Group Decries Killing Of Bible Translators In Rural Communities

The Nigeria Bible Translation Trust (NBTT) has raised the alarm over the impact of insecurity on Bible translation in Nigeria.

NBTT SAID some translators have been killed while carrying out their work in rural communities.

During the activities marking the organisation’s 50th anniversary, yesterday, in Jos, Plateau State,  its executive director, Patience Toma, told newsmen that insecurity had disrupted Bible translation efforts, forced residents to flee their communities and left some displaced persons taking refuge in internally displaced persons (IDP’) camps.

Toma, however, said the organisation did not have official statistics on the number of translators killed, stressing that the prevailing security challenges had continued to threaten efforts to make the Bible accessible to Nigerians in their indigenous languages.

“We have translators working in rural communities, and insecurity has affected the work in those areas. Some translators have been killed, although we do not have official statistics on the number of casualties.

“I call  on the federal government to strengthen security, particularly in rural communities where translators and language development workers operate,” she said.

“Government needs to improve security and ensure that security personnel are deployed across rural communities to protect lives and enable translators to continue their work,” Toma said.

The NBTT executive director said the organisation was also facing inadequate funding and a shortage of translators, consultants and linguists, despite the enormous need for Bible translation and language development across the country.

“Approximately 95 per cent of the resources for Bible translation in Nigeria come from outside the country, largely from Western nations,” she said.

Toma expressed concern over what she described as insufficient support from Nigerians and local institutions, urging churches and other stakeholders to demonstrate greater commitment to funding Bible translation.

“We need Nigerians, churches and local institutions to show greater interest in supporting Bible translation. It is important that we take responsibility for the languages and communities that we serve,” she said.

She said Nigeria had more than 600 minority languages, many of which still required attention in Bible translation and language development.

“There are more than 600 minority languages in Nigeria, and many of them still need attention. We have helped develop writing systems for some languages so that people can read and write in their mother tongues,” she said.

On the role of technology, Toma urged mission agencies to embrace digital technology and artificial intelligence (AI) to communicate the gospel more effectively to younger generations.

“Social media and digital technology, including artificial intelligence, have come to stay. We must learn to use them positively to reach the younger generation through languages and formats they understand,” she said.

Reflecting on the organisation’s 50 years of work, Toma said the golden jubilee was not merely a celebration of past achievements but a reminder of the unfinished task of making the Scriptures accessible to Nigerians in languages they understand best.

“The future of Bible translation cannot depend upon those who began the work 50 years ago.”

“We need the next generation as leaders, as IT gurus, as missionaries. We need them as well,” she said.

She added, “There are still languages requiring development and documentation. There are still literacy programmes to strengthen.” There are still emerging technologies to embrace. There are still churches and communities to equip for deeper engagement in Scripture.”

Toma said the organisation’s achievements over the years had been made possible by the sacrifices of translators, linguists, literacy workers, missionaries, volunteers, churches, donors and language communities.

“This jubilee is therefore a celebration of the men and women who over five decades have given their time, their knowledge, their skills, their prayers, resources and lives to the cause of Bible translation,” she said.

The NBTT executive director urged stakeholders to build on the organisation’s achievements, stressing that the task of translating the Bible into more Nigerian languages remained unfinished.

“We must not only preserve the legacy we have inherited; we must build upon it,” she said.

Toma added, “Fifty years have come and gone, but the mission continues. The first 50 years have given us a foundation. The next 50 years must give us a future.”

Also speaking, the President of the Evangelical Church Winning All, ECWA, Rev. Job Ayuba Bagat Mallam, described Bible translation as a testimony to God’s faithfulness and a significant contribution to advancing the gospel in Nigeria and beyond.

He said the work was rooted in the Christian mission of ensuring that people from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds could understand and respond to the gospel.

“How can people really create an encounter, understand and respond to the gospel if the Word of God remains inaccessible to them in the language they can understand?” Mallam asked.

The ECWA president commended the pioneering missionaries, translators, church leaders and partner organisations that laid the foundation for Bible translation in Nigeria.

“As we celebrate 50 years, we must pause to say, ‘Ebenezer, thus far the Lord has helped us.’ We therefore acknowledge with gratitude the pioneering missionaries, translators, lay missionaries, church leaders, supporters and partner organisations who laid the foundations and sustained this ministry through the years,” he said.

Mallam cautioned against allowing the anniversary to become merely a celebration of past achievements, noting that changes in communication and technology had created fresh demands for Bible translation.

“When we celebrate the past, we must not become prisoners of the past. Fifty years is a milestone, but it is not a destination,” he said.

He added, “The world is changing rapidly. Languages are changing. Technology is transforming communication. The younger generation is accessing information through digital platforms, while communities that were once geographically isolated are increasingly interconnected.”

Mallam urged NBTT and its partners to take advantage of these developments to make Bible translation more accessible to younger people and communities that had yet to benefit fully from the work.

“The task ahead is therefore enormous. And here I would encourage NBTT not merely to ask, ‘What have we accomplished?’ but also to ask, ‘What is God calling us to accomplish in the next 50 years? He said.

He reaffirmed ECWA’s commitment to working with NBTT and other partners to advance Bible translation, strengthen evangelism and deepen Christian discipleship.