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THE STORY OF GOKANA LANGUAGE AND BIBLE TRANSLATION ORGANISATION:
HOW IT ALL STARTED

The Gokana Language and Bible Translation Project came into existence on the 11th day of January, 1986 at the Methodist Church Nveeol, Gokana of Rivers State, Nigeria, following a meeting of the  Christian Council of Nigeria, Gokana branch, now known as Christian Association of Nigeria (C. A. N), under the able chairmanship of Late Engr. L. T. Domkpee.  The body met on that faithful date to discuss some problems of the Christian body in Gokana,

In the process of discussion at the meeting, it was fathomed out that the issue of translation of the Bible into Gokana Language was very critical to the Gokana Christian community in order to checkmate the different shades of interpretation given to the Gospel by different interpreters in various denominations in Gokana, thereby creating division among the brethren. This was considered to be a serious problem that ought to be given immediate attention; therefore, a committee was formed on that very day at the end of the discussion with the mandate to embark on the project of Bible translation into Gokana Language.

The committee included:

Rev. A. K. Nodu, of First Baptist Church, K. Dere as Chairman.

Apostle B. Faara Vigo, The Apostolic Church, Bodo, as Vice Chairman.

Elder Joshua D. Bagya, The Apostolic Church, Nveeol, as the Secretary.

Other members were: Rev. B. N. Penu, Assemblies of God Church, K/Dere, Pastor E. K. Menegbo, The Apostolic Church, K. Dere, Elder D. N. Tee, Methodist Church, Biara, and Bro. L. T. Domkpee, Methodist Church, Mogho.

The committee then set to work by communicating with Nigeria Bible Translation   Trust (NBTT), Jos, for technical advice on how to set about such an all-involving task. As the committee was planning for the training of some people to acquire the skill of translation, God sent Rev. Michael A. Nicol, an American missionary of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod, U.S. A., to us in Gokana in January 1987. His arrival to Gokana for the work of Bible Translation became a booster to the existing translation Committee.

With the arrival of Rev. Mike A. Nicol, the committee was reorganized and assumed the name Gokana Language and Bible Translation Project. The committee then adopted a set of overall goals for the project which includes:

  1. LINGUISTIC: A sound linguistic basis for translation and literacy.
  2. BIBLE TRANSLATION: The Scripture translated accurately into readable, clear and natural meaningful Gokana language that will be used by the people of Gokana.
  3. LITERACY: A large proportion of the Gokana people to be able to read and write fluently in Gokana Language, and an ongoing programme for teaching others to read also.

Actual translation and literacy work began in February, 1989 after Rev. B. N. Penu and Mr. Steve K. Vobnu had been trained at Nigeria Bible Translation Trust (NBTT), Jos.  Then more people, such as Elder Tombari Nenbee, Rev. Dinebari S. D. Biira, Elder S. T. Baakel and Bro. Monday Tekin were also trained as translators.  Later in the same year 1989, some selected people representing different denominations of Churches in Gokana were trained as Reviewers.

In the same year, orthography was developed for the Gokana Language and presented to an enlarged forum of the Gokana elites and it was adopted and accepted as the Gokana Alphabet which serves as basic for any writing in the Gokana Language.

Then in 1991 three persons out all those who were trained as translators namely: Rev. B. N. Penu, Elder Tombari and Rev. Dinebari S. D. Biira were certified and officially commissioned to serve as the major translators of the Gokana New Testament, and the rest joined other trained reviewers to serve as reviewers, with Rev. Mike A Nicol as the Project Advisor, and Mr. Steve K. Vobnu was made the Literacy Coordinator. He served briefly, and later took an appointment with Nigeria Bible Translation Trust (NBTT), Jos to work as a staff of that organization.

