Events

 Bible Reading Marathon is here agian!!

Venue: Lagos, at 47 different centres simultaneously

Date: Monday 13th – 17th September, 2010

Time: 9.00a.m – 5.00p.m daily

 

 

 

Bible Society Organizes Bible Reading Marathon

All is now set for this year’s edition of Bible Reading Marathon being organized by The Bible Society of Nigeria [BSN].

The programme is scheduled to take place in Lagos from Monday 13th – 17th September, 2010 from 9.00a.m – 5.00p.m daily at 47 different centres simultaneously.

The unique feature of this programme is that it gives the participants opportunity to read the Bible aloud in their own native languages. Bibles in different languages such as English, Isoko, Igala, Yoruba, Efik, Igbo, Hausa, Nupe, Khana, Urhobo, Fulfude, Jju, Bokyi, Edo, Arabic, Tiv, Itsekiri, Kanuri, among others will be on display for the participants to choose from.

 

Participants who should be Christians irrespective of denomination, age or sex will have a three-fold joy by participating. They will have the joy of reading the Bible in their languages, help someone else hear the word of God in a new way and join others in continuous reading of the Bible. Admission into the programme is free.

The Bible Society of Nigeria is a non-profit-making interdenominational Christian organization that translates the Bible into local languages, publishes, distributes and raises funds for Bible work. So far we have complete Bible in 19 Nigerian Languages, the New Testament in 60 local languages and one book or another in 98 languages. She gives Bibles free to old peoples’ homes and orphanages, the visually impaired, prisoners and women of easy virtue, among others.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bible Society donates Bibles to riot victims

The Bible Society of Nigeria has donated a total of 1,000 copies of the Bible to the victims of the Boko Haram sectarian crisis that engulfed Maiduguri, Borno State last year.

Making the presentation of the Bibles [ 500 copies each of Hausa and English Bibles] on 9th May, 2010 at Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa Nigeria [E.Y.N. LCC] Wulari, Maiduguri, the General Secretary/CEO of The Bible Society of Nigeria, Rev Dr. Fred Odutola told the recipients that  BSN donated the Bibles to share in their grief and loss during the crisis. He encouraged them with the Scripture which enjoins Christians to rejoice when being persecuted for Christ’s sake. Rev Dr. Odutola said that since they could not revenge or carry arms because of their faith, they were left with no option than to commit their trials to God. He charged them not to be discouraged, but continue to preach the Word of God. Continuing, he said that BSN is a servant to the Church by making the Bible available for evangelism. He thanked those who donate to BSN for making such Bible donation possible.

 

Responding, the beneficiaries thanked The Bible Society of Nigeria for the gesture. According to Mr. Kefas Andrew, one the recipients, many people lost their property including Bibles during the crisis and could not replace them immediately. He thanked BSN for helping them replace their Bibles which he described as a spiritual antidote.
It will be recalled that two Pastors were killed, many other people wounded and 33 Churches burnt during the crisis. Representatives of the 33 Churches that were affected by the crisis received the Bibles on their behalf. The Churches that benefited from the gesture included: Elijah Apostolic Christ Church, National Evangelical Mission International, Deeper Life Bible Church, The Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Movement, Celestial Church of Christ, St. Michael’s Catholic Church, Church of Christ in Nigeria [COCIN], Good News Church, Christ for all Ministry, Total Gospel Mission and 23 others.
The programme was attended by Dr. Aaron Nuhu, a NEC member representing Borno/Yobe Area, Chairman BSN Borno/Yobe Area, Engr. Mshelia Dauda, Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria [CAN] Borno State Chapter, Rev Yaguda Ndavar, FCBH Coordinator, North, Akinsanjo Ogunlowo, among others.

 

