On, Not Under, Platform

“CPC to clampdown on illegal microfinance banks” Phrasal verb: clamp down (two words). “An acknowledged scholar, a distinguished statesman and a team leader per excellence” Get it right: leader par excellence. “New trends in LG electioneering campaigns” Politics Today: just electioneering campaigns. ‘Electioneering campaign’ is sheer verbiage! ‘Electioneering’ encompasses campaign and other related electoral issues.

“INEC asks DSS to crackdown on violent politicians” Noun: crackdown; phrasal verb: crack down (which applies here).

The next publication under review is DAILY TRUST of May 30: “Some countries have taken tobacco manufacturers to court for the damages their products cause.” The will to die: damage is uncountable except in reparative applications for indemnity.

“With the launching (launch) of the poverty alleviation (a hyphen) programme by the Federal Government, not a few Nigerians desire to see it effectively in place.” (THE GUARDIAN, May 30)

“…what happened was that somebody filed a writ of summon.“(DAILY TRUST, May 24) This way (singular): a writ of summons; plural: summonses.

“It is the Federal Board that is always guilty of that, because it is them who take riff-raffs as welfare officers.” (Nigerian Tribune, May 30) ‘Riff-raff’, just like ‘stuff’, is uncountable.

“Modern technology has reduced the world into (to) a hamlet where the inhabitants are their brothers’ keepers.” This way: brother’s keeper (fixed idiom), irrespective of the number of people involved.

“The coincidence in the timing of all those sleazy gossips in soft-sell magazines and the beginning of his fashion parade….” ‘Gossip’, in this context, is uncountable.

“More overaged players for youth soccer“(Sunday Tribune, July 9) Get it right: overage players.

“Residents of some of the troubled spots in Libya in disarray” (SATURDAY INDEPENDENT, July) Witness to lexical mayhem: trouble spots.

“…rummaging all the bags and ransacking every nook and corner.” (Source: as above) Stock expression: nook and cranny.

DAILY SUN of May 29 disseminated seven improprieties: “The police requires (require) a redeemer who can uplift the Force from the battering it (they) suffered during the long years of militarization.”

“I inquired from those that appear to know and they said that the president is (was) roaming the country in the name of campaigns.”

“There is (are) no electricity, no security, no water, no roads, no health facilities in Nigeria.” “Foreign companies will be falling over themselves (one another) to come and invest here if we get the 2019 elections right.”

“...given the lame-duck posture of the opposition parties, the PDP simply held sway from the onset (outset).”

“Reactions on (to) the Pope’s visit, however successful, were mixed in Egypt, a country inhabited by a predominantly Muslim population.”

“Prior to the Pope’s visit, Egyptian Catho- lics have (had) opted out of the….”

“The first part was published last week Friday.” (THE GUARDIAN, May 30) Monday politics: either last Friday or Friday, last week.

“Vigilante (vigilance) groups, committed to the enforcement of the by-law, are being set up.” (Source: as above)

“Some of these areas include producing enough food to feed our teaming (teeming) population.”

“Rather, the money, including the N200 million per state released for special purposes, was diverted to other uses.” We certainly do not need the last three words in the extract, having been taken care of by ‘diversion’.

The next three blunders are from DAILY TRUST of May 30: “Unless the detonating mechanism of extremist religious chauvinism is diffused.” Get it right: defused (not diffused).

“They have decided to sheath their machetes and seek vengeance no more. “Noun: sheath; verb: sheathe.

THISDAY of May 30 requires reformation of four lines: “The sources of revenue in a city like Lagos is very important.” Still on errors of attraction (more below): sources… are.

“…business downturn resulting to (in) drive-wandering.”

“…the rapaciousness of project contractors increase (increases) the country’s debt burden.”

“Senior civil servants’ union berate junior counterparts” Inside business: union berates.

THE GUARDIAN of May 30 questioned linguistic rules two times: “It’s the poet feared most, knowing fully (full) well that one of the….”

“The agitated crowd, who had been