The Gokana New Testament Reviewers included:

Gokana New Testament Reviewers

In he same year 1991, new officers were elected to serve on the translation committee. They are: Rev. A. K. Nodu, Chairman, Chief T. B. Orage, 1st Vice Chairman, Chief M. M. P. Tee, 2nd Vice Chairman, Elder Joshua D. Bagya, Secretary, Bro John M. Gbarabe, Assistant Secretary, Rev. E. G. Kogbara, Treasurer, Bro. B. S. Kpuinen, Financial Secretary, Rev. M. B. Needom, 1st Auditor, Pastor E. N. Kpandei, 2nd Auditor.

Under the leadership of this reorganized committee the following works were accomplished.

  1. Jiizos a Mea (A story of the birth of Jesus) was published. Other books also printed and published during the same period include:
  2. Suu Kpa Gokana (Gokana Alphabet Chart) .
  3. Reading and Writing Gokana.
  4. Le Kpea e a aa Ba Maak (The Gospel according St. Mark), and Bib e a kil boo Le Kpea e a aa Ba Maak,
  5. Naa e e Bugi Gokana (Gokana Literacy Book). All these works were launched in the year 1993.
  6. Aa zil Kpaa Lo Gokana (The Gokana New Testament) was finally completed and sent out to oversea for printing in the year 1995. Then later in the year 1997 on the 11th day of October, it was dedicated and launched, at Community primary school Bera.

 

During the period under review while the translation work on the Gokana New Testament was going on, one, Rev. Chuck Tessaro, an American Missionary, who was in charge of our neighbouring Eleme community New Testament translation work at the same period, was of great assistance to our work. He assisted Rev Mike A. Nicol in some technical issues from time to time.

 

Rev. Mike A. Nicol finally left Gokana, Nigeria, at the end of the Gokana New Testament translation work. But before he left, he urged Rev. Chuck Tessaro never to relent in his effort to always assist the Committee in any area he could be of help to the committee. Then in the year 1999, Rev. Chuck Tessaro encouraged the committee to forge ahead to embark on the translation of the Old Testament to enable the Gokana people have a complete Bible in Gokana language. The idea was welcomed by the committee, and Rev. Dinebari S. D. Biira was contacted as an experienced translator who took part in the translation of the New Testament, and was mandated to commence the translation of the names of the Old Testament Bible characters.

 

Following the death of Elder Joshua Bagya, the former Secretary of the body, and the transfer of some other notable members of the committee from Gokana to outside areas, the Committee was reorganized again, and the following people emerged as the new executive members. They are:

Rev. A. K. Nodu, retained as the Chairman, Pastor B. A. Kaale, Vice Chairman, Pastor A K. Bornu, Secretary, Elder G. S. Goteh, Assistant Secretary,  Rev. E. G. Kogbara, retained as Treasurer, Mr. P. N. Gbarazeghe, Financial Secretary, Hon. Anthony Miitee, P. R. O., with Rev. Chuck Tessaro as the new project Advisor.  Later on in the year 2005, due to the ineffective performance of the Secretary, Pastor A. K. Bornu, and the transfer of the Treasurer, Rev. E. G. Kogbara, from Gokana to a far area, another election was held at the Apostolic Church Kpor to replace the two men in the executive. Then Rev. Gbarazeghe Tee of the Methodist Church Biara, was elected as the Secretary, and Elder Levi Kogbaala of the Lutheran Church Barako was elected to serve as the treasurer of the body. 

 

