The Bible not just a book, it’s light in darkness – Gowon

…As Bible Society of Nigeria marks Founder’s Day

For Christians across Nigeria and the world over, the Bible is like the constitutional book guiding every action.

Beyond being a spiritual guide to Christians, the Bible is also like a moral compass for believers and non-believers alike.

“The Bible is not merely a book. It is light in darkness, hope in despair, and truth in confusion,” Yakubu Gowon, former head of state and patron of the Bible Society of Nigeria (BSN), said in Lagos on Friday during the Founder’s Day annual lecture and awards ceremony, which particularly crowns the 60th anniversary celebration of the BSN.

According to Gowon, the 17th Founder’s Day and 60th anniversary of the BSN afford the Society an opportunity to also honour outstanding individuals and institutions whose lives and work exemplify service in faithful generosity and commitment to God and humanity.

Gowon said that the BSN has grown into a national and global force of spiritual transformation, from its modest beginnings in 1966. According to him, the BSN has been ensuring that the Scriptures reach the young and old, the literate and the non-literate, the urban and the rural, and even those in the most difficult circumstances.

“In a world increasingly challenged by moral decline, conflict, misinformation, and loss of values, the relevance of the Scriptures has never been greater,” he said.

According to the former head of state, the BSN has constantly reminded Nigerians about national renewal through the scriptures. “National renewal begins with moral renewal, and moral renewal begins with hearts transformed by the Word of God.

“I commend BSN for its tireless work in Bible translation into indigenous languages,” Gowon said.

He added that the BSN over the years has ensured the scripture is distributed in French, audio, digital, and braille formats. According to him, activities of the Society strengthen literacy programs and trauma healing initiatives. “This effort speaks not only of the faithful but of national renewal.”

Gowon also disclosed that his heart’s desire and prayer is that the scriptural engagements of BSN will shape the hearts, ideas, values, and actions of Nigerians in building a better, stronger, and a prosperous nation bound by common values and unity. “When we support the Bible Society, we are investing not just in an institution, but in the spiritual and moral foundation of our nation.”

Gowon also urged the BSN to innovate its operations to reach younger generations of Nigerians. According to him, the next phase of the Society calls for stronger partnership, greater innovation, and deeper youth engagement, sustainable infrastructure including the Bible House project.

“I therefore call on individuals, churches, corporate bodies, and friends of the BSN, both within and outside Nigeria, to continue to stand with this noble mission,” Gowon said.

Poju Oyemade, founder and senior pastor, The Covenant Nations, said the BSN was playing a critical role in making the scriptures available in the indigenous languages of people across Nigeria.

“That’s a very important thing they’re doing, so that people best understand scripture in the context of their own culture,” he said.

He added that the BSN’s activities in the last 60 years have been responsible for making the scriptures penetrate and transform the lives and consciences of many Nigerians. “So, it’s a silent and visible work that is being done, that is preserving society from moral decadence and collapse,” he said.

Oyemade, who was the guest speaker, called for strengthened collaboration between the Church and the BSN to further make the bible accessible to more Nigerians. He urged the governing body of the Church, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the five blocs that constitute CAN to deepen their support for the Society. “I 100 percent say that the church should support this 100 percent at every single level available.”

On the proliferation of religious places across the country with little transformation to show in the lives of the worshipper, Oyemade said there is a need for the religious institutions in the country to deepen their knowledge of the scriptures. “The reconciliation is the quality of doctrine that is coming out,” Oyemade said.

Daniel Okoh, CAN president, said that both institutions have worked together as partners in progress over the past years. According to him, CAN was created 10 years after the Society was instituted as an entity.

“CAN has seen BSN as a very solid partner, and we have been working together. We have seen BSN as a very strong partner, as they help us to provide the Bible, the scriptures that we distribute across the land. And we want to say that we appreciate the faithful labour of all the leaders and members of the Bible Society of Nigeria,” Okoh said.

Dirk Gevers, secretary general, United Bible Society (UBS), said activities of the BSN have helped in building lasting scriptural legacies in the last 60 years.

“The Bible is a meeting place between God and man. And the work of the Bible Society is a meeting place. All cultures, all churches, all the peoples of this earth. But most importantly, it’s the meeting place where we meet Jesus,” Gevers said.