Moneybags, Not ‘Moneybag’
“REPSpanelsummonhealthministerover$300manti-malaria fund” Get it right: Reps’ (take noteoftheapostrophe)panel summons (not ‘summon’)…
“IIM UK highlights power of intelligent technologies, inducts new members” Would it have inducted old members? Induction is for new members/entrants.
“Throughout your tenure, you have (had) exemplified the true essence of servant leadership…working tirelessly to enhance the lives of every citizen in your state”. This way: life of every citizen or lives of all citizens in your state.
“Your impact in (on) public service and footprints while as the Chief Shepherd of Enugu State cannot be erased in (from) the annals of history”. Why not simply from history or the annals? “…in retaliation to (for) the killing of 19 soldiers…”. “Currently, the government is combining public enlightenment strategies to sensitize Lagosians on (to) this development…”.
“Ondo Guber (governorship): It’II be difficult for moneybag (moneybags) to fly APC flag”
“NGX: Investors’ appetite for bank stocks rise (rises) amid CBN recapitalisation (recapitalization, preferably) directive”
“Religion can’t divide us, Akpabio assures” Who did the Senate president assure?
“Honestly, Nigeria is doomed without a new people’s constitution…”. Just a new constitution: is there anyone that is not people’s constitution? Perhaps, an automobile constitut i o n ! “…NYSC DG raises alarm (the alarm), says they’re on their own”. “Under-21 World Cup kicks-off (kicks off) with Brazil, Croatia”
“TheaffectedstatesareBorno,AdamawaandYobe where further posting of corps members have (has) been suspended over security concerns”.
“…astheremainsof…arrives(arrive)attheNational Hospital, Abuja, yesterday”.
“Food poisoning kills family of five, 3 others on danger list” National News: the danger list (fixed/ stock expression)
“Ekiti commissioner slams N1bn suit on police assault (on police for assault)”
“Aftermath of rigged Ekiti governorship primaries: Ekiti PDP at crossroad” (Full-page advertorial by the PDP Ekiti State Chapter) A party that is always at a/the crossroads
“We commend and support Mr. President’s genuine effortsatrestoringpeaceandstabilityin(to)thecountry”.
Finally from Ekiti State Chapter of the PDP: “The utterances and conduct of the candidate indicates (why?)…”.
“All her personal belongings, jewelries, phones…”. Existential humanism: ‘jewelry’ (also jewellery—BrE) is non-count.
“…they are busy with dreams of sudden wealth and opulence lifestyle”. Either: opulent lifestyle or opulence.
“They are paid and maintained by tax-payers’ money to give us a crime free (crime-free) society”.
“UI mourns late chancellor” Campus News: The foremost citadel cannot mourn a living person! So, yank away ‘late’
“Lagos sets (set) to eradicate blindness among students” “Multiple taxation hinder (hinders) tourism development—FTAN”
“NewautomotivepolicythreatensN25bninvestment at (in) Lagos port”
“…policies that will attract both local and foreign investors into (to) the state…”.
“…the right decisions that could restore hope and national pride at trying times like this”. In search of game changers: at a trying time like this or at trying times like these.
Wrong application of adjectives: overage players; right: over-age players; and high profile politicians (wrong); right: high-profile politicians.
“The remains (plural) of the Emir of Kano…has (have) been…”.
“The Nation condemns action…vehicles convening (conveying) our parcels…”. (Source: THE NATION, March 7)
Note that ‘lots’ and ‘lots of’ are colloquial substitutes for ‘many,’ ‘much’ or ‘great deal of,’ ‘a number of,’ etc. Avoid their use in formal writing as they have been declared obsolescent.
“Based on these allocations, the finance minister urged Nigerians to demand for an investigation of…”. Delete ‘for,’ which applies when ‘demand’ is used as a noun. My strident demand for good governance in Abia State led to my near-fatalistic abduction on March 28, 2014, by a combined team of Abia and Lagospolicemennumbering17!LastThursdaymarked the tenth year of the sadistic misadventure by the scoundrel called Theodore Ahamefule Orji!
“…the apparent disinterest of the citizens in holding the governors and local government administrators to account on (for) the financial resources entrusted in their care”. “Navy keep (keeps) fit to defend waterways” “NGO mediates on (in) tax complaints in Lagos councils”
“At the time of this editorial, no government official from the Presidency has (had) issued any statement on this primitive show of force”.
The next four blunders are from a full-page advertorial by Coalition Against Building Collapse: “The coalition has observed that inspite (in spite) of our intervention…”.
“The argument about price and scarcity is lame and begging the answer (and begs the question)”.
“As a consumer movement whose focus is in (on) the area of safe building…”.
“…cement brands that do not comply to (with) the new standard”.
“Rev. Sam Adeyemi advises single ladies” This way: Adeyemi advises spinsters (Headlines are not supposed to be full sentences)
“Soldiers arrest man over (for) alleged complicity in daughter’s kidnap” Sub-editors should not, under any disguise, tamper with fixed/stock expressions or idioms. There is no such poetic, literary, scholastic, pedantic or journalistic licence!