This Bible prize is worth more than billions of Naira

                                    -Oladeji Boade, Bible quiz winner

Mr. Oladeji Boade, one of the winners of the Bible quiz competition being organized by The Bible Society of Nigeria in partnership with Nigerian Compass, has described his Bible prize as, “worth more than billions of naira.”
Mr. Boade, who was among the nine other winners that won the Bible quiz competition for the month of March, 2010, said this after receiving his Bible prize at the BSN Conference Room on 22nd April, 2010.
Presenting the Bible prizes to the winners, the Assistant General Secretary, Operations & Programmes, BSN, Rev Dare Ajiboye who represented the General Secretary/CEO, Rev Dr. Fred Odutola, said that BSN embarked on the Bible quiz campaign to encourage people to read their Bibles.  He charged the winners to be a positive influence in their environments, adding that the role of the Bible and the Church could not be underestimated. “The Bible will make a significant impact in our lives if we take time to read it,” he added.
The other winners are: Michael Bello from Abuja, Olufemi Jeremiah from Lokoja, Kogi State, Ayoade Bamidele Sam from Ibadan, Oyo State, Oni Damilola from Ile-Ife,  Senu Paul, Dorcas Ojediran, Okechukwu Umuzuruike and Oyedele Adebayo all from Lagos State.
Explaining how the winners emerged, the Youths/Programmes Officer of The Bible Society of Nigeria, Miss Olayinka Moka said that three out of the highest scorers per week are selected through a lucky dip. Olufemi Jeremiah was the only candidate that took part in the competition in the fourth week of the month and having scored the pass mark, he won for the week.
The winners thanked The Bible Society of Nigeria and Nigerian Compass for the opportunity given to them to participate in the ongoing Bible quiz. The three winners that turned up to receive their Bibles were: Oladeji Boade, Senu Paul and De Lawrence Okechukwu who was represented by De Lawrence Vivian. The prizes for the winners outside Lagos have been sent to them.
 

Please help! We need Braille Bibles

Mrs. Agatha Omotoke Tijani and Mr. Stanley Theophilus have cried out asking for provision of Braille Bibles.
Mrs. Tijani, a Teacher, and Theophilus, a student, both at the Vocational School for the Blind, Oshodi made their feelings known on 15th February, 2010 when a combined team of Staff of the British and Foreign Bible Society, U.K.  and The Bible Society of Nigeria visited the school. They spoke the minds of millions of other blind people scattered in different parts of the country.
Mrs. Tijani, who is 35 years old and a mother of four children, lost her sight at the age of four. According to her, her parents were contemplating on whether to poison her or keep her incommunicado until somebody advised they take her to the Pacelli School for the Blind, Surulere. She beams continually with smiles and does not agree that she is blind. This is because she has been trained to do virtually most of the things sighted people can do. For, example, she is Teacher. “Nobody is blind, we are only challenged,” she said. Mrs. Tijani was born into a Muslim family, but became a Christian 13 years ago. Having learnt how to read Braille material, she has been denied unhindered access to the Word of God as she does not have Braille Bible of her own. Although copies are available in her school, she wants her personal copies which she can read anytime she desires.

 

 

Pastor Carol Akiwumi of the British and Foreign Bible Society who was part of the team that visited the school was so touched by Tijani’s story that she gave her the only copy of Gospel of Luke in Braille with her. This she received with excitement. Similarly, Stanley Theophilus, who is a student in the school, also desires to have his own copies of the Braille Bible.  He wants to further his education and become a radio presenter. Mr. Theophilus became a Christian in 1997, but does not have Braille Bible either.
Stanley Theophilus and Agatha Tijani are speaking the minds of hundreds of thousands of other blind people who desire Braille Scriptures, but do not have them. BSN has been providing Braille Bibles and other Braille Christian literatures free of charge to schools for the blind across the country. Unfortunately, she is not able to meet the demand because the need is much. If you desire to partner with The Bible Society of Nigeria on making Braille Bibles available for the blind, please contact the General Secretary/CEO at the Bible House, 18, Wharf Road, Apapa, Lagos.

 

 

Bible Society honours  Sadela, Amaga, Akpoyibo, Demuren

The 110-year-old world’s oldest Preacher and Founder of Gospel Apostolic Church Worldwide, Rev Samuel Sadela and Lagos State Police Commissioner, Mr. Marvel Akpoyibo, are among the personalities to be honoured by The Bible Society of Nigeria.

Other awardees are: Dr. Harold Demuren, Director General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority and Archbishop Dr. Sam Amaga, General Overseer of Foundation Faith Church Worldwide. They will all receive the Prestigious Bible Award of the Special Members’ Forum of The Bible Society of Nigeria on 1st July, 2010 at the Shell Hall, Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos.

This year’s Award ceremony, which is divided into Clergy and Professional categories, is part of events marking the 6th Annual Luncheon of Special Members’ Forum of The Bible Society of Nigeria. The occasion will afford The Bible Society of Nigeria the opportunity to brief the public on how far Bible work has progressed in Nigeria, raise fund to support same and as well honour those who have been supporting the Bible cause.

 

 

The theme for this year’s edition is: “Whither Nigeria at Jubilee?” The Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Mrs. Sarah Sosan is the Special Guest of Honour while the event will be chaired by Sir Chief Oluremi Omotosho. The Guest Speaker is Deacon Gamaliel Onosode and a former Head of State and Patron of The Bible Society of Nigeria, General Dr. Yakubu Gowon is Father of the Day.

