Nigerian Pidgin is a language that is not just a means of communication but a cultural force, bridging diverse communities and bringing stories to life with humour, wit, and authenticity.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Ogini Bernard is a Pidgin Playwright, translator and researcher. Bernard has exhibited his exceptional skills and dedication to the world of theatre, Language translation visual art and language technology.
He has translated and adapted classic literary works to Nigerian pidgin. Notable among his accomplishments is his translation of Shakespeare's Hamlet to Pidgin as Oga Pikin, Romeo and Juliet as Rukevwe and Julie, and Macbeth as Makindegobeth to mention a few. This has
shown his versatility and creative vision and has also made a call to activate Pidgin Literature and Literature in Pidgin English.
In addition to his creative endeavours, Bernard has actively engaged with various international organisations like UNESCO, Afrika Youth Movement, Institute Of French Research Africa, Initiative for Information Arts and Culture Development (American Corner), Vistatec Translation Service Dublin and Centre For Digitization of Indigenous African Languages (CDIAL) an African cloud base software Organization aimed at researching, standardizing and providing Digital Inclusion via Indigenous African Languages where he built the Pidgin keyboard. Bernard is also a Thread artist and the current director Catholic Museum of Nigeria.
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Today we are exploring the fascinating role of Pidgin in Nigerian literature and theatre, looking at how this dynamic language is transforming the way we tell our stories and we have someone who has mastered the art of merging the old with the new, the classic with the contemporary.