UI partners faith-based group to unveil pidgin dictionary in Nigeria

It was full of excitement and thrills as a global religious organisation, Jehovah’s Witnesses showcased decades of translation efforts before erudite scholars at the University of Ibadan.

Many were amazed to learn that Pidgin language is being used in European Countries and other places by Jehovah’s Witnesses to preach, conduct weekly meetings, and larger Assemblies outside the shores of Nigeria.

BusinessDay reports that the event was a two- day conference tagged ” Naija Na Helele; Nigerian Pidgin in the Global local and in-between context “, held at the KAAF Auditorium, Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Ibadan

The conference was organised by the Naija Language Network in partnership with the Association of Nigerian Authors, Oyo Chapter and the Institute of French Research for Africa (IFRA-NIGERIA) together with 13 other partnering organizations including BBC – Pidgin.

Obasere Joseph and Comfort Okeiyi, Representatives of Jehovah’s Witnesses at the event, the Regional Spokesman for Jehovah’s Witnesses, Gill Adekannbi, led by the National Spokesman of the organisation, Olusegun Eroyemi, were the cynosure of all eyes.

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Among other dignitaries present at the epoch making event are the Dean, Faculty of Arts , University of Ibadan, Francis Egbokhare , Ben Ohi Elugbe , Solomon Oyetade ,all Professors the Executive Director , African Languages Technology Initiative , Tunde Adegbola , and members of the Nigerian Association of Authors.

Speaking at the unveiling of pidgin dictionary in Ibadan, Francis Egbokhare, a Professor of Linguistics at the Department of Linguistics and African Languages, University of Ibadan, highlighted the purpose of the conference, saying the objective of the Naija Na Helele Conference was to celebrate Nigerian Pidgin and to alert Nigerians about the value of Nigerian Pidgin in national development.

While expressing disappointment that Nigeria Pidgin was not accorded prominence by the authorities, Egbokhare noted with delight that Pidgin is fast becoming a language of international development, integration, language of commerce, of the informal market in the West African sector and beyond.

Speaking shortly after, the National Spokesman for Jehovah’s Witnesses in Nigeria, Olusegun Eroyemi revealed that translation work by Jehovah’s Witnesses started in 1879, and we have as an organization 140 years history in translation,interpreting various languages to advance Bible educational work in the language of the heart.

“In Nigeria, we translate into 32 languages and we’re still working on more, there are ongoing ones, especially some languages that are minority languages and we think that the people deserve access to our publications in all its formats. Yes, we have been translating for quite some time”, Eroyemi said.