By Victor Ogunje
The Ministry of Justice, Ekiti State, has been directed to immediately commence the process of translating the Laws of Ekiti State to Yoruba Language, especially the proposed Amotekun Law.
The bill for the establishment of the Ekiti State Security Network Agency codenamed Amotekun was passed into law at the state House of Assembly last Friday and now awaiting Fayemi’s assent.
This disclosure was made in Ado-Ekiti Wednesday, by the state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Olawale Fapohunda.
Fapohunda said Governor Kayode Fayemi gave the directive, so that the populace can have a full grasp of what the law says in their language.
‘’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 Yoruba Language,” he said.
Fapohunda further stated that: “Given the volumes of the Laws of Ekiti State, the translation will be implemented in phases. The first phase will include laws that have direct impact on the daily reality of our people.”
Some of the Laws that will be translated immediately, according to 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 added that the proposed Amotekun law will be translated into Yoruba after the governor’s assent, saying: “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.”
Speaking further on how the laws will be translated, the Attorney-General said: “There are many qualified academics in the Ekiti State University who are specialised in Yoruba language. We will work with them.”
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 this development said: “With this, Ekiti State Ministry of Justice will be recording another first in Nigeria.”
Ojo said there has been talk over the years especially in lawyers’ conferences and meetings on the need to translate laws into local Nigerian languages but little efforts were made in this regard.
