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.

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 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 grew up from the Wolf Cub Scout and served the movement from 1938 to 2005 when he retired as the President of the Gambia National Scout Council.

Cham Joof wrote extensively about the history of Scouting in the Gambia.

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.

Cham Joof was a passionate football player.

While at St. Augustine's High School, he was selected as the School's goalkeeper.

His favourite subjects included history and religious studies.

In the late 1940s, Cham Joof represented the Gambia's Scout movement and delivered a speech in front of King George VI in London.

In 1943 he was appointed leader of the Gambian Contingent of Boys Scout travelling to Mali.

He completed his schooling in 1945 which coincided with the end of World War II.

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).

The GDP (previously the Gambia Congress Party) was the first political party in the Gambia formed by Rev. J. C Faye in February 1951 at the then Information Bureau at Allen Street in 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.

While in politics, Cham Joof held a series of campaigns against the British colonial administration in the Gambia.

Such campaigns were to acquire independence for the Gambia from colonial rule.

It was during his scouting days that he was appointed by the Gambia Scouts Council to represent the youth at the Coronation ceremony of Queen Elizabeth II in June 1953.

Cham Joof was the first Gambian Scout to be awarded the Wood Badge by the Chief Scout, which was held in 1954 at the International Scout Leader training centre at Gilwell Park in England.

Under the guidance of Rev. J. C Faye and I.M. Garba-Jahumpa, Cham Joof entered politics and in 1954 defeated his opponent Paul Njie and was elected as a Town Councillor for the Soldier Town Ward in Banjul Central.

In 1957, Cham Joof was selected as the Leader of the Gambia Contingent at the World Scout Jamboree which was held at Sutton Coldfield in Birmingham (England).

From growing up as a Wolf Cub Scout to becoming a Scout Master, Commissioner in Charge of Training and President of the Gambia Scout Council, Cham Joof gave a rare interview with Foroyaa Panorama in which he stated:

This became a mission after Ghana was granted independence in 1957.

At the end of his first term in office, Cham Joof stood again in 1958 unopposed.

While at the Council, Cham Joof held several positions including: Chairman of the Colony Team (equivalent of the Physical Planning Unit of the Ministry for Local Government); Chairman of the Parks, Open Space and Cemetery Committee.

In 1958, Cham Joof and his political associates formed an All Party Committee which included political leaders and chiefs.

Though a prominent Councillor, Cham Joof's major break in politics came in 1960 when he was elected Social Secretary of The Gambia Democratic Party (The GDP).

By 1961 he was appointed as a Member of the Royal Visit Committee of Queen Elizabeth II’s visit to the Gambia.

After his schooling, he got a job with CFAO (Compagnie Française de l'Afrique Occidentale) where he had worked as a Commercial Clerk until 1962.

Cham Joof is termed the "doyen of scouting in the Gambia".

By 1962, his second term as Councillor came to an end.

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.

Cham Joof started his schooling just before his 12th birthday.

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.

Cham Joof was the elder brother of Gambian barrister Alhaji Bai Modi Joof.