NBTT chief seeks local investment in Bible translation into indigenous languages

The Executive Director of the Nigeria Bible Translation Trust (NBTT), Mrs Patience Markus Toma, has called for increased local investment in Bible translation, expressing concern that about 95 per cent of funding for the organisation’s projects comes from outside Nigeria.

Toma said greater support from individuals, communities and other local stakeholders was needed to sustain and expand Bible translation projects across the country.

She spoke with journalists on the sidelines of the 50th anniversary celebration of the NBTT in Jos, Plateau State, where she identified inadequate local funding as a major constraint on the organisation’s work.

According to her, the heavy reliance on foreign donors, particularly those from Western countries, was a source of concern, given the need for Nigerian communities to take greater responsibility for preserving and developing their indigenous languages.

“We cannot do translation without money. The task of translation is enormous and capital-intensive. I therefore implore Nigerians, particularly individuals and communities whose languages are being developed, to take greater responsibility for funding the work,” she said.

Toma explained that Bible translation required sustained investment in training translators, linguists, consultants and literacy workers, among other essential resources.

She also warned that the decline of indigenous languages made it increasingly urgent to invest in their preservation through documentation, literacy programmes and translation initiatives.

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The NBTT executive director said the organisation had helped several language communities develop writing systems, enabling speakers to read and write in their mother tongues.

She further highlighted the challenges posed by insecurity in some communities, which could complicate efforts to reach language groups and sustain translation activities.

In his address, the President of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), Reverend Job Ayuba Bagat Mallam, described Bible translation as an important part of God’s missionary purpose, saying it helped remove language barriers that could prevent people from hearing, understanding and responding to the gospel.

Mallam said the work of the NBTT went beyond translating words from one language to another, as it involved communicating the Christian message in ways that people could understand within their linguistic and cultural contexts.

He added that the organisation’s work represented participation in God’s redemptive mission among different peoples.