Èṣù is (Not) Satan: Implications of Àjàyí Crowther’s Mother-Tongue Bible Translation on Missio Dei

Abstract

Debates have emerged over the years concerning Samuel Ajayi Crowther’s translation of Satan as Èṣù in his mother-tongue translation of the Bible Bibeli Mimọ, the first Yoruba translation of the Bible. Yoruba traditional religionists insist that Èṣù is not Satan, so Crowther has misled many people to think that Èṣù is Satan. Some Christians agree that Satan should not be translated as Èṣù without realising that this is a subtle endorsement of the traditionalists’ attempt to justify their unrepentant idolatry and undermining of the missio Dei for which Crowther translated the Bible. This paper, employing a literary approach, undertakes a comparative analysis that establishes the ontological and functional similarities between Èṣù and Satan. The findings revealed that the view that Èṣù, though similar to the Satan of the Old Testament, is markedly different from the Satan of the NT is untenable and misleading in light of closer scrutiny. This paper affirms the accuracy of Crowther’s translation of Satan as Èṣù and that it should be sustained in Yoruba Christians’ engagement with Èṣù’s adherents as they participate in the missio Dei. After demonstrating the impacts of Crowther’s mother-tongue translation for the missio Dei, it highlighted the need for Yoruba Christians to take seriously the missio Dei by reiterating Crowther’s identification of Satan as Èṣù and calling on Èṣù’s worshippers to repent of their idolatry rather than inadvertently endorsing their unwillingness to repent. This paper thus clarifies that the assumed nuances of differences between Satan and Èṣù are non-existent.