Famous people from Senegal
Here is a list of famous people from Senegal. Curious if anybody from Senegal made it our most famous people in the world list? Read the aformentioned article in order to find out.
Patrice Evra
Soccer
Patrice Latyr Evra is a French international footballer who plays for English club Manchester United in the Premier League. Originally an attacker, he primarily plays as a left-back and is described as "the classic example of a modern full-back" who is renowned for his "pace, athleticism, and determination". Evra "offers a genuine attacking outlet down the left" and is also "strong in the air" despite his noticeably small frame. Evra, whom Sir Alex Ferguson praised for his leadership, has served as captain for both Manchester United and France. The son of a diplomat, Evra was born in Senegal and arrived in Europe when he was a year old. He was raised in France and began his football career playing for various clubs in the Île-de-France region such as hometown club CO Les Ulis and CSF Brétigny. In 1997, he had a stint at professional club Paris Saint-Germain. A year later, Evra seized his first footballing opportunity in neighbouring Italy when he signed his first professional contract with Marsala in Sicily. He made his professional debut with the club and, in the ensuing season, joined Monza. After a year playing with Monza, Evra returned to France to play for Nice. Originally a midfielder, while playing at Nice, he was converted into a full-back. In 2002, Evra moved to Monégasque club Monaco and contributed to the team that won the Coupe de la Ligue in 2003. He also featured in European competition for the first time in his career and, in the 2003–04 season, was the starting left-back on the Monaco team that reached the 2004 UEFA Champions League Final. In that same season domestically, Evra was named the National Union of Professional Footballers Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year. He was also named to the organization's Ligue 1 Team of the Year.
Ségolène Royal
Politician
Marie-Ségolène Royal, known as Ségolène Royal, is a French politician. She is the president of the Poitou-Charentes Regional Council, a former member of the National Assembly, a former government minister, and a prominent member of the French Socialist Party. The first woman in France to be nominated by a major party, she was the Socialist candidate in the 2007 French presidential election but lost to Nicolas Sarkozy on 6 May 2007. In 2008, Royal narrowly lost to Martine Aubry in the Socialist Party's election for First Secretary at the Party's twenty-second national congress. On 30 November 2010, Royal announced her intentions to again seek the PS nomination for President in 2012 but she lost the Socialist Party presidential primary in 2011. She failed in her attempt to win a seat in the National Assembly in the June 2012 parliamentary elections.
Patrick Vieira
Soccer
Patrick Vieira is a retired French footballer of Senegalese and Cape Verdean descent, who is the Manager of the Reserves squad at Premier League club Manchester City, known as the Elite Development Squad. He rose to prominence during a hugely successful spell at Arsenal from 1996 to 2005, where he eventually became club captain, and won three Premier League titles – one unbeaten – and four FA Cups. He transferred from Arsenal in 2005 and spent one season at Juventus, helping the team to the Serie A championship. Following Juventus' relegation for their part in a match-fixing scandal, Vieira moved to Internazionale and won three Serie A titles. He has 107 caps for France, and was part of their 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000-winning sides, as well as their runner-up finish in the 2006 World Cup. In May 2010, Vieira was nominated Goodwill Ambassador of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. He announced his retirement from professional football on 14 July 2011. Vieira is currently Football Development Executive at Manchester City with a role to oversee aspects such as youth development, commercial partners and the club's social responsibility programme, "City in the Community".
Papiss Cissé
Soccer
Papiss Demba Cissé is a Senegalese footballer who plays as a striker for Newcastle United and the Senegal national team. He holds the record of most goals scored by an African player in a single Bundesliga campaign – 22 league goals in the 2010–11 season. That same season, Cissé won the EFFIFU award for being the most efficient striker in the league.
MC Solaar
Hip hop Artist
MC Solaar is a francophone hip hop and rap artist. He is one of the most internationally popular and influential hip hop artists. MC Solaar is known for his complex lyrics, which rely on word play, lyricism, and inquiry. In the English-speaking world, Solaar was signed by London acid jazz label Talkin' Loud and recorded with British group Urban Species and the late Guru, member of the acclaimed New York duo Gang Starr. He has since released seven studio records and one live album and currently lives with his wife, French actress Chloé Bensemoun, their son Roman and daughter Bonnie.
