Babacar Sedikh Diouf

**Babacar Sedikh Diouf** anaa **Babacar Sédikh Diouf** (Serer: Babakar Sidiix Juuf, b. 1928) be one Senegalese historian, author, researcher, campaigner against “Wolofization,” Pan-Africanist plus former teacher. He don write plenty insyd de history plus culture of Senegal, Africa plus dat of de Serer ethnic group wey he belong. He dey usually write under de pen name Babacar Sedikh Diouf.

## Academia
Insyd 1951, Diouf meet Léopold Sédar Senghor – de future President of Senegal, when Senghor visit one village insyd Casamance wey Diouf dey work as teacher by den. Senghor, wey be member of parliament that time, come de area without notice den end up sleep overnight insyd one hut—away from de comfort wey e dey used to. According to Diouf, after dat chance meeting, he turn supporter of Senghor “'cause ein visit prove ein humility plus interest insyd teaching.” From there, he start read Senghor ein literary works. Some time later, Senghor give am scholarship make he study Serer history “along Cheikh Anta Diop ein hypotheses.”

Diouf, wey be retired teacher, get appointment as President of de Association of Retired Teachers of Senegal (French: l'association des instituteurs à la retraite). As of 1980, he be Director of de Thiers School (l'Ecole Thiers). He don be long-standing member of de National Union of Languages.

Diouf sometimes dey write under de pen name Babacar Sedikh Diouf. Plenty of ein works never publish, but African, Caribbean plus Western scholars wey interact plus am over de years dey cite am. Some of dem be gender politics writers like Louise Langevin, Fatou Kiné Camara plus Jeremy I. Levitt; historians like Mamadou Diouf, Abdoulaye Keita of IFAN—UCAD, Cyr Descamps plus Iba Der Thiam; plus anthropologist Henry Gravrand.

Diouf usually dey write insyd French but e sana write insyd Serer too. One eighty-page short biography about de 19th century Serer King of Sine — Maad a Sinig Kumba Ndoffene Famak Joof, wey ein title be *O maad a sinig : Kumba Ndoofeen fa Maak JUUF (Buka-Cilaas), 1853–1871, PAPF (1987)*, be written insyd Serer.

#### Senegambian stone circles
Diouf be one of de first people—maybe even de first—wey talk say de Senegambian stone circles fit get Serer religious meaning. E base ein idea on how dem arrange the stones and the religious symbols wey e see, wey e talk say dem relate to Serer numerology. De work wey e do, dem publish am on 7 July 1980 inside Senegal newspaper *Le Soleil*, and e catch attention quick. After that, prehistorian and archaeologist Professor Cyr Descamps plus ein colleague Professor Iba Der Thiam pick up the matter.

Up till now, people no sure who build the megaliths. Some people dey talk say maybe the ancestors of the Jola or the Wolof people fit be the ones.

### De Guelowar Dynasty insyd Seereer kingdoms
De mainstream belief say de Guelowar Maternal Dynasty (wey some writers like Martin A. Klein, Donald R. Wright plus Emmett Jefferson Murphy talk wrong say dem be Mandinka or Malinke) conquer de Serer people den take over dem. But after Diouf spend years dey research and document the oral stories of the Serer plus Kaabu, he be one of de first historian den author wey talk say de Guelowars of Sine den Saloum (de two Serer kingdoms) no conquer de Serer people, rather the Serer Council of Great Lamans give dem asylum. After that, dem come marry join the Serer noble patriclans. De Guelowars wey be family den branch of de strong Ñaanco (or Nyancho) Maternal Dynasty of Kaabu, go through dynastic war or fight against dem Ñaanco people. Senegalese historian Alioune Sarr support dat idea insyd ein important paper *Histoire du Sine-Saloum* (1986–87) den e put de time of dat dynastic war around 1335. Datt same *Histoire du Sine-Saloum* be one of de top work on de history of Sine-Saloum den people generally see am as de main reference especially when e come to de time de Kings of Sine den Saloum reign.

