Alieu Ebrima Cham Joof

Alieu Ebrima Cham Joof (22 October 1924 – 2 April 2011) commonly known as Cham Joof or Alhaji Cham Joof, (pen name: Alh. A.E. Cham Joof) was a Gambian historian, politician, author, trade unionist, broadcaster, radio programme director, scout master, Pan-Africanist, lecturer, columnist, activist and an African nationalist who advocated for the Gambia's independence during the colonial era.

Early life Cham Joof was born on 22 October 1924 at 7 Griffith Street (Half-Die) in Bathurst now Banjul, the capital of the Gambia. He came from a Serer and Wolof background. He was the third child and the eldest son of Ebrima Joof (1887–1949) and Aji Anna Samba (1896 – 9 April 1977). On his father's side (the Joof family), he was a descendant of the Joof Dynasty of Sine and Saloum, and the Njie Dynasty of Jolof. On his mother's side, he was the great grand-nephew of Tafsir Sa Lolly Jabou Samba — a 19th-century Senegambian jihadist, military strategists and advisor to Maba Diakhou Bâ and one of the commanders of his army.

Education Cham Joof started his schooling just before his 12th birthday. He attended the St. Mary's Personage at the Priest's Residence in 1935. Having completed his first key stage, he proceeded to St. Mary's Kings School (St Mary's Anglican School) under the guidance of Reverend John Colley Faye (commonly known as Rev. J. C. Faye). He was there until 1940. Having passed his Standard Four Examination, he progressed to St. Augustine's High School (now St Augustine's Secondary School) with prominent Gambian political personalities like Alhaji Kebba Conteh, M. L Drammeh and Michael Baldeh. From 1946 to 1952, Cham Joof was appointed Assistant Scout Master. He was the founder and first Group Scout Master of 5th Bathurst (now Banjul). Cham Joof's appointment as Social Secretary, a party he had been a member of since its conception propelled his political career, making him a prominent public figure in the Gambia.

The Bread and Butter Demonstration (1959) The Bread and Butter Demonstration of 1959. Cham Joof in the white hat and shirt holding a file on his hand. Following the British administration's refusal to grant the Gambia independence, Cham Joof organised a pre-demonstration meeting outside his family residence in Albion Place (now Freedom Lane in Banjul). He and his colleagues had previously learned that the Secretary of State for the colonies (Allan Lennox Boyd) was on a day visit to the Gambia (2 June 1959) but had refused to see them to address their demands, citing "tight schedule."

In spite of their protestation to the presiding magistrate, the case went on for three months. Their Gambian lawyer Bamba Saho challenged the colonial authorities and cited the Declaration of Human Rights and "Freedom of assembly" which led to their release by the Attorney general. The date for Self-Governance was fixed for 1962 and Dawda Jawara was appointed Prime Minister of the Colony.

Alex Haley and Roots

In 1967, while he was the Secretary-General of the Gambia Farmers Poultry and Fishermen Union, Cham Joof went to the Atlantic Hotel in Banjul to meet his fellow trade union colleague Irving Brown from the American Federation of Labor. A former scout of Cham Joof who was with Alex Haley and his party including George Sim saw Cham Joof and introduced him to Alex Haley who went to the Gambia in search of his roots based on an old story told to him by his family. They requested the assistance of Cham Joof to carry out the research. Cham Joof asked for a grace period to prepare himself for this challenging appointment. He enlisted three of his friends: M. E. Jallow, A. B. Sallah and K. O. Janneh. The four of them set up a research committee and then went on the trail in search of Alex Haley's ancestor, and communicated with Alex constantly after he returned to the United States. Cham Joof and his team expressed some doubt about Kebba Kanji Fofana (the griot at Jufureh) and decided to interview certain Gambians including reputable oral historians who may be knowledgeable on the subject. When Alex visited the Gambia, he set several conditions, some of which included the changing of the title from the originally decided title and the dramatization of the work. Roots: The Saga of an American Family would be fictional. Alex Haley's roots and TV shows based on his own family history have been a topic of controversy for several years and challenged by some genealogists such as Elizabeth Shown Mills.

Cham Joof left a legacy of several books and manuscripts about the history of the Gambia and Senegambia in general (Senegal and Gambia), as well as a cultural development within the Gambia. During his lifetime he donated several documents to the Gambia's National Archive (the National Record Services) – where he served as chairman. He was also a philosophical person and had left several proverbs rooted in "social consciousness" and history. Cham Joof is seen as one of the leading Gambian nationalists of the colonial era who worked diligently to achieve independence for the Gambia. He was one of the leading Gambian political figures who fought for the introduction of the franchise to all Gambians, and forced the British Government to concede to the idea with the amendment of the Constitution. Although Cham Joof was not one of the main personalities of the People's Progressive Party before or after independence, his long political, historical and cultural contribution to the country is well acknowledged.