DIAL DIOP
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Diop, also called Mour Diop but better known under the name Dial Diop, was one of the founders of the Lebu Republic on Cape Verde Peninsula (the western tip of Senegal). He was born around the middle of the 18th century and died in 1815.
His father, Bargueth Temour Diop, was one of the emigrants who came from Senegal and took refuge on the peninsula for political or other reasons. During the 18th century, these emigrants settled on the peninsula and founded many villages, which in the course of time expanded.
They became more and more conscious of their numerical strength and, unwilling to bear the domination of the Damel Amary N’Gone N’Della Coumba, King of Cayor, whose soldiers came to collect taxes, organised themselves to fight and throw off the Damel’s yoke. They bought firearms from the European traders who had settled on Goree Island and blocked the entrance to the peninsula with a high wall. Dial Diop played a prominent role in organising the resistance, which led to victory after many bloody battles against the Damel’s armies, which had made unsuccessful attempts to invade the peninsula. So the Lebu Republic was born around 1795.
Dial Diop was elected Serigne N’Dakarou and became President of the Republic. He was the first citizen of the Cape Verde peninsula to be elected Serigne N’Dakarou. It is important to give the exact meaning of the title: Dial Diop’s father, a Muslim emigrant, was, on his arrival on the peninsula, welcomed by a Muslim family whose head, Tagoulle Khari N’Bengue, gave him his daughter N’Gone M’Bengue in marriage. Dial Diop was the issue of this marriage.
Young Dial was sent to Islamic schools in the Cayor and perhaps in the Futa (north-east of Senegal) with other boys of his age. On his return, the Muslim community made an important decision. Until then, justice had been based on a sense of honour and fair play. But now, since a son of the land was capable of administering justice according to the Koranic law, he should be charged with this responsibility. Therefore, the Serigne N’Dakarou was above all a religious authority who assumed the functions of a supreme judge.
However, the Serigne N’Dakarou was more and more taken up with political and administrative matters and, therefore, about 1795, his nephew, Mater Sylla, was elected the first Imam, a religious leader of the peninsula. In 1821, the Damel Fatima Thioub was reconciled with the Lebu Republic and recognised her. The Lebu consolidated their independence through many battles and by economic growth and a democratic and effective administrative machinery.
Apart from a Legislative Assembly composed of persons above 50 years old (Diambour), there was an Assembly of elected young men (the Frey) who carried out the decisions of the Diambour or the Government. The Government included the Serigne N’Dakarou as President; the N’Dye Dji Rew, Minister of Interior, the Saltigué, chief of war and police; the Diaraf, Minister of Agriculture, Lands and Finance; and the Imam, the religious leader.
In 1875, the French conquered the Cape Verde Peninsula and brought to an end the Lebu Republic, even though the 40-year-old Dial Diop and his colleagues had maintained relations with France as between two sovereign states (which is attested by two treaties signed in 1826 and 1830).
ASSANE SYLLA