In order to commence the work of translating the Old Testament, two more people; Rev. A. K. Nodu and Elder J. K. Bema  were trained to join with Rev. Dinebari S. D. Biira to serve as the team of Old Testament translators. These men swung in to action and began the translation work of the Old Testament in to Gokana Language. The three translators namely Rev. Dinebari S. D. Biira, Rev A. K. Nodu and Elder J. K. Bema, together with the Literacy coordinator Mr. Steve K. Vobnu were sent to Nigeria Bible Translation Trust, Jos, in conjunction with Home for Bible Translators Meverseret, Jerusalem in Israel, to study Biblical Hebrew. Out of the four, Rev. Dinebari S. D. Biira was recommended by the organizations at the end of their studies due to his excellence performance to further his study at the Hebrew University Jerusalem in order to obtain a post graduate certificate in Biblical Hebrew and Bible Translation. This he did successfully and returned to Nigeria in the year 2001 to continue his assignment with the Gokana Language and Bible Translation Project. These men, the translators, were also trained in Applied Linguistic at Nigeria Bible Translation Trust, Jos, in conjunction with the University of Jos, Nigeria. They also attended several workshops and seminars organized by the Nigeria Bible Translation Trust (NBTT), Jos, and the Bible Society of Nigeria (BSN), among which are: BSN seminar on Bible Translation Work in Nigeria in the year 2003, NBTT Proverbs Workshop, Amos Workshop, Leviticus Workshop, Isaiah Workshop, Ezekiel Workshop, Computer and Paratext workshops etc.

 

The committee also sent Mr. Baridomale Naasi and Elder Cletus Dooh to attend a scripture use workshop at NBTT Jos, in the year 2006 to train them to head the scripture use team, who were charged with the responsibility of organizing classes from community to community and church to church teaching people how to use the printed materials, especially the Gokana New Testament, for their maximum satisfaction. And Rev. Dinebari S. D. Biira was also trained as a trainee consultant in Old Testament translation in the year 2014, a programme that was put in place by the Seed Company and Nigeria Bible Translation Trust, Jos, aiming at raising indigenous African Bible translation Consultants in order to meet up with the vision 2025.

 

The translators were able to produce a good amount of translated materials ready for review, then the reviewers group was also reorganized to commence the work of review on the Gokana Old Testament, and the following people came on board to serve as the Reviewers of the Gokana Old Testament which is in progress now. The Old Testament drafts that have been reviewed so far include the book of Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zachariah, Malachi and Psalm.

The Gokana Old Testament Reviewers included:

Since the commencement of the translation of the Old Testament in the year 2000 till date, there have been some tremendous achievements made by the translation committee as well as some setbacks that the organization has suffered. Some of the achievements so far realized included:

  1. Translation of more than sixty percent (60%), at least first draft, of the Old Testament into the Gokana Language.
  2. Production of Gokana New Testament Audio CDs.
  3. Translation and printing of a story book captioned, ‘How Isael Began.’
  4. Developing of more literacy materials, such as; ‘Naa e e bugi Gokana Book 2’

    ‘Nda Mee?’ ‘Kpa Kina Bel Gokana’ and ‘Kpa log Gokana’ all yet to be printed.

  1. Reprinting and Re dedication of more five thousand copies of the Gokana New Testament in the year 2012.
  2. Production and dedication of Gokana Jesus firm between 2015 and 2017.
  3. Organizing and conducting series of scripture use and language development workshops from community to community and church to church.

On the other hand we have also suffered some setbacks that had dragged the foot of the organization backward not allowing the project to finish its works within the stipulated time we hoped to finish it. One of these setbacks is the problem of insecurity in the entire Niger Delta and Gokana in particular which led to the departure of the project consultant Rev. Chuck Tessaro, an American Missionary, from the Niger Delta to another part of the country where he considers safer. Another setback is the death of some prominent members of the body. In fact, almost more than two third members of the executive committee are late as at the time of this writing. Among whom are:

Rev. A. K. Nodu, the former Chairman of the body.  Mr. Steve K. Vobnu, former one time Literacy Coordinator and a translator, Mr. Levi Korgbaara, former treasurer of the body, Rev. A. K. Bornu and Elder G. S. Goteh, Secretary and Assistant Secretary respectively, Elder J. D. Paago, Rev M. B. Dooh and Pastor I. I. Kelenvin, Reviewers. Others are: Mr. P. N. Gbarazeghe, former financial Secretary, Mr. John Gbarabe, one time assistant Secretary and Elder J. K. Bema, Translator and Project Administration.