El Hadji Diouf
Soccer
El Hadji Ousseynou Diouf is a Senegalese footballer who plays for Leeds United. He can play on both wings as well as in attack. Having started his professional football career in France with Sochaux, Rennes and Lens, his performances in the 2002 FIFA World Cup for Senegal prompted a move to Premier League side Liverpool later that summer. He has also played in England's top flight for Bolton Wanderers, Sunderland and Blackburn Rovers before a stint in the Scottish Premier League with Rangers. In 2011 he joined Football League Championship side Doncaster Rovers but was released at the end of the 2011–12 season following the club's relegation. During his nine-year international career he scored 21 goals in 69 caps; he has also garnered a large amount of notoriety for a series of controversial incidents.
Léopold Sédar Senghor
Poet
Léopold Sédar Senghor was a Senegalese poet, politician, and cultural theorist who for two decades served as the first president of Senegal. Senghor was the first African elected as a member of the Académie française. Before independence, he founded the political party called the Senegalese Democratic Bloc. He is regarded by many as one of the most important African intellectuals of the 20th century.
Mamadou Niang
Soccer
Mamadou Niang is a Senegalese footballer who plays as a striker for Al Sadd in Qatar Stars League. He has represented Senegal at international level, participating in the 2004, 2006, and 2008 African Cup of Nations. He is the older brother of Papa Niang, who currently plays at FF Jaro in Finnish Veikkausliiga.
Mame Biram Diouf
Soccer
Mame Biram Diouf is a Senegalese footballer who plays as a forward for German club Hannover 96 and the Senegal national football team. Diouf started his career at Diaraf before moving to Molde in 2007. In his first season with them he won the Norwegian First Division which gained promotion to the Norwegian Premier League. His performances and goalscoring attracted interest from a number of big clubs, he was eventually approached by Manchester United and agreed a move there in 2009. The deal also included that he would remain at his then current club Molde on loan until January 2010, when he then joined up with his new club. He scored on his home debut for United and won the League Cup as an unused substitute in United's 2010 Football League Cup Final victory. Diouf joined Hannover in January 2012. Diouf made his Senegal debut in 2009 in a 2–1 friendly win over Congo DR. He has so far won 12 caps and scored two goals for his country.
Baaba Maal
Musical Artist
Baaba Maal is a Senegalese singer and guitarist born in Podor, on the Senegal River. He is well known in Africa and internationally is probably Senegal's most famous musician after Youssou N'Dour. In addition to acoustic guitar, he also plays percussion. He has released several albums, both for independent and major labels. In July 2003, he was made a UNDP Youth Emissary. Baaba sings primarily in Pulaar and is the foremost promoter of the traditions of the Pulaar-speaking peoples who live on either side of the Senegal River in the ancient Senegalese kingdom of Futa Tooro.
Modou Sougou
Soccer
Pape Amodou Sougou is a Senegalese football player who currently plays for Evian in the Ligue 1. He usually plays as a winger.
Macky Sall
Politician
Macky Sall is a Senegalese politician who has been President of Senegal since April 2012. Under President Abdoulaye Wade, Sall was Prime Minister of Senegal from April 2004 to June 2007 and President of the National Assembly of Senegal from June 2007 to November 2008. He was the Mayor of Fatick from 2002 to 2008 and held that post again from 2009 to 2012. Sall was a long-time member of the Senegalese Democratic Party. After coming into conflict with Wade, he was removed from his post as President of the National Assembly in November 2008; he consequently founded his own party and joined the opposition. Placing second in the first round of the 2012 presidential election, he won the backing of other opposition candidates and prevailed over Wade in the second round of voting, held on 25 March 2012.
Abdoulaye Wade
Politician
Abdoulaye Wade is a Senegalese politician who was President of Senegal from 2000 to 2012. He is also the Secretary-General of the Senegalese Democratic Party and has led the party since it was founded in 1974. A long-time opposition leader, he ran for President four times, beginning in 1978, before he was elected in 2000. He won re-election in 2007 with a majority in the first round, but in 2012 he was defeated in a controversial bid for a third term.
