Jehovah's Witnesses to open new Isoko language Bible translation centre in Delta state

4 months ago 7

Jehovah's Witnesses opened a new 3,926 square-meter office complex for Isoko translation in Oyede, Delta State, on July 6, 2024
The facility aims to break down language barriers by providing educational and Bible-based publications in the Isoko language
According to Endurance Ologe, the local spokesman for Jehovah's Witnesses, this initiative, initiative is to benefit around 700,000 Isoko speakers in Nigeria and aid in language preservation

Delta state—The Jehovah's Witnesses, a religious denomination, inaugurated a new office complex dedicated to Isoko translation this Saturday, July 6, 2024, in Oyede, Isoko North Local Government Area of Delta State.

The 3,926 square-meter facility is designed to house 14 translators, facilitating enhanced collaboration and providing them with necessary resources in a centralized location.

Jehovah's Witnesses translation facility in Delta state

As reported by The Punch, this information was shared in a statement by Endurance Ologe, the local spokesman for Jehovah's Witnesses, and distributed to journalists in Warri on Tuesday, June 3.

This was as the JW released a revised New World Translation in Igbo in 2021, as cited on its website.

The Isoko people, an ethnic group in Nigeria, predominantly reside in the Niger Delta region of the country.

The statement further highlighted that the facility aims to break down language barriers by offering educational and Bible-based publications in the Isoko language.

The statement partly reads:

“This initiative supports the development and education of the approximately 700,000 Isoko speakers in Nigeria and helps preserve their language. Jehovah’s Witnesses are enthusiastic about this linguistic contribution to society.“The Isoko people are one of Nigeria’s ethnic groups, primarily residing in the Niger Delta region. Out of the over 8,800,000 Jehovah’s Witnesses worldwide, more than 400,000 are in Nigeria.“Since 1958, the challenging task of translating Isoko has been undertaken by a skilled group of local volunteers, most of whom are native speakers, to ensure the highest quality translation.“Unlike automatic translation software, these translators consider all the cultural nuances to achieve a clear and natural translation.“To date, the team has translated hundreds of printed books, the Isoko Bible, brochures, and audio publications."