BSG unveils Bono-Twi New Testament Bible
The Bible Society of Ghana (BSG) last Sunday unveiled the first-ever Bono-Twi dialect New Testament Bible in Sunyani, the Bono regional capital.
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The launch of the first 5,000 copies version is to facilitate easy understanding of the Word of God and preserve the culture of the Bonos, since it has been written in their own dialect.
Additionally, it is expected to make God's Word available to the Bono speaking communities, including those in the Diaspora.
The project, which was started by the BSG in 2017, was successfully completed with the translation of the 27 books of the New Testament of the Bible into the Bono-Twi dialect.
BSG said work on the translation of the Old Testament into the Bono-Twi dialect was ongoing and would be combined with the New Testament when completed in a revised format to emerge as the first Bono-Twi Bible by 2030.
Reader-friendly
The historic event brought together hundreds of people, including the Member of Parliament for Sunyani East, Kwasi Ameyaw-Cheremeh, who donated GH¢10,000 to support BSG.
It was a nice and joyful experience for the Bonos, hearing the Word of God in their mother tongue and the fact that they had for a long time been reading the Bible in Asante-Twi.
The Bono-Twi New Testament of the Bible is portable, with a readable font size, containing pictures and illustrations to enhance understanding as well as an introduction to each book, one ribbon marker and parallel as well as cross references.
At the launch, the Translation Consultant, Very Reverend Professor John David Kwame Ekem, said the dialectical context of the Bono-speaking constituencies and sensitive cultural issues had been well considered in the Bible, "So that we can hear God speak to us directly in our own Bono heart language".
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He said the Bono-Twi Bible had met the standards required by the United Bible Societies and other members of the Forum of Bible Agencies.
"It is a commendable Scripture portion presented in a reader-friendly format, and communicated in a language which can be easily understood by Bono-speaking communities," he said.
The consultant called for public comments and feedback as they read it to help the BSG in the revised format to achieve a full Bono-Twi first Bible.
Project execution
Prof. Ekem said the translation project had helped to develop and produce the first standardised orthography for the Bono language, which was reviewed and affirmed by the Bureau of Ghana Languages.
He said three translators, namely Rev. Daniel Asomah Gyabaa (Team Leader), Rev. Dr Isaac Boaheng, and Afia Aframa, and 14 reviewers were recruited, trained and appointed respectively to commence the translation project.
Prof. Ekem urged the Ghana Education Service to take the necessary action to make the Bono language a Ghanaian language taught in their schools due to the current availability of sufficient resource material for teaching purposes.
Spiritual
The General Secretary of the BSG, Very Rev. Dr John Kwesi Addo, said the Bono-Twi Bible had come as a great spiritual and literary resource to serve the Bono-speaking community.
He, therefore, called on the public, particularly Bonos, to support the ongoing translation of the Old Testament to complete the entire Bono Bible in record time. "As you may be aware, Bible translation is a resource-intensive undertaking, and your financial contributions will be instrumental in making this vision a reality," Dr Addo said.
Embrace
The Bono Regional Minister, Justina Owusu-Banahene, called on Bonos to embrace the Bono-Twi New Testament with open hearts and minds. She urged them to use it to transform their lives and communities and continue to support the BSG financially to complete the entire Bono Bible as soon as possible.
Writer's email: biiya.ali@graphic.com.gh