Rama Yade
Politician
Rama Yade is a French politician who served in the government of France from 2007 to 2010. She is currently vice president of the moderate conservative Radical Party.
Papa Bouba Diop
Soccer Midfielder
Pape "Papa" Bouba Diop is a Senegalese footballer who is a free agent. His preferred position is defensive midfield but can also play as a centre back, where he previously played at Lens. His nickname is "The Wardrobe", given to him by Fulham fans, due to his height and large frame. Diop is well known for his strength and aggression, long-range shots, solid style of play and his leadership. His playing style and ability have drawn comparisons to Patrick Vieira. Diop's second of a total of 11 international goals for Senegal launched his national team onto a global stage. The 1–0 defeat of then-world champions France was the opening match of the 2002 FIFA World Cup, and Senegal's first ever match at the FIFA World Cup. Match of the Day football analyst Alan Hansen stated that Diop is "One of the most solid midfield players in Europe, who is hugely underrated." Former Fulham manager Lawrie Sanchez believes that Diop had all the attributes to become one of the best midfielders in the Premiership. Lawrie Sanchez stated, "There's no reason why Bouba can't get himself up to being one of the best centre midfield players in the Premiership and that's where I see his long-term position. I've seen Diop play over the years and he has all the attributes to be a top-class midfielder".
Henri Camara
Soccer
Henri Camara is a Senegalese footballer who plays as a striker and is currently plays for Panetolikos.
Ibrahima Touré
Soccer
Ibrahima Touré is a Senegalese footballer who plays as a striker for Al Nasr. He had played for Metz, Chengdu Wuniu, Wydad Casablanca, Paykan, Persepolis, Sepahan, Ajman and Monaco. He is also a player of Senegal national football team.
Ousmane Sembène
Film Director
Ousmane Sembène, often credited in the French style as Sembène Ousmane in articles and reference works, was a Senegalese film director, producer and writer. The Los Angeles Times considered him one of the greatest authors of Africa and has often been called the "father of African film". Descended from a Serer family through his mother from the line of Matar Sène, Ousmane Sembène was particularly drawn to Serer religious festivals especially the Tuur festival.
Ibrahim Ba
Soccer Midfielder
Ibrahim "Ibou" Ba is a Senegalese-born professional French football player of the 1990s and 2000s whose career as a right winger lasted from 1991 to 2008. In the late 1990s, particularly between 1996 and 1998, he was considered to be one of the hottest young talents in the world after consistently impressing with FC Girondins de Bordeaux.
Gorgui Dieng
Basketball Center
Gorgui Dieng is a Senegalese professional basketball player. Gorgui means "the old one" in his native language Wolof.
Abdou Diouf
Politician
Abdou Diouf is a Senegalese politician, and served as the second President of Senegal from 1981 to 2000. Diouf is notable both for coming to power by peaceful succession, and leaving willingly after losing the 2000 presidential election to Abdoulaye Wade. He has been the Secretary-General of La Francophonie since 2003.
Aïssa Maïga
Actor
Aïssa Maïga is a Senegalese born actress living in France. She was nominated for the Most Promising Actress at the 2007 César Award for her acting in Bamako.
DeSagana Diop
Basketball Center
DeSagana N'gagne Diop, or simply Gana Diop, is a Senegalese professional basketball player.
Abdoulaye Faye
Soccer Midfielder
Abdoulaye Diagne-Faye, known as Abdoulaye Faye, is a Senegalese footballer who plays for Hull City. He plays primarily as a centre back but he can also operate as a defensive midfielder.
Habib Koité
Musical Artist
Habib Koité is a solo singer, songwriter and guitarist, based in Mali. His band, Bamada, is a supergroup of West African musicians, including Kélétigui Diabaté playing balafon.
Souleymane Diawara
Soccer
Souleymane Diawara is a Senegalese footballer who plays as a central defender for Olympique Marseille and the Senegal national team.