Diouf talk say:

: *Maysa Waly, wey be de first Guelowar wey rule Serer country, first get appointment as legal adviser insyd de Council of de Great Lamans after ein famous judgment. Small-small, ein power plus authority grow, den later dem recognize am as king.*

Maysa Wali ein direct pikin dem no rule insyd any of de Serer kingdoms. Serer noble men from de ancient lamanic class marry Guelowar women, den de pikin dem from dis kind marriages rule as kings. Dis pikin dem see demma self as Serer, den dem blend insyd Serer culture proper, cut all link dem plus Kaabu. De Serer—Guelowar alliance be one wey stand on marriage base, no be conquest. Apart from de common idea say Serer be people wey dem conquer, Emmett Jefferson Murphy ein old book *History of African Civilization (1972)* take reach somewhere same conclusion about de Serer—Guelowar (or "Malinke" as he call am) marriage alliance. He talk say:

: *De Serer people first settle insyd de plains of de highland of Futa Toro wey dey modern Senegal. Dem live side by side plus de Tukulor, den de Tukulor rule dem until insyd de eleventh century. Around dat time, maybe sake of Islamic influence wey dey grow insyd de Tukulor, de Serer—wey reject Islam—migrate go de area wey dey insyd de middle of de Sine plus Saloum rivers wey now be southeastern Senegal.* *De Serer conquer de Mande-speaking tribes wey dey de Sine-Saloum den settle de place. But after one century, strong Malinke invaders too move enter de Sine-Saloum, dem settle plus de Serer like ruling class. Dis ruling caste wey dem call tiedo divide insyd de "guelowar", wey be de nobles wey fit become kings (only Malinke or demma descendants from Malinke-Serer marriages fit qualify).*

Different Serer groups wey dey see de whole Senegambia region like demma homeland already dey insyd de Sine-Saloum area since de 11th century, so dem no be de same like de Serers of Takrur—wey face jihadic wars under King War Jabi plus ein allies.

As e dey common insyd de Senegambia region plus plenty African cultures, when woman from anoda tribe marry man from different tribe, both she plus ein pikin dem go take de tribe of ein poppie. For de whole six hundred years of Guelowar dynastic rule, none of de kings wey rule Sine or Saloum take Mandinka surname — all of dem take Serer surname, apart from small exception like de Mbooj or Mboge patrilineage, wey trace demma line go poppie side to Mbarick Bo or Mbarik Bo (or Mbanyik Bo), wey come from Waalo. Bo ein surname be Wolof-style now — e change to Mbooj. Serer oral tradition talk say Mbarick Bo be step poppie of Ndiadiane Ndiaye (wey be founder of de Jolof Empire) plus Bambara prince from Massassi dynasty insyd Kaarta. But Wolof oral tradition talk say he be step poppie of Ndiadiane Ndiaye yet be non-Muslim plus slave to de Almoravid Arab Abu Bakr ibn Umar (wey dem dey call too as Abdu Darday). But sources no gree say he be slave to Abu Bakr or say Abu Bakr be poppie of Ndiadiane Ndiaye like Wolof oral tradition dey claim, as Abu Bakr live like three hundred years before Ndiadiane. Ndiadian rule Jolof around 1360, while Abu Bakr die for 1087, maybe by Serer bowman Amar Godomat.

