Alhaji Bai Modi Joof

Alhaji Bai Modi Joof
Born	Bai Modi Joof 15 December 1933 Kuntaur, the Gambia
Died	3 June 1993 Latrikunda, the Gambia
Nationality	Gambian
Education	University (Law)
Occupation	Barrister at Law
Known for	Law, free speech and freedom of the press
Title	LLB
Parent(s)	Ebrima Joof and Aji Anna Samba

Alhaji Bai Modi Joof (or Bai Modi Joof, 15 December 1933 – 3 June 1993) was a barrister at law from the Gambia, practicing from the mid-1970s to 1993, the year he died. Also known as Alhaji B.M. Joof, B.M. Joof or Lawyer Joof, he was a member of the UK and Gambian Bar, and a barrister and solicitor of the Gambian Supreme Court. He was termed the "champion of free speech" by some quarters of the Gambian press during the administration of president Sir Dawdaw Kairaba Jawara. He was a defense-barrister and came from a Wolof and Serer background of the family Joof. Not to be confused with his former protegé - Joseph Henry Joof, who is also commonly referred to as Lawyer Joof (the former attorney general).

Bai Modi was born on 15 December 1933 at Kuntaur (a Gambian town) to Ebrima Joof and Aji Anna Samba. He was the younger brother of Alhaji Alieu Ebrima Cham Joof, the Gambian historian, politician and nationalist during the country's colonial period. Bai Modi attended the Roman School in Banjul before passing his primary exams and progressed to the Gambia High School in Banjul (now the Gambia Senior Secondary School). In the Gambia, Bai Modi held various jobs, but mainly as a civil servant working as a tax-assessor. He left for the United Kingdom in the late 1950s to study law where he was also employed as a civil servant working as a tax officer with the Inland Revenue (now the HMRC). Having studied law at the University of London (Senate House) he was called to the bar on 26 November 1974 and was a member of the Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn. The following year (1975), Bai Modi left the UK with his family and returned to the Gambia where he established his chambers called Gal N'Goneh Fambai's Chambers in the Gambian capital of Banjul at number 5 Wellington Street. His chambers which was next to the river had to be relocated to number 2 Hagan Street (Banjul) around 1990 - 1991, adjacent to the Point Newspaper at number 1A, which became its official base until Bai Modi's death.

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