Salif Diao
Soccer Midfielder
Salif Alassane Diao is a former Senegalese footballer who played as a defensive midfielder. Diao moved from Senegal to France when he was seventeen and started his career at AS Monaco with whom he helped with the French Super Cup and French Division 1. He failed to hold down a regular place at Monaco and moved to Sedan in 2000. Diao then had an impressive 2002 World cup with Senegal which attracted the attention of several Premier League sides. It was Liverpool who won the race and signed Diao for £5 million in 2002. His time at Liverpool was unsuccessful and was sent out on loan to Birmingham City, Portsmouth and Stoke City. He joined the latter Stoke permanently on a free transfer in 2007 and helped the club to promotion to the Premier League in 2008.
Baba Diawara
Soccer
Papa Babacar 'Baba' Diawara is a Senegalese professional footballer who plays for Levante UD on loan from Sevilla FC in Spain, as a striker.
Henri Saivet
Soccer Midfielder
Henri Saivet is a Senegalese football player who currently plays for French club Bordeaux in the Ligue 1. Despite starting his career as a striker, he plays as a winger. Saivet is a France youth international having starred at several youth levels. In 2007, he signed his first professional contract with Bordeaux, thus making him the youngest professional player in the history of the club. Saivet, subsequently, made his professional debut during the 2007–08 season, at the age of 17, in a league match against Lens.
Mouss Diouf
Actor
Pierre Mustapha "Mouss" Diouf was a French-Senegalese actor, comedian and humorist.
Clémentine Célarié
Actor
Clémentine Célarié is a French actress and singer.
Ali Dia
Soccer
Ali Dia is a former professional Senegalese footballer who once played for the English FA Premier League club Southampton after falsely claiming to be a cousin of Liberian international George Weah.
Baye Djiby Fall
Soccer
Baye Djiby Fall is a Senegalese footballer who plays as a striker for Randers in the Danish Superliga. Fall has previously played professional for top-flight clubs in Denmark, United Arab Emirates, Russia, Norway and Belgium. In Norway he was the top goalscorer in Tippeligaen with his 16 goals for Molde.
Ibrahima Sonko
Soccer
Ibrahima Sonko is a Senegalese international footballer who plays professionally for Turkish Süper Lig side Akhisar Belediyespor. Sonko has previously played in France and England for Grenoble, Brentford, Reading, Stoke City, Hull City, Portsmouth and Ipswich Town.
Amadou Bamba
Man
Ahmadou Bamba, Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba Mbacké, was a Muslim Sufi religious leader in Senegal and the founder of the large Mouride Brotherhood. Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba was a mystic and religious leader who produced a prodigious quantity of poems and tracts on meditation, rituals, work, and Qur'anic study. Politically, Ahmadou Bamba led a pacifist struggle against French colonialism while not waging outright war on the French as several prominent Tijani marabouts had done.
Khalilou Fadiga
Soccer Midfielder
Khalilou Fadiga is a former Senegalese footballer midfielder. He also holds a Belgian passport.
Lamine Diarra
Soccer
Lamine Diarra is a Senegalese football striker who plays for Süper Lig club Antalyaspor.
Ibrahima Baldé
Soccer
Ibrahima Baldé, known as Ibrahima and sometimes Ibra, is a Senegalese professional footballer who plays for FC Kuban Krasnodar in Russia, as a forward.
Mouhamadou Dabo
Soccer Midfielder
Mouhamadou Dabo is a French professional footballer who currently plays for French club Lyon in Ligue 1. He is a right back, but has played left back.
Pape Moussa Konate
Soccer Midfielder
Pape Moussa Konaté known as simply Moussa Konaté is a Senegalese professional football player currently playing for the Italian club Genoa on loan from FC Krasnodar as a forward.
Cheikhou Kouyaté
Soccer Midfielder
Cheikhou Kouyaté is a Senegalese professional footballer who plays as a defender for R.S.C. Anderlecht in the Belgian Pro League.
Kader Mangane
Soccer Midfielder
Abdou Kader Mangane is a Senegalese football player. He currently plays for Süper Lig side Kayseri Erciyesspor on loan from Saudi club Al-Hilal.
Tom Frager
Blues Artist
Tom Frager is a French songwriter and performer in the group Gwayav' and is ten times a surfer winner in Guadeloupe. He is primarily known for his French hit "Lady Melody", which was number-one for four weeks.