### Selection of works
De following are a sample of Diouf ein work:

* *O maad a sinig : Kumba Ndoofeen fa Maak JUUF (Buka-Cilaas)*, 1853–1871 by Babacar Sedikh Diouf, PAPF (1987)
* *L'esprit de l'ecole nouvelle* by Babacar Sedikh Diouf, (1988)
* *Gradation modification effects on engineering performance of reclaimed asphalt pavement for use as roadway base* by Babacar Sedikh Diouf, M.S. Florida Institute of Technology (2011) – (thesis)
* *Les mégalithes, monuments funéraires ou sanctuaires d'initiation?*, by Babacar Sedikh Diouf, Age d'or du Sénégal. Pages 53–64. (article)
* *La présence sérère dans les fondements historiques et culturels de la nation*, by Babacar Sédikh Diouf
* *L'imaginaire sérère dans l'œuvre de Léopold Sédar Senghor* by Babacar Sédikh Diouf. (1998) [in] "Le colloque senghorien ", pp.&nbsp;241–245
* *Leopold Sédar Senghor et l'éducation,* by Babacar Sedikh Diouf, Éthiopiques, (1979)
* *Stratégie d'integration des valeurs traditionnelles dans nos systèmes d'éducation* (enseignement conventionnel), by Alioune Ndoye and Babacar Sedikh Diouf, Éthiopiques (1982)
* *Que faire de la pédagogie traditionnelle du Kasak au 21 siècle* by Babacar Sedikh Diouf, Éthiopiques (1982)

## Pan Africanism
Insyd 2004, Diouf get invitation from de Institut Fondamental d'Afrique Noire to come give speech for de cultural plus scientific institute ein conference wey dem hold insyd University of Mutants for Gorée. Insydr dat conference, Diouf talk against globalization, plus call for Pan-African approach den de need to boost solidarity among African countries.

## Views on Wolofization
Diouf be strong opponent against de linguistic Wolofization wey dey plenty for Senegal now, nearly take over de whole Senegambia region. He see Wolofization as something wey dey destroy de languages plus cultures of other Senegambian ethnic groups like Serer, Jola, Mandinka, Fula, den more. Diouf dey call for controlled osmosis (French: osmose contrôlée) between Wolof plus other ethnicities, den see Wolofization as one kind of uncontrolled nation homogenization by de Wolof. E mean say dem dey use Wolof language like one tool to control other ethnic groups — wey fit make other ethnic languages plus demma cultures die or go extinct. Serer intellectuals like Marcel Mahawa Diouf, Mandinaka intellectuals like Doudou Kamara, den Haalpulaar intellectuals like Yoro Doro Diallo plus Cheikh Hamidou Kane all agree plus Diouf ein view on Wolofization. Historian plus author Marcel Mahawa Diouf bring one sharp solution to dis Wolofization problem. Since de Wolof language itself be original language of de Lebou people, no be de Wolof people, den Wolof people be mix of other Senegambian ethnic groups — dem form distinct ethnic group just few centuries ago. Marcel Mahawa Diouf talk say make all non-Wolofs wey get historic alliances like Serers, Toucouleurs, Sarakolés, Sossés, Jola, Lebou, etc, come join hand. De goal be to disconnect Wolof plus disinherit dem from de Senegambia region den ein history. For oral tradition of de Wolof, dem dey claim say dem come from Ndiadiane Ndiaye — wey be founder of de Jolof Empire. But truth be say Ndiadiane ein mommie be Haalpulaar plus ein poppie be Serer, den ein name come from de Serer language. So Marcel ein suggestion to handle Wolofization be to push Wolof make e turn to one group wey no exist plus no get relevance.

According to Étienne Smith:

: "De alternative national story wey dem peripheral homegrown historians dey push make e replace de Wolof-centered one talk say make small ethnic groups wey link plus joking pacts come form coalition. De Wolof no show anywhere insyd de ethnogenesis of de Senegalese nation wey dem dey propose, dem only dey as final product from de mix of scraps of dem groups. For people wey dey support joking pacts, dem talk say Senegalese nation be Wolof only for language side, as de Wolof language itself just be mix of all de country ein languages, plus Wolof identity be possible result from de blending of dem groups. But when e come to honor, prestige, culture richness or historical depth, na de Serer, Haalpulaar, Joola, or Mandinka peripheral histories wey dey front. For dem promoters, dis be what all dem single patriae share.