The Bible Society of Nigeria is a non-profit-making interdenominational Christian organization that translates the Bible into local languages, publishes, distributes and raises funds for the Bible work. So far we have complete Bible in 19 Nigerian Languages, the New Testament in 60 local languages and one book or another in 98 languages. She gives Bibles free to old peoples’ homes and orphanages, the visually impaired, prisoners and women of easy virtue, among others.

 

 

  Bible Society Celebrates Bible Week

The Bible Society of Nigeria [BSN] has set aside 3rd – 9th May, 2010 for all users of the Bible to celebrate the Bible Week throughout the country.
The theme for this year’s celebration, which is an annual event of BSN, is: “The year of Jubilee.” The weeklong celebration will feature lectures, Bible quiz, debates, exchange of pulpit and prayers among other programmes.

Bible week celebration is organized yearly to raise consciousness for Bible work in Nigeria, offer prayers and as well raise fund to support the Bible translation, publishing and distribution efforts of The Bible Society of Nigeria.
The organization does not get subsidy outside Nigeria. For over 10 years now, she has worked hard to execute her plans due to internal support of Nigerian Christians and corporate organizations. In Africa, it is only The Bible Society of Nigeria [BSN], The Bible Society of Kenya and The Bible Society of South Africa [BSSA] that are self supporting, the more reason why we count on the support of Nigerian Christians.
The Bible Society of Nigeria is a non-profit-making interdenominational Christian organization that translates the Bible into local languages, publishes, distributes and raises funds for the Bible work. So far we have complete Bible in 19 Nigerian Languages, the New Testament in 60 local languages and one book or another in 98 languages. She gives Bibles free to old peoples’ homes and orphanages, the visually impaired, prisoners and women of easy virtue, among others.

 

Work on Tiv Bible reaches advanced stage

The translation work on Tiv Bible, Icighan Bibilo, has reached its final stages after 18 years. The translation project started in 1991.
The Tiv speaking people with a population of about eight million are predominantly Christians. They are found mostly in Benue, Taraba, Nasarawa, Plateau and Cross River States in Nigeria. They had a Bible in their local language in 1964, but the Bible no longer meets the need of today’s Tiv speaking people. According to the two translators: Rev Peter Azuana and Rev Zechariah Bum who are working on the project, the old edition was literally translated from the King James Version. This has made some words and expressions difficult to understand by the people especially the younger ones in addition to its grave accuracy problems.. The Bible is therefore now being revised.
The work is at its final stages as the Translators are effecting the corrections made by the Translations Consultant, the Late Dr. David Moomo. Thereafter, the final checking will be done before the Bible is published. Explaining the rigorous nature of the work and the approach adopted, Rev Azuana said that each of the Translators would revise a particular book of the Bible after which they are exchanged and criticized following the guiding translation principles. These are printed and distributed among the Reviewers who in most cases will make their input.  The corrected copy is therefore printed and sent to the Translation Consultant for checking. If there are any corrections, the Translators will effect them before they move to another book of the Bible.
The Tiv people, according to the Translators, are enthusiastically waiting for the completion of the project. They are looking forward to when they would hold the Bible in their hands.
It costs The Bible Society of Nigeria a minimum of N30m to finish a translation project. Besides Tiv, eleven other translation projects are ongoing at the moment. They are: Bura, Ebira, Efik, Etsako, Hausa, Idoma, Igede and Isoko. Others are: Igala, Kalabari and Okirika.

Bible Reading Marathon: Entire Bible read in five days!

