is a diverse range of cultural activity centered around ''works'' utilizing creative or imaginative talents, which are expected to evoke a worthwhile experience, generally through an expression of emotional power, conceptual ideas, tec ...

is very broad. This section list the names of

visual artists The visual arts are art forms such as painting, drawing, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, photography, video, image, filmmaking, design, crafts, and architecture. Many artistic disciplines such as performing arts, conceptual art, and texti ...

(in its narrowest definition) who share this surname: ::::::::*Cheikh Diouf, professional artist. His work is primarily based on

African art African art encompasses modern and historical paintings, sculptures, installations, and other visual cultures originating from indigenous African diaspora, African communities across the African continent. The definition may also include the ar ...

, winner of many awards

Business and commerce

::::::::*Abdoulie Joof, a Gambian

tycoon A business magnate, also known as an industrialist or tycoon, is a person who is a powerful entrepreneur and investor who controls, through personal enterprise ownership or a dominant shareholding position, a firm or industry whose goods or ser ...

, commonly known as Lie Joof, implicated in several controversies including the financing of a coup d'etat to overthrow president

Yahya Jammeh Yahya Abdul-Aziz Jemus Junkung Jammeh (born 25 May 1965) is a Gambian politician and former soldier, who served as President of the Gambia from 1996 to 2017. He was the Chairman of the Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council (AFPRC) from 1994 ...

Multi-discipline

The following list gives the names of personalities with this surname who are experts in a variety of professions, and are equally known for each of these professions. Their professional life is so wide and varied that they can not be easily described by a single category: * Alhaji Alieu Ebrima Cham Joof (1924–2011), a

n Statesman, author, historian, politician, trade unionist, nationalist, broadcaster, etc.

Other

*The Diouf brothers (Les frères Diouf), music band from Senegal. The band consists of Élage Diouf (El Hadji Fall Diouf) and Pape Abdou Karim Diouf.

References

Bibliography

* Sarr, Alioune, ''Histoire du Sine-Saloum'' (Sénégal). Introduction, bibliographie et notes par Charles Becker. Version légèrement remaniée par rapport à celle qui est parue en 1986-87 *Ndiaye Leyti, Oumar, ''Le Djoloff et ses Bourba'' (1966); Dakar: Nouvelles Editions africaines, 1981 *Galvan, Dennis Charles. ''The State Must Be Our Master of Fire: How Peasants Craft Culturally Sustainable Development in Senegal''. Berkeley: University of California Press (2004). *Bressers, Hans & Rosenbaum, Walter A. ''Achieving Sustainable Development: the challenge of governance across social scales''. Greenwood Publishing Group (2003). *Phillips, Lucie Colvin. ''Historical Dictionary of Senegal''. Volume 23 of African historical dictionaries. Scarecrow Press (1981). *Institut fondamental d'Afrique noire. ''Bulletin de L'Institut Fondamental D'Afrique Noire'', Volume 38. IFAN, 1976 *Thilmans, Guy, Descamps, Cyr & Camara, Abdoulaye, "Senegalia: études sur le patrimoine ouest-africain: hommage à Guy Thilmans." Sépia (2006). *Klein, Martin A. ''Islam and Imperialism in Senegal Sine-Saloum, 1847-1914''. Edinburgh University Press (1968) *Sheridan, Michael J. & Nyamweru, Celia. ''African Sacred Groves: ecological dynamics & social change''. James Currey (2008). *Ngom, Biram (comprising notes of Babacar Sédikh Diouf): ''La question Gelwaar et l’histoire du Siin''. Dakar, Université de Dakar (1987) *''"l'epopee de Sanmoon Fay. "La famille Juuf."'' Ethiopiques n°54 revue semestrielle de culture négro-africaine Nouvelle série volume 7 2e semestre (1991) *Diouf, Niokhobaye. "Chronique du royaume du Sine." Suivie de notes sur les traditions orales et les sources écrites concernant le royaume du Sine par Charles Becker et Victor Martin (1972). ''Bulletin de l'Ifan'', Tome 34, Série B, n° 4 (1972) *Faye, Louis Diène. ''Mort et naissance: le monde Sereer''. Nouvelles Éditions africaines, 1983. *Bâ, Abdou Bouri. "Essai sur l’histoire du Saloum et du Rip." Avant-propos par Charles Becker et Victor Martin * Sonko Godwin, Patience. ''Leaders of Senegambia Region, Reactions To European Infiltration 19th-20th Century''. The Gambia: Sunrise Publishers Ltd (1995). *Sonko Godwin, Patience. ''Ethnic Groups of The Senegambia Region, A Brief History''. Third Edition. The Gambia: Sunrise Publishers Ltd (2003). *Wade, Amadou. "Chronique du Walo sénégalais (1186-1855)", B. Cissé trans., V. Monteil, editor, ''Bulletin de l'IFAN'', Series B, Vol. 26, no. 3/4 (1941, 1964) *Gastellu, Jean-Marc. ''L'égalitarisme économique des Serer du Sénégal''. IRD Editions, 1981. *Fall, Tanor Latsoukabé, ''Recueil sur la Vie des Damel.'' Introduit et commenté par C. Becker et V. Martin, ''BIFAN'', Tome 36, Série B, n° 1, janvier 1974 *Martin, Victor & Becker, Charles, "Lieux de culte et emplacements célèbres dans les pays sereer" (Sénégal), '' Bulletin de l’Institut Fondamental d'Afrique Noire'', Tome 41, Série B, n° 1, janvier 1979, pp. 133–89 (pp. 15–34

* Henry Gravrand, Gravrand, Henry, "La Civilisation Sereer -

", vol. 2, Les Nouvelles Editions Africaines du Senegal (1990). {{DEFAULTSORT:Joof family Serer royalty Senegalese families Gambian families Serer families African royal families