Diouf no get dislike for de Wolof people or de Wolof language, but ein issue be plus de idea of Wolofization wey dey grow big insyd Senegal den dey enter Gambian land too. For many years now, Diouf dey preach brotherhood plus cousinage among all Senegambian peoples. He talk say national unity dey exist long before de name, no need fratricidal war or needless heartbreaks, around one central nucleus wey ein good values still fit work."

## References



## Bibliography

* Diouf, Babacar Sedikh, O maad a sinig : Kumba Ndoofeen fa Maak JUUF (Buka-Cilaas), 1853–1871, PAPF (1987), pp.&nbsp;3–4
* Babacar Sedikh Diouf's body of works: Diouf, Babacar Sedikh, *O maad a sinig : Kumba Ndoofeen fa Maak JUUF (Buka-Cilaas)*, 1853–1871 (PAPF, 1987) [in] Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois (CARLI) [in] CARLI I-Share https://vufind.carli.illinois.edu/all/vf-isl/Search/Home?lookfor=Diouf,%20Babacar%20Sedikh,%201928-%20&type=author&start_over=1 (retrieved 8 February 2020)
* Overview of Babacar Sedikh Diouf's works [in] WorldCat https://www.worldcat.org/identities/lccn-n92049006/(retrieved 8 February 2020)
* Le Soleil (Senegal) [in] AllAfrica.com, *Afrique: Babacar Sédikh Diouf*, conférencier : « Face à une mondialisation, il faut renouveler l'idéal panafricain » (4 November 2004) by Madeline Malhaire https://fr.allafrica.com/stories/200411040321.html (retrieved 8 February 2020)
* Diouf, Babacar Sédikh, *L’imaginaire sérère dans l’oeuvre de Léopold Sédar Senghor*, [in] Comité national pour la célébration du 90e anniversaire du Président Léopold Sédar Senghor, *Senghor: Colloque de Dakar*, Presses universitaires de Dakar (1998), pp.&nbsp;241–46.
* « Merging ethnic histories in Senegal: whose moral community? », in Derek Peterson & Giacomo Macola (dir.), Recasting the Past: History Writing and Political Work in Modern Africa, Athens, Ohio University Press, 2009, (213–232.),  pp.&nbsp;16, 17 (PDF)) [in] Academia.edu https://www.academia.edu/2507191/_Merging_ethnic_histories_in_Senegal_whose_moral_community_in_Derek_Peterson_and_Giacomo_Macola_dir._Recasting_the_Past_History_Writing_and_Political_Work_in_Modern_Africa_Athens_Ohio_University_Press_2009_213-232 (retrieved 8 February 2020)
* Smith, Étienne, *La nation « par le côté » – "Le récit des cousinages au Sénégal"*, (pp.&nbsp;907–965), 2006 [in] Cahiers d'Études africaine., Notes: 45, 81, 93;  Texte intégral:  3, 54, 55, 71. https://journals.openedition.org/etudesafricaines/15423#bodyftn70 (retrieved 8 February 2020)
* Smith, Étienne, « Merging ethnic histories in Senegal: whose moral community? », in Derek Peterson & Giacomo Macola (dir.), Recasting the Past: History Writing and Political Work in Modern Africa, Athens, Ohio University Press, 2009, (213–232.), p.&nbsp;12 (PDF) [in] Academia.edu https://www.academia.edu/2507191/_Merging_ethnic_histories_in_Senegal_whose_moral_community_in_Derek_Peterson_and_Giacomo_Macola_dir._Recasting_the_Past_History_Writing_and_Political_Work_in_Modern_Africa_Athens_Ohio_University_Press_2009_213-232 (retrieved 8 February 2020)
* Descamps, Cyr; Thiam, Iba Der;  *La préhistoire au Sénégal: recueil de documents*,  Association sénégalaise des professeurs d'histoire-géographie (1982), pp.&nbsp;79–80