The 2009 Bible Reading Marathon organized by The Bible Society of Nigeria has recorded an unprecedented feat in the history of the programme since its inception.
Participants at Christ Apostolic Church, Ile-Ibukun, Alagbado, Lagos, one of the centres used for the programme read the entire Bible in five days. In fact they completed it and started again from Matthew. The New Testament was finished in one day the first time.
Perhaps in response to the announcement made in the media, radio and newspapers, handbills, posters and all the 47 participating Churches, people came out in large number to read the Bible. The number of participants turning up to read at Christ Apostolic Church, Ile-Ibukun made it practically impossible to allow everyone to read one after the other from one single point. The queue was so long that  it could take hours before some people could read. This development prompted the centre coordinator to create several other points and appoint other coordinators for each of the emergency centres. A total of 248 people – the highest so far recorded from one single centre – read at the centre.
At Evangelical Church of West Africa [ECWA], Ibukun Baruwa, Ipapja, Lagos, another spiritual dimension was added to the programme by participants. After each person has read, the participants would pray using prayer points from the passages read.
Bible Reading Marathon is an annual, non-competitive Bible reading exercise that allows people irrespective of age, status, sex or profession to read the Bible aloud publicly in different languages. It is organized to provide a platform for people to interact with the Word of God.  Bibles in different Nigerian Languages were made available in all the centres for participants to choose from. Such languages included: Hausa, Igbo, Efik, Yoruba and Edo.
The large and unprecedented turn out last year was an indication of the acceptability of the programme. Bible Reading Marathon has become a unifying factor for Christians in Lagos as the participants cut cross different denominations. In 2005 and 2006, only a total of 185 and 152 people respectively took part in the programme. In 2007, the number increased to 729 and 1, 510 in 2008. Year 2009 edition which recorded over 2, 500 participants took place from 14th to 18th September, 2009 simultaneously in 47 centres in Lagos between 8.00am and 5.00 pm daily. Children, as young as six years of age, adolescents and the aged turned out enmasse to participate in the programme.
A cross section of the participants who spoke to SOWER commended The Bible Society of Nigeria for the initiative and asked her to continue with the programme.  One of them, 70-year-old Chief Mrs. Rachael Banjo who said she believes so much in the word of God was happy to read the Bible in one of the centres.  She read Matthew chapters one to ten in Yoruba. Amos Olawoye after reading in Yoruba in one of the centres said, “By reading the Bible, we know the mind of God and live accordingly.” Mrs. Victoria Adeboye said, “The programme is good for winning soul. It makes people to know more about the Bible,” while Elder J.O. Opaleye said that the programme encourages people to read the Bible.  The younger ones read mostly in English Language while the older ones read in different Nigerian Languages available. However one Adanu John Ankeli from Idoma tribe in Benue State in Nigeria felt disappointed when he could not find any Bible in his Language – Idoma. Interestingly, Idoma is one of the 12 Nigerian Languages in which the Bible is currently being translated by The Bible Society of Nigeria.  

Yoruba Bible, printed in China, excites Seng

Kua Wee Seng, Coordinator of UBS China Partnership and Board member of Amity Printing Company, China was excited to see a copy of one of our Yoruba Bibles that was printed in China by his company – Amity Printing Company.

The Bible was displayed in a Bible shop at Cathedral Church of St. Peter, Abeokuta, the first Church in Nigeria. Kua Seng was among the State Administration for Religious Affairs [SARA] delegation who visited Nigeria from China last year.

The Team, made up of Chinese Minister of Religious Affairs, Ye Xiaowen, Deputy General of Jiangsu Provincial Religious Affairs, Mr. Wang Jun and Kua Seng, visited Nigeria to honour an invitation extended to them by the Primate of All Nigeria, Most Rev Peter Akinola. Kua Seng has proposed that the photograph of his team with Chinese Minister of Religious Affairs holding a copy of the Bible be featured in the proposed Bible Gallery at the Amity Press. Amity Press is one of the companies that print Bibles for BSN and other Bible Societies.  

 

Bible Society launches Yoruba study Bible, holds 43rd AGM

The Bible Society of Nigeria is set to launch the Yoruba Full Life Study Bible during her 43rd Annual General Meeting in Ibadan, Oyo State from 26th – 29th April, 2010.

The Board Meeting, which will be declared open by the Oyo State Governor, Otunba [Dr.] Christopher Adebayo Alao-Akala, will start with a Divine service scheduled to hold at Molete Baptist Church, Idi-Odo, Challenge, Ibadan on 27th April, 2010. The launch of the Yoruba Study Bible, the first local Language Study Bible in Nigeria, is part of the activities that will feature at the Divine service.

The meeting, being hosted by the BSN Oyo Area, will be presided over by the National President of The Society, Overseer Dr. Solomon O. Abe. Among other things, the Annual General Meeting will discuss past and future activities of the organization concerning Bible work as well as examine her account for the past one year. The General Secretary/CEO of BSN, Rev. Dr. Fred B. Odutola is expected to present his report for the year under review to the Board at the meeting. Expected at the Board Meeting are the Patron of BSN, Gen. [Dr.] Yakubu Gowon, Trustees, National Officers, Delegates from the Areas of The Society across the country and some senior members of the Management Team of the organization.

The Bible Society of Nigeria is a non-profit making interdenominational Christian organization that translates the Bible into local languages, publishes, distributes and raises funds for Bible work. So far we have the complete Bible in 19 Nigerian Languages, the New Testament in 60 local languages and one book or another in 98 languages. She gives Bibles free to Old Peoples’ Homes and Orphanages, the visually impaired, prisoners and women of easy virtue, among others.