Bible Translation work in Nigeria; a call to all Christian denominations
Bible Translation work in Nigeria; a call to all Christian denominations
By Felix Samari
The work of translating the scriptures into various languages is a universal effort to ensure that the scriptures is heard by or reached to all mankind. The first hand-written English language Bible manuscripts were produced in the 1380's AD by John Wycliffe, an Oxford professor, scholar, and theologian. Wycliffe was well-known throughout Europe for his opposition to the teaching of the organized Church, which he believed to be contrary to the Bible. With the help of his followers, called the Lollards, and his assistant Purvey, and many other faithful scribes, Wycliffe produced dozens of English language manuscript copies of the scriptures. They were translated out of the Latin Vulgate, which was the only source text available to Wycliffe. The Pope was so infuriated by his teachings and his translation of the Bible into English, that 44 years after Wycliffe had died, he ordered the bones to be dug-up, crushed, and scattered in the river.
Martin Luther on the other hand is the biggest name in the translation of the German Bible. Though he is not the first to have translated the Bible into German language, but Luther translated the “New Testament into German for the first time from the 1516 Greek-Latin New Testament of Erasmus, and published it in September of 1522.”
In Nigeria, according to a 2015 Ethnologue as reported by the Luke Initiative for Scripture Translation (LIST) there are 520 living languages in Nigeria, only 62 have complete Bible in their languages. In the north east, Adamawa state has 29 languages which have begun or indicated interest in translating the Bible into their languages and one complete Bible is in progress, three New Testament works completed while eight others in progress. Bauchi state has 52 languages only one New testament work is in progress, Borno state has 16 languages, two complete Bible completed (Matakam and Bura have complete Bible. The only two in the North east) three New Testament completed and one in progress. In Gombe state one complete Bible translation is in Progress, New Testament completed in two languages, five is in progress. In Yobe state there are six languages only one in progressing to have New Testament translated and in Taraba there are 35 languages six languages have complete New Testaments translation and two others in progress.
Dr. Katy Banwell is one of the oldest names in the Bible translation works in Nigeria. She came to Nigeria in 1964 to assist in the Bible translation work in one of the Africa’s multi-ethic nations. “I studied how to analyze languages at the School of Oriental and African Studies London. I heard about the many languages in Nigeria desiring to have scriptures translated in their languages. I came to Nigeria to help in the translation work. I was sent to Cross Rivers state to work with a language group called Mbembe. I learned to speak the language and then work with them in the translation.” She said she was involved in the training of Nigerians in translation works and she saw the translation of bible in some languages. According to Dr. Banwell there is much that is needed to be done to ensure that most of the languages have their Bible translated. “I did not know how long I was going to stay in Nigeria, but I was committed to training other people to also get involved in the work. To help train Nigerians to become consultants for Bible translation projects.” She said there is a vision target for the translation of Bible in Nigeria. “Vision 2025 is set to mean that by that time translation work would have begun in many languages in Nigeria to help increase the spread.”
Nigerian Bible Translation Trust (NBTT) was established in 1976. It was like a mission project for the translation works in Nigeria, it later became a Nigerian Organization. Dr. Banwell said her desire is to see that all denominations in Nigeria are involved with the translation vision of NBTT and other agencies. “NBTT is to work with all the denominations. Bible translation should be owned by the churches to bring the denominations together. The leadership of the churches should be involved in the ownership of translation works by funding projects. It is good to see people work together for a common goal.” Dr. Banwell said that “the emphasis of Bible translation is partnership.” She said her prayer is to see that the Nigerians languages have gotten scriptures translated and the translations are put to use. She also mentioned that there is need for good leadership in the work of Bible translation. “Our prayer is to have dedicated leaders.”
Dr. Banwell charged the churches to support those who are involved in the Bible translation work so that they will commit total time to the work. “We need to have more pastors. The challenge is that those who are becoming qualified consultants have needs. They need some funds to look after their families to be able to live. It will be good if they can be involved full time. Coming for full time service they need support. For us who come from overseas we have partners who take care of our needs too.”
She called on the churches to “look and see where the translation is needed and to support it. Because God is at work we have to contribute and support the people to continue the work of God. The work needs financial support and prayer.”
