Professor of Applied Linguistics, Mercy Olufunmilayo Adesanya, harps on AI

 

*Presents audio Bible in Nigerian indigenous languages

*They have transformative potential to solve Nigeria’s societal challenges – ex-Presidential candidate

 

By Kehinde Akinpelu

Professor of Applied Linguistics, Prof Mercy Olufunmilayo Adesanya, has propounded Artificial Intelligence Linguistics (AIL), as a new branch of Applied linguistics.

She stated that AI linguistics is a subfield of Applied linguistics which would be rich and focus on the interaction between computers and human language.

She added that it would involve the development of algorithms and statistical models that would enable computers to process, understand, and generate natural language data.

“One of the key goals of AI linguistics would be to develop computers that can understand and process human language in a more human-like way. This would involve developing systems that can analyse and understand the meaning of language, rather than just processing it as a series of symbols as also agreed by McShane & Nirenburg, (2021).

“First God and His word at the creation, then man and his languages and next it would be, AI and AI Linguistics in the development of mankind,” she said.

In a statement on Tuesday, Prof Adesanya also of the Department of English and Communication Arts, Faculty of Humanities spoke while delivering the 57th Inaugural Lecture of Ignatius Ajuru University of Education (IAUE), Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria.

She explored the impact of indigenous languages on Nigeria’s societal challenges, using a case study approach. It added that the lecture was thought-provoking, drawing from her extensive research in her discipline over the years and showcasing the importance of Nigerian Indigenous languages and Audio Bibles in Nigeria.

The Vice Chancellor, IAUE, Prof Ugochukwu Onuchuku presided over the lecture, which was titled: “Leveraging the Transformative Potential of Language on Nigeria’s Societal Challenges: A Case Study of Audio Bible.” Members of the Senate and other members of the university community as well as invited guests, friends, family members and acquaintances were fully present.

Adesanya who is a former Presidential candidate of the Mass Action Joint Alliance (MAJA), also presented the audio Bible in Nigerian indigenous languages.

She stated that they have the transformative potential to solve Nigeria’s societal challenges.

She opined that languages, especially the Nigerian indigenous languages are veritable tools to address some of the national challenges.

According to her, they are vital to the nation’s cultural, social, economic, and political development, adding that their preservation and promotion are essential for maintaining cultural diversity, improving education, building communities, promoting economic growth and fostering national pride.

Adesanya said: “Nigerian indigenous languages are vital to the country’s cultural, social, economic, and political development. Their preservation and promotion are essential for maintaining cultural diversity, improving education, building communities, promoting economic growth and fostering national pride.

“I hereby present the audio Bible in Nigerian indigenous languages as having the transformative potential to solve Nigeria’s societal challenges.”

Adesanya, who was a presidential aspirant under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) urged Nigerians to create a conducive environment where everyone could access their rights and protections as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and harness the power of Language and Linguistics.

She added that all vices in the country should be shunned as according to her, they have been leading to national retrogression, lack of peace, unity and progress. She identified some of the vices as corruption, insecurity, terrorism, and banditry.

Adesanya said: “Languages have the transformative potential to address Nigeria’s societal challenges, especially the Nigerian indigenous languages.”

The don recalled Bishop Ajayi Crowther as being the pioneer and father of Linguistics in Nigeria and Africa.

She added that Bishop Crowther was responsible for creating the Yoruba alphabets from English alphabets, compiling a Yoruba dictionary and writing many books including, “A brief History of the Yoruba.”

She stated that the hallmark of Bishop Ajayi Crowther’s fame in Linguistics was translating the English Bible to Yoruba language which was completed in 1883.

Adesanya, who also is a Bishop sited an instance of FCBH, amongst other Audio Bible Producers, “Faith Comes By Hearing [FCBH] giving the Apps for free, is an international Christian organization with a vision to providing the Audio/Video Bible to the peoples of the world in their heart languages [mother tongue] for the purpose of engagement with the word of God for the transformation of lives and communities.

She said: “FCBH has been in the mission of recording and providing the audio/video Scriptures for the peoples of the world for over 50 years. And now has the audio Bible in close to 70 indigenous languages of Nigeria and 2,128 languages globally with a goal of making the audio/video Bible available in every language of the world by the year 2033 to enable about 70 percent of the global population who cannot read and write have equal and unhindered access to the word of God in their heart languages, given majority of the global population are oral learners and prefers listening to reading.

“Although there is the usual quote: “The ink of the writer is more sacred, worthy and mighty than the blood of the martyr, the ink of the writer in Rhema (Audio spoken form) instead of logos (written form) is even much more far sacred, worthy, mighty and potent than the blood of the martyr.

According to the statement, Prof Adesanya is a teacher, an administrator and has held many administrative positions within and outside the Ignatius Ajuru University of Education Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria, including being the former Director, General Studies, Entrepreneur and Skills Acquisition of the University, among others. She is currently a Professor in the Department of English and Communication Art.

It added that the linguist was also a Dean at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences of Regent University of Science and Technology, Accra, Ghana and Deputy Provost at Life Gate College of Education, Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria on sabbatical. She was a Visiting Professor to the University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana and an external examiner and supervisor of Doctoral dissertations for the School of Postgraduate Studies of University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.

“Her contribution to the field of Applied linguistics is invaluable. Here are some popular apps for accessing an Audio Bible as the Linguist and Professor listed, proposing and propounding as an Applied Linguist, further studies in Linguistics and Artificial intelligence (AI), the study of AI Linguistics (AIL) as a branch of Applied Linguistics; as well as, the study of AI Biblical Linguistics (AIBL) as a further extension of the AIL branch of Applied Linguistics.

“YouVersion Bible (iOS, Android): Offers audio Bibles in various languages and versions, with options for offline listening; Bible Gateway (iOS, Android): Features audio Bibles, reading plans, and study resources; Our Daily Bread (iOS, Android): Includes audio Bible readings, devotions, and Christian music; Hindi Bible Audio (Android): Specifically designed for Hindi-speaking users; Audio-bible (iOS): Offers a simple interface for listening to the Bible; Faith Comes By Hearing (iOS, Android): Provides audio Bibles in over 1,000 languages; (link unavailable) (iOS, Android): Features audio Bibles, videos, and interactive Bible studies; Daily Audio Bible (iOS, Android): Offers daily audio readings and devotionals; the Message Bible (iOS, Android): Features audio readings from The Message translation; and King James Bible Audio (Android): Specifically designed for KJV enthusiasts.

“These apps are available for download from the App Store (for iOS devices) or Google Play Store (for Android devices). Enjoy listening to the Word! Congratulations to us all in the world of AI, AI Linguistics and AI Biblical Linguistics!”

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