Ekiti State to Translate Laws Into Yoruba Language

The Ekiti State Ministry of Justice will commence the translation of the law empowering the setting up of the security apparatus, Amotekun, into the Yoruba language following a directive by the state governor, Kayode Fayemi.

The ministry is also to translate other laws of the state into the local language.

The document, known as the Ekiti State Security Network Agency law, was read the third time at the State House of Assembly on Friday and it is now awaiting the governor’s signature.

The Commissioner for Justice, Olawale Fapohunda, on Wednesday in Ado Ekiti said the governor’s directive was to ensure that the populace could understand the law in their local language.

He said the Amotekun law would be translated as soon as the governor signed it into law.

“Ekiti State Security Network Agency Bill affects the daily lives of the people of Ekiti State especially those in our rural communities, it, therefore, follows that this is one legislation that all of our people need to understand,” he said.

“In furtherance of the commitment of the Fayemi administration to its citizens’ active participation in governance, Mr. Governor has today approved the translation of Laws of Ekiti State into the Yoruba Language.

“Given the volumes of the Laws of Ekiti State, the translation will be implemented in phases. The first phase will include laws that have a direct impact on the daily reality of our people.”

Other laws that will be translated immediately, according to Mr. Fapohunda, include Sustainable Development Goals Law, Ekiti State, 2019; Ekiti State Property Protection (Anti- Land Grabbing ) Law 2019; Ekiti State Gender-Based Violence (Prohibition ) Law 2019, and Ekiti State (Transition) Law, 2019.

He said the state government will work with qualified academics at the Ekiti State University to carry out the task.

Mr. Fapohunda also stated that some of the policy documents of the Ministry of Justice like the Ekiti State Charter for Victims of Crime; Directive on Non-discontinuance of Criminal Matters, Additional Measures in Aid of Prosecution of Sexual Violence will also be translated into Yoruba language.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice and Solicitor-General Ekiti State, Lawrence Ojo, while commenting on the development said, “with this, Ekiti State Ministry of Justice will be recording another first in Nigeria.”

Mr. Ojo said there had been talks over the years especially among lawyers on the need to translate laws into local Nigerian languages “but little efforts had been made in this regard”.

Although it was agreed among the six South-west states that the Amotekun bill would be passed by their state assemblies simultaneously, with last week Friday set as the deadline, some states have only started considering the bill.