Bishop Samuel Ajayi Crowther

I doff my hat for Ajayi Crowther.  Here is someone taken into slavery and completely brainwashed (not voluntarily).

He still found the need to connect with his mother tongue, translating English Bible to Yoruba (Bibeli Mimo).  He did this when he had lost touch with his root.

That was a yeoman’s job that needs to be applauded.  No matter which way it turned out, he deserves commendation.  Kudos AC!

Of course, expecting a perfect translation from him is to ignore his imperfect experience and transformation.

He had a consciousness that strived to keep his mother tongue alive in a society that was actively being Christianized!  Fantastic!

My question is: what do we say of generations that followed who refused to work and improve on what AC left behind? 

Inasmuch as I believe that the Bible could have been used to preserve the nuances, subtle distinctions and variations of Yoruba language, I feel all the generations of Yoruba sons and daughters that followed have been somewhat ‘lazy’, I am sorry to say. 

Till tomorrow, English Bible is actively been revised to bring it to the modern standard of English language

 and to remove its imperfections.  So what stops us from doing same with the Yoruba Bible translated by AC, while still preserving his effort as a way of keeping the historical developments alive. 

I do know that there are a couple of new versions of Yoruba Bible in the market. That is impressive.  We can do much more.

Rather that spotting the imperfections in AC’s translated Bible, let’s get to work to complement his effort by doing the needful, revising Bibeli Mimo!

Nobody will do it for us!  It is our job to do it.

#CustodianofYorubaTraditionandCulture