Tété
Musical Artist
Tété is a French musician, born in Dakar, Senegal on 25 July 1975. His mother is from Martinique and his father is from Senegal. Tété. He is known to be called the French version of Jeff Buckley. Tété's music is not "rock music"; it can more appropriately be described as an intimate, solo classical guitar musical style. He defines himself to be a "troubadour and manufacturer of pop-folk-bluesy songs with intellectual pretensions." His music combines blues, folk and pop influences, such as the Delta Blues, Lenny Kravitz, The Beatles and Bob Dylan.
Pape Diakhaté
Soccer
Pape Malickou Diakhaté is a Senegalese professional footballer who currently plays in Spain for Granada CF.
Papa Waigo
Soccer
Papa Waigo N'Diaye, often simplified as Papa Waigo, is a Senegalese international footballer who currently plays as a striker for Saudi club Al-Ettifaq.
Mariama Bâ
Award Winner
Mariama Ba was a Senegalese author and feminist, who wrote in French. Born in Dakar, she was raised a Muslim, but at an early age came to criticise what she perceived as inequalities between the sexes resulting from African traditions. Raised by her traditional grandparents, she had to struggle even to gain an education, because they did not believe that girls should be taught. Bâ later married a Senegalese member of Parliament, Obèye Diop, but divorced him and was left to care for their nine children. Her frustration with the fate of African women—as well as her ultimate acceptance of it—is expressed in her first novel, So Long a Letter. In it she depicts the sorrow and resignation of a woman who must share the mourning for her late husband with his second, younger wife. Abiola Irele called it "the most deeply felt presentation of the female condition in African fiction". This short book was awarded the first Noma Prize for Publishing in Africa in 1980. Bâ died a year later after a protracted illness, before her second novel, Scarlet Song, which describes the hardships a woman faces when her husband abandons her for a younger woman he knew at youth, was published.
Kara Mbodj
Soccer Midfielder
Serigne Modou Kara Mbodj, commonly known as Kara or Kara Mbodj, is a Senegalese defensive midfielder who currently plays for Genk. He can be deployed as a defender, defensive midfielder or in the central midfield.
Ibrahima Mbaye
Soccer
Ibrahima Mbaye is a Senegalese footballer who plays for Italian Serie A club Livorno, on loan from Internazionale.
Basile de Carvalho
Soccer Forward
Basile Salomon Pereira de Carvalho is a Senegalese-born Bissau-Guinean international footballer. He currently plays as a forward for White Star Bruxelles in Belgium.
Caliou Ciss
Soccer
Saliou Ciss is a Senegalese footballer who currently plays as a left back for Valenciennes. Ciss received his footballing education at the Diambars academy in Senegal. Following his graduation, he joined Serigne Kara, a fellow graduate, at Tromsø prior to the 2010 season. He made his Tippeligaen debut as a substitute against Brann on 5 May 2010. Ciss was loaned to Tromsø from Diambars for two years, before Tromsø announced on June 20, 2011 that they had activated a clause in Ciss' contract, purchasing him from Diambars and giving Ciss a contract which will run until 2014.
Macoumba Kandji
Soccer Midfielder
Macoumba Kandji is a Senegalese footballer who currently plays for Levadiakos in the Super League Greece.
Émilie Gomis
Olympic Basketball Player
Émilie Gomis is a French-Senegalese professional basketball player currently playing point guard position for French club ESB Villeneuve-d'Ascq and also played for Fenerbahçe of the TWBL league. She wears the number 4.
Abdoulaye Ba
Soccer
Abdoulaye Ba is a Senegalese footballer who plays for Vitória de Guimarães loan from F.C. Porto in Portugal, as a central defender.
Moustapha Bayal Sall
Soccer Midfielder
Moustapha Bayal Sall is a Senegalese football central defender who currently plays for AS Saint-Étienne. He joined the Ligue 1 club during the summer of 2006 from Senegalese club US Gorée following a brief spell with IK Start in Norway. In March 2007 he signed a contract with IK Start. But three months later, having never played a game for the club, he signed for AS Saint-Étienne. Start brought the matter to FIFA and on 3 December 2007 Sall was handed a four-month ban due to start in July 2008 and Saint-Étienne were ordered to pay $150,000 in compensation to the Norwegian club. In January 2012 he went on a six-month loan to AS Nancy-Lorraine. He was put aside by the management in St Etienne, according to him because of personal problems with the manager Christophe Galtier, and therefore not playing anymore.
