Artisans, market men and women, traditional rulers, culture enthusiasts and traders, among others, yesterday bought into the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as the translation of the document in Yoruba language was unveiled in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
The Yoruba version of the 17 goals was unveiled before relevant stakeholders by the Oyo State government at Mapo Hall in Ibadan.
It was hosted in collaboration with the United Nations Information Centre (UNIC), Lagos; the United Nations Association of Nigeria (UNAN), Initiative for Information, Arts and Culture Development in Nigeria (IACD) and Development Agenda of Western Nigeria (DAWN) Commission.
Other participants include socio-cultural groups, diplomats, promoters of local languages as well as members of the Oyo State Executive Council (Exco).
The translation was aimed at helping people at the lower rungs of the social leader understand and buy into the goals for better result.
Governor Abiola Ajimobi described the launch as historic, saying it was the first translation of SDGs goals to local language in the country.
The governor, who was represented by the Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr. Toye Arulogun, said the translation will resonate with the people at the grassroots, who are the actual targets of the SDGs in the pro-poor projects.
He said: “Today’s event is significant as the translation of SDGs goals is meant to penetrate the grassroots for better understanding, better appreciation as well as buy in and cooperation in terms of achieving the goals.
“Hitherto, it had been in English language. You know, for example, here in Oyo State, Yoruba is the language and the United Nations thought that for the goals to be understood by the people, we need to translate it to the local languages.
“Today is also historic because this is the first time that it is being launched in Nigeria, and it is starting from Oyo State. We ensured that the Southwest launch, which is the first in Nigeria, was done in Oyo State, the centre of Yoruba race and the epicentre of the Southwest.”
The Chairman of the State Implementation Committee of SDGs, Mr. Abimbola Adekanmbi, said that the state government recently provided 15 motorised boreholes for markets across the state.
http://thenationonlineng.net/oyo-govt-unveils-sdgs-in-yoruba-language/