* Gravrand, Henry, *La civilisation sereer: Pangool*, Nouvelles Editions africaines du Sénégal (1990), p.&nbsp;56, 
* Diouf, Babacar Sedikh « La dimension genre dans le vivre ensemble africain » [in] Langevin, Louise, *Rapports sociaux de sexe-genre et droit: repenser le droit*, Archives contemporaines (2008), p.&nbsp;96,  https://books.google.com/books?id=8feWPQai588C&pg=PA96 (retrieved 8 February 2020)
* Camara, Fatou Kiné (2015). *African Women and the Gender Equality Regime in Africa: From Patriarchy to Parity.* In J. Levitt (Ed.), *Black Women and International Law: Deliberate Interactions, Movements and Actions* (pp.&nbsp;61–87). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/black-women-and-international-law/african-women-and-the-gender-equality-regime-in-africa-from-patriarchy-to-parity/198633740775BFDEE43DEC096AB8F861 (retrieved 8 February 2020)
* Diouf, Babacar Sedikh, *La dimension genre dans le 'vivre ensemble' africain* [in] Levitt, Jeremy I., *Black Women and International Law*, Cambridge University Press (2015), p.&nbsp;75,  https://books.google.com/books?id=x08QCAAAQBAJ&pg=PA74 (retrieved 8 February 2020)
* Diouf, Mamadou, *Tolerance, Democracy, and Sufis in Senegal*, Columbia University Press (2013), p.&nbsp;172  https://books.google.com/books?id=URcMAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA172 (retrieved 8 February 2020)
* Keita, Abdoulaye, *Au carrefour des littératures Afrique-Europe*, KARTHALA Editions (2013), p.&nbsp;118,  https://books.google.com/books?id=KYg2AAAAQBAJ&q=P118 (retrieved 8 February 2020)
* Le Soleil (Senegal), 7 July 1980
* Klein, Martin A., *Islam and Imperialism in Senegal: Sine-Saloum, 1847–1914.* Edinburgh University Press (1968). pp.&nbsp;7–8. 
* Wright, Donald R., *Oral Traditions from the Gambia: Mandinka griots*, Ohio University Center for International Studies, Africa Program (1979), p.&nbsp;21, 
* Murphy, E. Jefferson, *History of African Civilization*, Crowell (1972), p.&nbsp;106, 
* (Babacar Sédikh Diouf) [in] Ngom, Biram, *La question Gelwaar et l’histoire du Siin*, Dakar, Université de Dakar (1987), p 69
* Ngom, Biram, *LA QUESTION GUELWAR ET LA FORMATION DU ROYAUME DU SINE*, Ethiopiques n°54 – revue semestrielle de culture négro-africaine. Nouvelle série volume 7 – 2e semestre 1991 http://ethiopiques.refer.sn/spip.php?page=imprimer-article&id_article=1244 (retrieved 8 February 2020)
* Éthiopiques, Issues 55–56, Fondation Léopold Sédar Senghor (1991), p.&nbsp;32
* 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. p 19
* Fage, John D.; Oliver, Roland; *The Cambridge history of Africa: From c. 1600 to c. 1790*, p.&nbsp;486. 
* Diouf, Babacar Sédikh, *La présence sérère dans les fondements historiques et culturels de la nation,* [in] "Les Convergences Culturelles au sein de la Nation Sénégalaise", ed. Moustapha Tambadou (Dakar: Ministère de la Culture du Sénégal, 1996), p.&nbsp;72–81
* N'Diaye-Correard, Geneviève, *Les mots du patrimoine: le Sénégal* (cont. Moussa Daff, Equipe du projet IFA.), Archives contemporaines (2006), p.&nbsp;589, , https://books.google.com/books?id=_kB1YjS8_ooC&pg=PA589 (retrieved 8 February 2020)
