Ibadan, the ancient capital of Oyo State is set to host the first ever conference on Nigerian Pidgin, with Jehovah's Witnesses featuring an exhibition that will showcase their efforts in translating God's Word into Pidgin and other indigenous languages spoken in different continents including Africa where Jehovah's Witnesses have has achieved the milestone in over 300 languages.
Holding from October 2-3 2024 , the Conference themed: Naija Na Helele -Nigerian Pidgin in the Global, local and in-between contexts will open at 9am prompt at the KAAF Auditorium, Department of Human Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Ibadan.
This maiden conference is being 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.
Speaking with newsmen on the Exhibition which will feature at the Naija na Helele Conference from October 2-3, the Regional Spokesperson of Jehovah's Witnesses, Professor Gill Adekannbi said the exhibition is part of the community outreach for Bible educational interventions facilitated through the efforts of volunteer translators located at the Remote Translation Offices of Jehovah's Witnesses.
He further noted that the Exhibition will provide participants a rare opportunity to have an inside story of the translation efforts of Jehovah's Witnesses over the past three decades.
Describing the Exhibition, Professor Adekannbi noted that there will be a rich multi-media display of literature and videos in different Nigerian languages, including Nigerian Sign Language.
" The Exhibition will highlight the impact of these provisions on many lives as way of breaking down language barriers. This is part of the broader efforts made by the witnesses to promote literacy, meaningful living, and strong relationships with God and others", he stated.
Also, the Convener of the Naija na Helele Conference, Francis Egbokhare, a Professor of Linguistics at the Department of Linguistics and African Languages, University of Ibadan, disclosed that the conference will bring all stakeholders together to contribute to the growth and development of Nigeria Pidgin language under an umbrella body and association.
Professor Egbokhare who spoke in Nigerian Pidgin said " The reason why we dey do this one na to let una know say na Naija, wey be Nigerian Pidgin ,we don dey work for this, e don reach many years. Una fit know too say na the biggest language for Naija, na im be Nigerian Pidgin and the language don carry, e don reach different levels.
" People dey use am dey sing , people dey use am dey yan, people dey use am dey act play, government self dey use am do im own work , and e don reach time make we give this language im own position, to give am the respect wey the language deserve. So , na im we talk say make we gather people together. And the join body wey dey draw people together na im we dey call Naija Language Network .
Una fit dey ask say why we dey call this thing Naija, why we no dey call am Pidgin, una suppose know say sometimes , some people dey say na broken, some go call am rotten English but that one no be true because e get some people wey dey yan this language as their mother tongue , na im be the first language wey dem learn . And many part of the country now na the only language when people dey fit dey nag body , dey talk with one another, whether you go barrack , or you go for motor-park or you go for market , all over the country, no body fit talk say this na the language wey them get am , e don become national language.
" So, na im we come talk say if them get a language wey dey join people like this for country people for Nigeria wey people dey even dey use dey crack joke , dey use dey enjoy themselves, dey raise their minds , dey make themselves happy , e good make we call that language, im name wey fit am , na im we say wetin be that name wey fit this language , na the name wey Nigeria people dey call themselves .
" So , na Naija we dey call am now . We get one join body wey we dey call Naija Language Network of people wey dey work on Nigerian Pidgin, so we wan make una come join us , we wan do one conference, wey we go bring everybody wey get interest. No be only the people wey dey do akada work, not only people wey dey do big big grammar but also people wey dey use Naija Pidgin do jolly jolly , wey dey use am dey sing, wey dey do comedy , so wan make we come come together, make really look how we go carry this language go where e suppose to dey ."