Large Numbers, Not ‘Number’
MORE than banking: “Access Bank’s nine months (months’) profit rises by 44% to N91bn” (THISDAY Front Page Headline, October 26) The next two contraventions are from the same source as the introductory paragraph: “In apparent violation of the order of a federal high court in Abuja, the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, yesterday approved the release of a list of successful candidates in the controversial recruitment of 10,000 police constables.” Get it right: 10,000 constables—the word ‘police’ is contextually otiose here.
“A letter (In a letter) sighted by THISDAY, the Police (unnecessary capitalization) allegedly applied for the transfer of the suit between the Police and the PSC to Federal High Court presided (presided over) by Justice Okon Abang.”
Bank the ‘Eazy’ way: “You can get a facility of up to N500 million at an interest rate of 9% over a 10year (10-year) period to grow your business.” (Zenith Bank full-page advertisement, THISDAY, October 26)
Africa is next door: “Available in multi currencies (multi-currencies)…Cash pick up (pick-up) option available.” (Source: Access Bank)
“HURIWA cautions EFCC over students (students’) harassment in Owerri”
The next two paragraphs of dishonour are from a full-page advertorial by Gibraltar Group, THISDAY, October 26, 2019, Page 15: “Another feather to (in) your cap….”
“The entire management and staff of (needless ‘entirety’!)…felicitate with our amiable chairman…on this well deserved (well-deserved) honour of....”
“How Glo promo sprinkles sunshine into (on/over) lives” (THISDAY Banner, October 26)
“Toyota shows a serious future can be fun” (Source: as above) Delete ‘a’ from the sevencolumn headline because it is an editorial sacrilege to include articles in headlines.
“With a tasteful line up (line-up) of Nigerian stars….”
“…upcoming give back (give-back) projects and more…
“The singer and his wife, Lineo, welcomed the baby few (a few) weeks back.”
“Last Saturday, celebrities showed up in large number (numbers) for the 13th edition of the….”
“…a follow up (follow-up) to an epic 1992 movie, the focus shifts to Andy’s son, Nnamdi, who (a comma) like his father, is toeing the path of greed and flamboyance…”
Lastly from THISDAY under review: “NFF denied (denies) abandoning Super Eagles (Eagles’) goalie, Uzoho”
THE GUARDIAN of September 9 nurtured two sub-headline blunders: “Southeast bound (Southeast-bound) passengers stranded at Lagos Airport”
“Facilities at AOCOED excites (why?) NCCE team”
“I had it rough at (in) the beginning—Proprietress, Carol School”
“CAF mourns late Somalia FA boss” A rewrite: CAF mourns Somali FA boss. Do we mourn someone who is alive?
“CSR: Between philantropy and palliatives” Brands and marketing: philanthropy”
“...Toure’s kids’ gloves treatment of the Tuareg rebels (rebels’) insurgence as its main reason to....” (Editorial) All the facts, all the sides: kid gloves.
“Woman arrested for killing mum” It is obvious that the sub-editor who treated this story has never heard of ‘matricide’! So, woman arrested for matricide.
“The elevation of some police officers and retirement (the retirement) of 13 Assistant Inspectors General has (have) led to some bad blood (delete the word preceding bad blood) in the force....” Elevation and retirement are distinct milestones that cannot be collapsed into singularity!
“When Hafeez Ringim, then an Assistant Inspector General (a comma) was elevated to the rank of Inspector General (another comma) all his seniors (DIGs) had to retire.” Not true: they were retired to pave way for the Ringim ultimate disaster!
“Your unassailable wisdom and sterling qualities have made you stand out as trustworthy and reliable leader.” Happy Birthday: a (note the article) trustworthy and reliable leader.
“Your ability to work out (answer/do) knotty political puzzles...makes you worth (worthy) of emulation.”
“Indeed, its (it’s) really a pleasure working with you....” (From The Senators of the 8th National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria)
“...so he could not have seen fire and tell (told) me to put my hand.” Alternatively, he cannot see fire and tell me to put my hand.
“...the APGA governorship candidate in Abia State at (in) the April 2019 elections....”
“Why change your wardrobe every five minutes while all it takes is a different accessories.” All it takes are different accessories.
“Assailant, vigilante member die in gun duel” Get it right: vigilance member. Alternatively: Assailant, vigilante die in gun duel.
“Woman arrested with AK-47, 148 live ammunitions” The last word in the extract is uncountable. The Old English (Anglo-Saxon) period is gone!
“This will remove the possibility of passing the bulk (buck)” No pedestrian English.
“The organized private sector took the bull by the horn recently….” For a better society: take the bull by the horns.
“Britain handed over the reigns of power to the politicians.” Modern English: reins of government.
“One even wonders why government did not adopt that method from the onset (outset).” “This is true given the restricted and guarded comments from those who have been priviledged to view the clips.” Spellings count: privileged.
“Government needs to put (get) its acts together and prosecute the kidnappers.” My own comment: get its act (not acts) together.
“Vigilante group accused of murder“…Get it right: vigilance group.
“Apart from all these, the debt recovery (a hyphen confirms class) level of the banks have not been any issue of interest to NDIC.” Question CBN has to answer, debt recovery has (not have).
“It is believed in some quarters that the Nigerian Police has….” THE NATION: the Nigerian Police have.
“And the leaders, being new on the saddle of political leadership (another comma) were.…” The challenges of good grammar: in the saddle.
“Efforts by the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo and his group to remove Akintola from office was (were) fiercely resisted.” Why the discord?
“As a new democracy, there was (were) bound to be problems.”
“In the course of the crisis, Awo and some of his lieutenants were arrested and charged for (with)….”
“The ethnic colouration of the coup led to a counter coup (a hyphen) in July 1966.” Spell-check: coloration.