Nigeria, Qatar undertake translation of Arabic books to Yoruba, Hausa languages
TOWARDS furthering cultural understanding between Nigeria and Qatar, the Nigeria Centre for Arabic Research and Sheikh Hamad Award for Translation and International Understanding in Qatar have resolved to translate Arabic works of literature to Nigeria’s indigenous languages, basically Yoruba and Hausa.
The two organisations brought together scholars and experts in Arabic translations in Nigeria and Qatar to review a series of publications translated into the Yoruba language.
Speaking during the Arabic translation seminar, the Head of Media, Sheikh Hamad Award for Translation and International Understanding, Dr. Mrs. Hannau Alfayyad, said the aim aside from its academic value, was also meant to engender peaceful coexistence all over the world and rewards those who have been working tediously to translate Arabic books to indigenous languages.
A member of the Sheikh Hamad Award for Translation and International Understanding, Mr. Mohammed Bashir said, “The award is to encourage translators in building relationships in translation between Arabic and other languages and the different cultures.” He said Yoruba Language was selected because it is one of the major languages in Nigeria and Africa.
The National President, Nigeria Institute of Translators and Interpreters ( NITI), Dr. Aliy Abdulwahid Adebisi, identified the use of terminologies as one of the major challenges encountered by the media in translating news stories and programmes.
He advised media translators to have a better understanding of some terminologies before going into the studio. The Secretary General of the Nigeria Centre for Arabic Research, Dr. Alimi Saeed Akanbialso advised Nigerian government to support various institutional bodies that are in charge of translations in the areas of training and publishing.
The former chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists ( NUJ), Lagos State and also Deputy Director, Digital Media, Voice of Nigeria, Dr. Qasim Akinreti, appreciated the essence of the collaboration in promoting cultural values and languages between Nigeria and Qatar. “The essence of the research is also to draw mutual understanding, foster exchange of cultural values and promote global understanding,” he added.
He said some of the benefits of the collaboration include interactions among scholars of various universities from the two countries and the exchange of research works among others. Akinreti stated that Voice of Nigeria ( VON) and the Qatarbased Sheikh Hamad Award for Translation Understanding will sign a memorandum of understanding to strengthen Arabic language broadcasts on VON.
He noted that the awareness of Arabic language is extremely low in South- West, Nigeria, but high in the Northern part of Nigeria, adding that Voice of Nigeria, which is the external broadcasting station in Nigeria, has chosen Arabic as one of its languages of broadcast to serve the interest of the broadcast community.