Mr. Danjuma Nalbol Gambo has several years of working experience in the Bible Translation work. He worked with the NBTT for 26 years; he left in 2004 to Wickliffe Africa where their work was to translate the Jesus Film according to the Gospel of Luke. He is now in charge of the Luke Initiative for Scripture Translation (LIST), the organization which has been involved in the translation of Jesus film according to the gospel of St. Luke. LIST is also involved in the Bible translation work in Nigeria. “Jesus film is in 107 languages in Nigeria as at October 2015. There are more than 500 languages in Nigeria, 26 have the complete Bible and 62 have just the New Testament.” Mr. Gambo said the translation work is progressing in various languages but there is a major challenge of funding and support from churches. “The challenge we have mostly is the church owning translation, the church has not owned translation in Nigeria even though they own the Bible.
“Another Challenge is that we don’t have trained personnel to do the work. Many Nigerians will be trained if they are supported and funded to come back and work as translators. One other thing is that many of the translations we have done have not been put to use. We are aware that people don’t know how to read and write their languages therefore we have devised a listening programme where these languages are heard. We want people to use it and learn to use their Bibles. Though it is an expensive thing to do but it has to be done.” Mr Gambo worried that the Bibles that have taken time and resources to be translated have not received recognition or acceptance than the English and/or Hausa versions. “In some of our churches we have made Hausa or English an official language whereas there is no single person in that congregation that uses such language(s) in the day to day communications. Outside the church we go back to our languages. We are more familiar with our languages. Bibles are translated so that people can hear and understand the words of God and this is best done in their languages. Because it is in your language that you think, dream and talk.”
The Bible Translator pleaded to the churches to seek ways to make translations relevant in the church. “Our plea to the churches is that the churches should see the need and to actually own the translations and the translations be again accountable for the church. The church and communities should come together, identify individuals who can do the work (irrespective of denominations) and do it. Because the churches don’t own translation, financing it has always become very difficult. The churches have budget for buildings, they have budget for evangelism and other activities but there is hardly any budget for Bible translation.”
Mr. Gambo said until now the work of Bible translation is left in the hands of few individuals and foreign experts. “We have very few consultants that is why the translation drags on for too long. There is a Bible translation degree programme now at the TCNN. There are training programs done by NBTT where people can be trained to become consultant. Churches can sponsor people into such programmes so that they can be trained from degree to masters’ level.”
He called on the churches to unite and face the Bible translation work. He also called on communities to pay attention on developing their language skills to familiarize themselves with their vocabulary so that they will be able to put their Bible to good use. “Many people speak their languages in their homes and in the communities but they do not understand the vocabulary of the language. They need to embark on language programs to develop their language and use the scripture in the language they can understand.”
By Felix Samari
The work of translating the scriptures into various languages is a universal effort to ensure that the scriptures is heard by or reached to all mankind. The first hand-written English language Bible manuscripts were produced in the 1380's AD by John Wycliffe, an Oxford professor, scholar, and theologian. Wycliffe was well-known throughout Europe for his opposition to the teaching of the organized Church, which he believed to be contrary to the Bible. With the help of his followers, called the Lollards, and his assistant Purvey, and many other faithful scribes, Wycliffe produced dozens of English language manuscript copies of the scriptures. They were translated out of the Latin Vulgate, which was the only source text available to Wycliffe. The Pope was so infuriated by his teachings and his translation of the Bible into English, that 44 years after Wycliffe had died, he ordered the bones to be dug-up, crushed, and scattered in the river.
Martin Luther on the other hand is the biggest name in the translation of the German Bible. Though he is not the first to have translated the Bible into German language, but Luther translated the “New Testament into German for the first time from the 1516 Greek-Latin New Testament of Erasmus, and published it in September of 1522.”
In Nigeria, according to a 2015 Ethnologue as reported by the Luke Initiative for Scripture Translation (LIST) there are 520 living languages in Nigeria, only 62 have complete Bible in their languages. In the north east, Adamawa state has 29 languages which have begun or indicated interest in translating the Bible into their languages and one complete Bible is in progress, three New Testament works completed while eight others in progress. Bauchi state has 52 languages only one New testament work is in progress, Borno state has 16 languages, two complete Bible completed (Matakam and Bura have complete Bible. The only two in the North east) three New Testament completed and one in progress. In Gombe state one complete Bible translation is in Progress, New Testament completed in two languages, five is in progress. In Yobe state there are six languages only one in progressing to have New Testament translated and in Taraba there are 35 languages six languages have complete New Testaments translation and two others in progress.