Sadio Mané
Soccer Midfielder
Sadio Mané is a Senegalese professional footballer who currently plays as a midfielder for Austrian Football Bundesliga club Red Bull Salzburg. Born in Sédhiou, Mané joined the French club Metz in the summer of 2011, initially as a reserve team player. He made his debut for the Championnat de France amateur side on 14 August 2011 in the 4–1 home win over Monts d'Or Azergues. Two months later, Mané scored his first goal for Metz B in the 4–0 victory away at Sarre-Union. After scoring twice in 12 league appearances during the first half of the 2011–12 season, he was called up to the senior team. Mané played his first Ligue 2 match for Metz in the 0–1 home defeat to Bastia on 14 January 2012, coming on as a 75th-minute substitute for Kévin Diaz. He started the next game as the side drew 1–1 away at Châteauroux, before returning to the bench for the 0–2 loss against Sedan on 27 January. Mané went on to make 22 league appearances in total for Metz before joining Red Bull Salzburg at the start of the 2012–13 season.
Souleymane Camara
Soccer
Souleymane Camara is a Senegalese football player who plays for Montpellier HSC in Ligue 1. Camara previously played for AS Monaco and OGC Nice. He plays for Senegal national football team and was a participant at the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
Pape Paté Diouf
Soccer
Pape Paté Diouf is a Senegalese footballer who currently plays for Danish Superliga side Esbjerg fB on loan from F.C. Copenhagen.
Abdoul Mbaye
Politician
Abdoul Mbaye is a Senegalese banker and politician who was Prime Minister of Senegal from April 2012 until September 2013. He is a technocrat who was appointed prime minister by President Macky Sall following the latter's win in the 2012 presidential election.
Marc Lièvremont
Athlete
Marc Lièvremont is a former rugby union footballer and was the head coach of the French national rugby union team. He played as a back-row forward for France, gaining 25 caps from 1995 to 1999, and was selected in France's 1999 Rugby World Cup squad. He also played with the French Rugby Sevens team and with the French Barbarians. Born 28 October 1968 in Dakar, Senegal to a militarian father from Franche-Comté and a mother from Lorraine, he was raised in Argelès-sur-Mer with his six younger brothers and one younger sister who all play or played rugby at different high levels. Two are or have been international rugby players: Thomas and Matthieu. The only girl of the family, Claire, was a semi-professional, winning a French Championship with Toulouges in 2005. The two younger twins, Pierre and Luc are also playing for l'Avenir Castanéen, a Fédérale 2 side, as a centre and openside flanker respectively. Finally, François used to play for USA Perpignan, during the 1990s. Lièvremont began his rugby career with amateur club Étoile sportive catalane. He then played for Perpignan, Stade Français, in 1998 and 2000, as well as Biarritz Olympique.
Wasis Diop
Musical Artist
Wasis Diop is a Senegalese musician of international renown, known for blending traditional Senegalese folk music with modern pop and jazz. The son of a Senegalese high official and member of the Lebou ethnic group, Diop left Senegal in the 1970s to study engineering in Paris, but once there turned to music, joining a fellow Senegalese musician, Umban Ukset, in forming the band West African Cosmos. Diop left the band in 1979 to start a solo career, and over the next decade achieved some small success, particularly in partnerships with singer Marie-France Anglade of Black Heritage, and jazz saxophonist Yasuaki Shimizu. It was not until the early 1990s that his career began to take off, with the success of his first album, the soundtrack to the film, Hyenes. Variety described his soundtrack to 2006's Daratt from Chad as "outstanding". His mother was Binta diop the aunty Binta Yade . His brother was a famous movie director. His cousin is Elhadji Yade. More albums followed: No Sant in 1995, Toxu in 1998, and the compilation album, Everything Is Never Quite Enough in 2004. He lives in Paris and writes much of his lyrics in French. Among English speaking audiences, he is probably best known for "African Dream", a single from No Sant which narrowly missed the Top 40 in the UK Singles Chart, and "Everything is Never Quite Enough", which is featured on the soundtrack to the 1999 film, The Thomas Crown Affair. "Yambo," his Wolof language cover of the Talking Heads song "Once in a Lifetime", was included in a "special markets" CD, World is Africa, produced by Universal Music for Starbucks.
