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Nigerian missionaries have called on the Bible Society of Nigeria (BSN) to make enough copies of the Holy Bible in Fulfulde language available.
A missionary to the Gando Fulani tribe of Northern Benin Republic, Pastor Olusina Sadiku said that the Fulfulde Bible is scarce and would appreciate if the BSN could intensify efforts in making more available.
“We operate among the Gando Fiulanis of the Northern part of Benin Republic where literacy level is still very low. We have commenced the teaching of Fulfulde language and the people are responding greatly. Now we have few copies and the Church at Bourorel, near Nikki now has a Bible reader who reads to the congregation,” he said, adding that “If there are enough copies, learning would be smoother and faster.”
Sadiku, who partners with the Christ for Rural Area Ministry (CRAM), has seen to the propagation of the gospel in the area. The resident pastor of the Church in Nikki, Pastor Raphael Adepoju, also said how important it is for the Bibles to be available for the population.
“I have operated in Northern Benin for over 10 years and we have enjoyed the grace of God over the period. He has blessed the work despite the various challenges we have here on the field. The people are gradually responding and thirsty for the word of God, so we must be on ground like never before with materials, the chief of which is the Bible in their language,” Adepoju said.
CRAM has planted Churches in a few villages, some of which are not accessible except by foot paths. “We have work going on in Burorel, Nikki, Haare, Basekina and other localities. The harvest indeed is ripe but the labourers are few. We are praying for grace to be able to reach the unreached souls,” he said.
According to Sadiku, a graduate of Geography with Education at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, the efforts of BSN in making Bibles available in various languages cannot be over emphasised because that is the manual the life of Christians. “The organisation has over the years contributed to the growth of Christianity in Nigeria and that is why they must be supported to be able to do more. For instance we have gone around for the Fulfulde Bibles and we would appreciate having a large supply,” Sadiku said.
With a deep passion for missions, Sadiku, who also pastors a local Church in Ibadan, has contributed to outreaches in northern Benin Republic which had included crusades and medical missions. According to him, “We had a successful medical outreach in Parakou, Benin Republic last September. It cost us over a million Naira and God was faithful, He supplied the fund and personel and the gospel was preached.”
He added that, “We had surgeries for people in need of such interventions; we had other treatments and eye treatments. A lot of people also got free eye glasses to correct eye defects. All these were free and we are praying for grace and support from Christians so we could reach more souls for Christ.”