Dr. Katy Banwell is one of the oldest names in the Bible translation works in Nigeria. She came to Nigeria in 1964 to assist in the Bible translation work in one of the Africa’s multi-ethic nations. “I studied how to analyze languages at the School of Oriental and African Studies London. I heard about the many languages in Nigeria desiring to have scriptures translated in their languages. I came to Nigeria to help in the translation work. I was sent to Cross Rivers state to work with a language group called Mbembe. I learned to speak the language and then work with them in the translation.” She said she was involved in the training of Nigerians in translation works and she saw the translation of bible in some languages. According to Dr. Banwell there is much that is needed to be done to ensure that most of the languages have their Bible translated. “I did not know how long I was going to stay in Nigeria, but I was committed to training other people to also get involved in the work. To help train Nigerians to become consultants for Bible translation projects.” She said there is a vision target for the translation of Bible in Nigeria. “Vision 2025 is set to mean that by that time translation work would have begun in many languages in Nigeria to help increase the spread.”
Nigerian Bible Translation Trust (NBTT) was established in 1976. It was like a mission project for the translation works in Nigeria, it later became a Nigerian Organization. Dr. Banwell said her desire is to see that all denominations in Nigeria are involved with the translation vision of NBTT and other agencies. “NBTT is to work with all the denominations. Bible translation should be owned by the churches to bring the denominations together. The leadership of the churches should be involved in the ownership of translation works by funding projects. It is good to see people work together for a common goal.” Dr. Banwell said that “the emphasis of Bible translation is partnership.” She said her prayer is to see that the Nigerians languages have gotten scriptures translated and the translations are put to use. She also mentioned that there is need for good leadership in the work of Bible translation. “Our prayer is to have dedicated leaders.”
Dr. Banwell charged the churches to support those who are involved in the Bible translation work so that they will commit total time to the work. “We need to have more pastors. The challenge is that those who are becoming qualified consultants have needs. They need some funds to look after their families to be able to live. It will be good if they can be involved full time. Coming for full time service they need support. For us who come from overseas we have partners who take care of our needs too.”
She called on the churches to “look and see where the translation is needed and to support it. Because God is at work we have to contribute and support the people to continue the work of God. The work needs financial support and prayer.”
Mr. Danjuma Nalbol Gambo has several years of working experience in the Bible Translation work. He worked with the NBTT for 26 years; he left in 2004 to Wickliffe Africa where their work was to translate the Jesus Film according to the Gospel of Luke. He is now in charge of the Luke Initiative for Scripture Translation (LIST), the organization which has been involved in the translation of Jesus film according to the gospel of St. Luke. LIST is also involved in the Bible translation work in Nigeria. “Jesus film is in 107 languages in Nigeria as at October 2015. There are more than 500 languages in Nigeria, 26 have the complete Bible and 62 have just the New Testament.” Mr. Gambo said the translation work is progressing in various languages but there is a major challenge of funding and support from churches. “The challenge we have mostly is the church owning translation, the church has not owned translation in Nigeria even though they own the Bible.
“Another Challenge is that we don’t have trained personnel to do the work. Many Nigerians will be trained if they are supported and funded to come back and work as translators. One other thing is that many of the translations we have done have not been put to use. We are aware that people don’t know how to read and write their languages therefore we have devised a listening programme where these languages are heard. We want people to use it and learn to use their Bibles. Though it is an expensive thing to do but it has to be done.” Mr Gambo worried that the Bibles that have taken time and resources to be translated have not received recognition or acceptance than the English and/or Hausa versions. “In some of our churches we have made Hausa or English an official language whereas there is no single person in that congregation that uses such language(s) in the day to day communications. Outside the church we go back to our languages. We are more familiar with our languages. Bibles are translated so that people can hear and understand the words of God and this is best done in their languages. Because it is in your language that you think, dream and talk.”
The Bible Translator pleaded to the churches to seek ways to make translations relevant in the church. “Our plea to the churches is that the churches should see the need and to actually own the translations and the translations be again accountable for the church. The church and communities should come together, identify individuals who can do the work (irrespective of denominations) and do it. Because the churches don’t own translation, financing it has always become very difficult. The churches have budget for buildings, they have budget for evangelism and other activities but there is hardly any budget for Bible translation.”
Mr. Gambo said until now the work of Bible translation is left in the hands of few individuals and foreign experts. “We have very few consultants that is why the translation drags on for too long. There is a Bible translation degree programme now at the TCNN. There are training programs done by NBTT where people can be trained to become consultant. Churches can sponsor people into such programmes so that they can be trained from degree to masters’ level.”
He called on the churches to unite and face the Bible translation work. He also called on communities to pay attention on developing their language skills to familiarize themselves with their vocabulary so that they will be able to put their Bible to good use. “Many people speak their languages in their homes and in the communities but they do not understand the vocabulary of the language. They need to embark on language programs to develop their language and use the scripture in the language they can understand.”
