$43m: Wike Goofs on Amaechi
THISDAY Front Page of April 15 inaugurates this week’s edition of our language series: “Governor Nyesom Wike yesterday said that the $43 million found in a luxury apartment in Ikoyi, Lagos (a comma) belongs (belonged) to the Rivers State Government and gave the federal government a 7-day ultimatum to return it, “failing which Rivers State government will take legal measures to ensure that it gets back her (its) stolen resources.” If you need to unnecessarily feminize the English language, you do it fully: she (not ‘it’) gets back her stolen resources.
THE GUARDIAN of April 16 takes over the baton today with two headline blunders: “NCC raises alarm (the alarm) on increasing threat to communication services”
“ExxonMobil invests $40bn on (in) hydrocarbon”
“At the induction ceremony (sic) of the new provost of Christ Church Cathedral, Lagos, the choir rounded up in the induction ceremony (sic) by rendering an anthem.…” Even the Bible cannot confuse ‘round off’ with ‘round up’!
“Africa continues to experience sluggish economic growth because more than half of the countries in the continent are among the poorest nations in the world.” Get it right: on the continent.
“But they point out that the organization had expended all its ammunitions…” ‘Ammunition’ is non-count.
“The Trans-Saharan Trade which broadened Kan’s fame and fortune dealt principally in slaves and traditional dye-clothings.” This way: ‘clothing’ does not admit any inflection.
“They had only been paying lip service (a hyphen, please) to the pursuit for agricultural self-sufficiency.” Get it right: in the pursuit of….
“As they continue to sing… government may be forced to chew its words not too far from now…” Correct expression: swallow one’s (its) words; not chew.
“In a country where friends share no faith in each other; where the only objective is ‘me and my brother’ must carry the loots. “‘Loot’ is non-count.
“In spite of the air-condition in the car….” It’s called air-conditioner.
“Passport booklets scarcity worsen” Scarcity worsens.
“Furthermore, to check all manners of inhumanity to one another….” Standard idiomatic expression: all manner of…
The next grotesque blunder is from THISDAY of October 31: “His recent errands to Europe for the present administration and his utterances has prompted this essay.” Essay indeed! Verb plurality here is very clear (have; not has).
“There is bound to be conflicts and if need be wars…” An accord: there are bound to be conflicts…
“At every fora, that was mouthed even by those in the saddle now.” (THISDAY, April 3) This way: At every forum… Singular: forum; plural: fora or forums.
“To compliment their lean financial purse.…” An example of malapropism: inability to distinguish between ‘complement’ and ‘compliment.’ Some writers need to go back to school!
“Food production has often failed to keep pace with population growth, while earning from export commodities have not done much.” Get it right: while earning from export commodities has (not have).
“What is your recommendation with regards to that?” Either ‘as regards’ or ‘with regard to’ No irregularity….
“Cuba, Nigeria to strenghten cultural ties” Get it right: strengthen
“Newspaper pages are repleted with such stories.…” Replete, gentlemen
“Unfortunately, it was…who blew the lead open.…” It’s ‘lid’; not ‘lead’!
“But on Monday, hundreds of restive staff of the ministry laid siege around the entrance to the….” Lay (laid) siege to; not ‘around’.
“Among other things, this has repeatedly given rise to late procession of examination particulars.” Get it right: late processing (not procession).
“But it soon done on the ring leader of the putsch that it was only partially successful.” Bad grammar can hinder a coup! ‘Dawned’ (not ‘done’)
“He died Wednesday evening in Abuja at Agura Hotel junction within the city in a ghastly motor accident.” When death results from a vehicular mishap, it becomes a fatal— not a ghastly—one.
“Heavy downpour almost marred proceedings….” ‘Downpour’ does not require any amplification.
“What tradition has joined together….” ‘Join’ can elegantly perform the function of that Biblical phrase!
“Consequent upon poor funding, the commission’s ability to acquire new vehicles have been greatly impaired.” The syntactic arrangement here calls for ‘has’—not ‘have’.
“The research institutes should therefore take into cognizance the relevance of local needs, simplicity, economic viability and market acceptance when designing their produces.” ‘Produce’ is an uncountable entry.