* Ngom, Pierre; Gaye, Aliou; and Sarr, Ibrahima; *Ethnic Diversity and Assimilation in Senegal: Evidence from the 1988 Census*,  February 2000 [in] the African Census Analysis Project (ACAP), pp.&nbsp;3, 27, http://www.acap.upenn.edu/WorkingPaper/Papers/ACAPWP0013.pdf (retrieved 8 February 2020)
* École pratique des hautes études (France). Section des sciences économiques et sociales, École des hautes études en sciences sociales, *Cahiers d'études africaines*, vol. 46, issue 4; vol. 46, issue 184, Mouton (2006), pp.&nbsp;933, 938
* Wolf, Hans-Georg, *English in Cameroon*, Walter de Gruyter (2013), p.&nbsp;36,  https://books.google.com/books?id=RbQgAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA36 (retrieved 8 February 2020)
* Mwakikagile, Godfrey, *Ethnic Diversity and Integration in The Gambia: The Land, the People and the Culture*, Continental Press (2010), pp.&nbsp;84, 231,  https://books.google.com/books?id=9InVzlaQzJwC&pg=PA84 (retrieved 8 February 2020)
* Mwakikagile, Godfrey, *The Gambia and Its People: Ethnic Identities and Cultural Integration in Africa,* p 136. (2010), 
* « Merging ethnic histories in Senegal: whose moral community? », in Derek Peterson & Giacomo Macola (dir.), Recasting the Past: History Writing and Political Work in Modern Africa, Athens, Ohio University Press, 2009, (213–232.),  p.&nbsp;16 (PDF)) [in] Academia.edu https://www.academia.edu/2507191/_Merging_ethnic_histories_in_Senegal_whose_moral_community_in_Derek_Peterson_and_Giacomo_Macola_dir._Recasting_the_Past_History_Writing_and_Political_Work_in_Modern_Africa_Athens_Ohio_University_Press_2009_213-232 (retrieved 8 February 2020)
* Anyidoho, Kofi. *Cross rhythms,* Volume 1, Occasional papers in African folklore, p.&nbsp;118. Trickster Press (1983)
* Diop, Cheikh Anta; and Modum, Egbuna P. *Towards the African renaissance: essays in African culture & development*, 1946–1960, Karnak House (1996),  p.&nbsp;28, 
* *Research in African Literatures*, Volume 37. University of Texas at Austin. African and Afro-American Studies and Research Center, University of Texas at Austin, African and Afro-American Studies and Research Center, University of Texas (at Austin) (2006), p.&nbsp;8
* Le Soleil (Senegal), « devoir de confraternité » entre cousins à plaisanterie, 17 May 1996, p.&nbsp;6).
* Bassène, Pape Chérif Bertrand,( 2011), *MEMOIRE DE L'ESCLAVAGE ET DE LA TRAITE NÉGRIÈRE EN SÉNÉGAMBIE* (1965–2007), p.&nbsp;46, Dialectique de la diversité mémorielle,
* Ndoye, Alioune; Diouf, Babacar Sedikh; *Stratégie d'integration des valeurs traditionnelles dans nos systèmes d'éducation* (enseignement conventionnel), [in] Éthiopiques, numéro 31 révue socialiste de culture négro-africaine, 3 trimestre (1982) https://web.archive.org/web/20200216015507/http://ethiopiques.refer.sn/spip.php?article896 and [in] Wathinotes Valeurs africaines (3 November 2016) (West African Think Tank) https://www.wathi.org/valeurs-africaines/wathinotes-valeurs-africaines/strategie-d-integration-des-valeurs-traditionnelles-dans-nos-systemes-d-education-enseignement-conventionnel/
* Diouf, Babacar Sedikh, *Que faire de la pédagogie traditionnelle du Kasak au 21 siècle*, [in] Éthiopiques, numéro 31 révue socialiste de culture négro-africaine, 3 trimestre (1982) http://ethiopiques.refer.sn/spip.php?article904