The Jehovah’s Witnesses, a religious denomination will on Saturday 6 July 2024, commission a new office complex dedicated to Isoko translation in Oyede, Isoko North local government area of Delta State.
The new 3,926 square-meter facility is expected to accommodate 14 translators and “will allow for greater collaboration and provide translators with the resources they need in a centralized location.”
This was disclosed in a statement signed by the spokesman for Jehovah’s Witnesses, Endurance Ologe which was made available to newsmen.
According to the statement, the facility’s purpose is to break language barriers by providing people with educational and Bible-based publications in Isoko language.
“This initiative of translating free publications benefits the entire area because it allows for information to be available in Isoko language.”
“This contributes to the development and education of the approximately 700,000 Isoko speakers in Nigeria, as well as aiding in the preservation of the language. Jehovah’s Witnesses are excited about this linguistical contribution to society.
“The Isoko people are one of the ethnic groups in Nigeria. They are mainly settled in the Niger Delta part of the country. Of the more than 8,800,000 Jehovah’s Witnesses all over the world, more than 400,000 reside in Nigeria.
“Since 1958, the difficult work of Isoko translation has been carried out by an accomplished group of local volunteers – mostly all native speakers – to ensure the highest quality translation possible.
“Unlike automatic translation software, the translators consider all the nuanced aspects of the culture to achieve a clear and natural translation.
“So far, the team has completed the translation of hundreds of printed books as well as the Isoko Bible, brochures and audio publications in addition to digital and video publications that can be downloaded, at no cost, from the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ official website, www.jw.org”, the statement reads.
The Isoko people are one of the ethnic groups in Nigeria and they are mainly settled in the Niger Delta part of the country.