Ibrahim Niass
Man
Ibrāhīm Niass —also written Ibrahima Niasse in French, Ibrayima Ñas in Wolof, Shaykh al-'Islām al-Ḥājj Ibrāhīm ibn al-Ḥājj ʿAbd Allāh at-Tijānī al-Kawlakhī in Arabic, شيخ الإسلام الحاج إبراهيم إبن الحاج عبد الله التجاني الكولخي in Arabic alphabet — was a major leader of the Tijānī Sufi order of Islam in West Africa. His followers in the Senegambia region affectionately refer to him in Wolof as Baay, or "father." He is the founder of the Ibrāhīmiyyah branch of the Tijānī order, whose adherents designate themselves in Arabic as the people of the Faydah Tijāniyyah or in Wolof as Taalibé Baay. Outsiders often refer to his disciples as Ñaseen, which in Wolof means "of or pertaining to the Ñas family," although his disciples do not generally use this designation. Ibrahim inyas is one of the greatest suffi scholar in the world. A shoe of prophet of islam was giving to him in saudi arabia for safe keep
Amdy Faye
Soccer Midfielder
Amdy Moustapha Faye is a Senegalese footballer. He plays as a defensive midfielder, and he can also play as a centre back. He plays for the Senegal national team. He is currently a free agent, his last spell was at Leeds United where he was released in January 2011 after coming to the end of his six-month contract.
Lamine Diack
Politician
Lamine Diack was the Chairman of the Board of the National Water Company "Société Nationale des Eaux" of Senegal from 1995 to 2001. He became president of the International Association of Athletics Federations on 8 November 1999, and was re-elected for another four-year term on 16 October 2011. He is also a member of the International Olympic Committee.
Mbaye Diagne
Military Person
Captain Mbaye Diagne was a Senegalese Army officer and a United Nations military observer during the 1994 Rwandan Genocide. He is credited with saving many lives during his time in Rwanda through nearly continuous rescue missions at great peril to himself. A devout Muslim, Mbaye was one of nine children born to a family living near Dakar, and the first to go to college. Following his graduation from the University of Dakar, he joined the army as an officer. In 1993 he was seconded to UNAMIR, the United Nations peacekeeping force sent to Rwanda as a military observer of the implementation of the Arusha Accords. He was stationed at the Hôtel des Mille Collines, a luxury hotel located in Kigali.
Mohamed Sarr
Soccer
Mohamed Adama 'Momo' Sarr is a Senegalese footballer who last played for OFI Crete in the Greek Superleague as a Centre back.
Tony Sylva
Soccer
Tony Mario Sylva is a Senegalese footballer who plays as a goalkeeper. He is currently unattached. Sylva has played for AC Ajaccio, AS Monaco, Lille and Trabzonspor.
Mbaye Leye
Soccer Forward
Mbaye Leye is a football striker from Senegal. He currently plays for S.V. Zulte Waregem in Belgium.
Jean-Pierre Adams
Soccer
Jean-Pierre Adams was a French international football player. Along with Marius Trésor, he was a member of the garde noire as France's central defender. Since 17 March 1982, he is in a coma, following an operation.
Papa Gueye
Soccer Midfielder
Papa Gueye is a professional Senegalese football player. He is a central defender or defensive midfielder for FC Metalist Kharkiv. Combining great strength and fitness with excellent passing and heading ability he earned respect and love from FC Metalist Kharkiv fans soon enough as they attributed a personal chant "Papa is able to do everything, just give the time" to him. When the Metalist coach Myron Markevych was placed as the head coach of the Ukraine national football team in 2010, there were talks of naturalization of Gueye.
Mamadou Diallo
Soccer
Mamadou Diallo, also known as Big Mama, is a former Senegalese football striker.
