Eloyi New Testament — Ajiri New Testament (Nigeria)
Overview
The Eloyi New Testament is the complete New Testament (27 books) in the Ajiri (Eloyi) language of Nasarawa and Benue states, Nigeria, published by The Word for the World International and available via YouVersion/Bible.com (ID 4444; abbreviation: ETP). This is a new translation following an earlier NT published in 1972 — making Ajiri/Eloyi one of the minority languages in Nigeria with two NT translations. The community's preferred name for their language is Ajiri (replacing the older scholarly exonym "Eloyi" and the colonial Hausa designation "Afo"). This NT is listed among eight Nigerian language translations on the Word for the World YouVersion organization page.
Language and People
Ajiri (ISO 639-3: afo; community name: Ajiri; academic/external name: Eloyi; older colonial name: Afo) is a Niger-Congo language: Niger-Congo → Atlantic-Congo → Volta-Congo → Benue-Congo → Idomoid → Akweya → Eloyi. The Idomoid classification — initially challenged (Armstrong 1955 based early placement on a single word) — has been confirmed by subsequent research. Three varieties exist: Mbeki (highlands), Ambu (lowlands), and a riverside variety, which are mutually intelligible and do not require separate translations.
The Ajiri community inhabits central Nigeria's Middle Belt:
- Nasarawa LGA, Kokona LGA, and Awe LGA, Nasarawa State (primary, EGIDS 6a — vigorous)
- Agatu LGA and Otukpo LGA, Benue State (secondary; EGIDS 7 — shifting toward Agatu language)
Estimated speakers: approximately 105,000–115,000 ethnic Ajiri; somewhat fewer active speakers due to language shift in Benue State (SIL sociolinguistic survey; Joshua Project).
Historical Context
The Eloyi/Ajiri community's 1918 revolt against British colonial authority was a defining historical trauma: the British response included forced relocation of the community from their original rocky hill homeland — a disruption of place and identity still referenced in community memory. Prior to colonization, the Eloyi were known as skilled weavers and cloth dyers, occupying fortified hill terrain in the Plateau region.
Despite extensive multilingualism (community members typically speak 3–5 languages including Hausa, Igbo, and neighboring community languages), Nasarawa State Ajiri speakers show remarkable linguistic resilience — Hausa has not caused a shift away from Ajiri in the core territory. The Eloyi Christian Church is an indigenous denomination that grew from early mission work in the community.
Publishing and Organizations
Published by The Word for the World International (TWFTW; twftw.org) in partnership with local Ajiri translation teams. The earlier 1972 NT was published by a different organization.