In keeping with the promise of God to the Church that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it, God had in his infinite mercy and love never fail to provide the Gokana Language and Bible Translation Project with grace to accomplish the assignment or task that He the Almighty had set before her to actualize it. In spite of all the challenges the body had faced God has been helping the organization to profer solutions to its numerous problems by bringing new people on board from time to time. In the year 2012, the body signed an MOU with the Nigeria Bible Translation Trust (NBTT), Jos, to affiliate with it. Then Pastor B. A. Kaale, the Vice Chairman was officially made the acting chairman of the body following the vacuum that the death of former chairman, Rev A. K. Nodu had created in that office. He acted in that capacity until when the communal clash between Deeyor community and his community Deken incapacitated him from his service to the organization, and the treasurer, Elder Levi Korgbaara deputized him during those periods of his absence until the cool hand of death snatched him early in 2015. 

Following the signing of Memorandum of Understanding with Nigeria Bible Translation Trust and the Gokana Language and Bible Translation Project in the year 2012, a new team of Translators was constituted. They are: Rev. Dinebari S. D. Biira, Senior Translator and Project Coordinator, Elder J. K. Bema, Translator and Project Administrator, Mr. Steve K. Vobnu, Translator and Deacon Baridomale Naasi, Translator. Elder Cletus Dooh was appointed Literacy Coordinator for the Project and Bro Poi Christopher as Sales Manager.

In order to overcome that ugly incident that claimed the life of Elder Levi Korgbaara, in the year 2016, the body approached Prof. G. Gbaanaador, who had been supportive to the project right from the time of its New Testament work till date, to come and head the organization which lacked headship as at then, and he yielded after his consultation with his God and family.

Then on 25th day of August, 2016, an official election was conducted following an open invitation that was sent out to almost churches in Gokana, and the following people emerged as the new executive members of the Gokana Language Bible Translation Project (GLBTP).  They are:  Prof G. Gbaanaador, Chairman, Pastor B. A. Kaale, retained as Vice Chairman, Elder Firima Joseph, Secretary, Elder G. B. Goteh, Assistant Secretary, Pastor Court Zorol, Financial Secretary, Deacon Moses Akpen, Treasurer, Hon Anthony Miitee, P. R. O, Elder Gbaranen Kanyoone, member, Bishop[ M. B. Needom and Madam Mary A. K. Nodu as ex officials, with Rev. Dinebari S. D. Biira as the Project Coordinator.

Of recent, the body also constituted an Evangelism and Enlightenment Committee headed by Deacon Lucky Sugu of the Assemblies of God Church Biara. Other members include Deacon Baridomale Naasi, in charge of technical,

Elder Anthony Bete, member, Sisister Mary Jel, member, Bro Baritema Monday, member and Deacon Moses Akpen, Treasurer.

APPRECIATION

There are some individuals and illustrious sons of Gokana who have contributed  immensely in one way or the other to the success of the work of Gokana Bible translation and language development which we are having at hand ,whom we cannot fail to appreciate.

Among whom are: 1. Hon. Victor Giadom who during his tenure as the Chairman of Gokana Local Government Council, encouraged the primary schools in Gokana to study the Gokana language. He purchased hundred of copies of Naa e bugi Gokana and donated it to all schools in the area.

  1. Hon. Deemua Ledee Deemua, during his own tenure also as the Gokana Local Government Council Chairman, he provided an office accommodation for the project within the Local Government Council Secretariat, and also provided financial assistance to the project to meet up with several challenges of the body, especially, in the area of transporting trainees to and fro Jos to attend one workshop or the other.
  2. Elder Friday Bema. He assisted the body to transport the Gokana Jesus Film actors to Abakaliki in Ebonyi State where the recording of the film was carried out.
  3. Bro. Anthony Kpakol. He also sponsored the production of the Gokana Jesus Film together with our current chairman of the organization in the person of Prof. G. Gbaanaador. We pray Almighty God to richly reward every one of you who had in one way or the other contributed to the success of this enormous task of Gokana Bible Translation in Jesus’ name. Amen.

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