Johnny Sekka
Actor
Johnny Sekka was a British film and television actor.
Birago Diop
Poet
Birago Diop was a Senegalese poet and story-teller, whose work restored the general interest in African folktales and promoted him into one of the most outstanding African francophone writers. A renowned veterinarian, diplomat and leading voice of the Négritude literary movement, Diop exemplified the "African renaissance man".
Lamine Diatta
Soccer Defender
Lamine Diatta is a Senegalese footballer who plays as a defender.
Viviane Ndour
Singer
Viviane Ndour is a Senegalese pop singer who is the former sister-in-law of Youssou N'Dour. She is known by some as the "Queen of Mbalax".
Bouna Coundoul
Soccer
Bouna Coundoul is a Senegalese footballer who plays for Achna FC in Cyprus, and for the Senegal national football team.
Diagné Fallou
Soccer Midfielder
Serigne Fallou Diagne is a Senegalese football midfielder. He currently plays for SC Freiburg.
Idrissa Seck
Politician
Idrissa Seck is a Senegalese politician who was Prime Minister of Senegal from November 2002 to April 2004. He was a leading member of the Senegalese Democratic Party and was considered a protégé of President Abdoulaye Wade, but he subsequently went into opposition and was a candidate in the February 2007 presidential election, taking second place with about 15% of the vote.
Fatou Diome
Author
Fatou Diome is a Senegalese writer, known for her bestselling novel The Belly of the Atlantic, published in 2001. Her work explores immigrant life in France, and the relationship between France and Africa. Fatou Diome currently lives in Strasbourg, France.
Malick Mané
Soccer Forward
Malick Mané is a Senegalese football striker that plays for the Norwegian club Sogndal. He have previously played for Casa Sport, Sandefjord and Aktobe.
Papakouli Diop
Soccer Midfielder
Papakouli 'Pape' Diop is a Senegalese professional footballer who plays for Levante UD in Spain, as a defensive midfielder.
Idrissa Gueye
Soccer Midfielder
Idrissa Gana Gueye is a Senegalese professional footballer who plays for Lille, as a midfielder.
Makhtar Thioune
Soccer Midfielder
Makhtar Thioune is a Senegalese footballer that plays for Viking as a central midfielder. He has previously played for Sarpsborg 08 and Molde in Norway, and Karlsruher SC in Germany.
Abdulla Koni
Soccer Defender
Abdulla Obaid Koni is a naturalised Qatari footballer of Senegalese descent who is a defender for Al Sadd. He is a member of the Qatar national football team. He also played for their national youth team.
Amy Mbacké Thiam
Olympic athlete
Amy Mbacké Thiam is a Senegalese athlete competing in the 400 metres.
Mouhamed Sene
Basketball Center
Mouhamed Saer Sene is a Senegalese professional basketball player who currently plays for Sharks Antibes of France. A center, he is noted for his shot-blocking potential because of his 7 ft 8½ in wingspan.
Mame Niang
Soccer Forward
Mame Cheikh Niang is a Senegalese football striker who currently plays for Supersport United in the South African Premier Soccer League. He won the 2005–06 PSL top goalscorer award with 14 goals while playing for Moroka Swallows in South Africa.
Ibrahima Gueye
Soccer Defender
Ibrahima Gueye is a Senegalese footballer who is currently a free agent after his contract with K.S.C. Lokeren ended in 2013. Gueye plays as a central defender.
Lamine Sakho
Soccer Midfielder
Lamine Sakho is a Senegalese football player who currently plays for Championnat de France amateur side Consolat Marseille.
Battling Siki
Professional Boxer
Battling Siki, aka Louis Mbarick Fall, was a French light heavyweight boxer born in Senegal who fought from 1912–1925, and briefly reigned as the lineal light heavyweight champion after knocking out Georges Carpentier. Siki was one of the more colorful figures in boxing history.
Babacar Gueye
Soccer Forward
Babacar M'Baye Gueye is a Senegalese football striker. He currently plays for Shenzhen Ruby F.C.
Issa Ndoye
Soccer
Issa Ndoye is a Senegalese football goalkeeper who currently plays for US Créteil-Lusitanos in France.