First Lady, Not ‘Tinubu’s Wife’
YOU are welcome to the last edition this month: “Lagos commercial bus drivers protest lock up (lock-up) of garage” “…organizes bully prevention (bully-prevention) training programme” “…nurtured up to world standard is a testament of (to) your value not only in Ebonyi State but in Nigeria.”
“There is nothing in this country that can give hope to an ordinary man on (in) the street that one day….” The man in the street is inevitably ordinary and, therefore, does not require any worsening embellishment (ordinary) on his unfortunate circumstances! “State Police: To be or not to be (be?)” “Tinubu’s wife (First Lady) decries alarming rate of school dropouts among girls in Nigeria”
“…which he and his kinsmen (fellow Igbos) (fellow Igbo) initiated by….”
“…willing to fight for the realization of their ideal Sharia ruled (Sharia-ruled) Islamic state.”
Daily Trust front and inside pages of April 3 welcome us this week with this kindergartener goof: “…the first set of casualities was recorded yesterday.” Spell-check: casualties
From the front page to views: “…why did he not use his immense power against few (a few) individuals that want him out….”
“These nouveau riche (nouveaux riches) could channel their resources to insurgency cause if it suits them.” “This is a welcomed (welcome) development…”. “Dumpsites takeover (take over) Lagos communities”
“Group raises alarm (the alarm) on drug abuse” Incredible! Most Nigerian journalists, particularly reporters and copy editors, do not read hence the recurrence of blunders in the media use of language. It is indeed a tragedy of gargantuan implications!
“Youth Ministry inaugurates anti corruption (anti-corruption) unit”
Finally from one of the inside pages of Daily Trust under review: “In October 2002, tens of heavily armed members of Islamist militant separatist movement from Chechnya laid siege on (to) the crowded….”
Daily Independent online edition of March 30 posted advertorial and editorial faulty lines: “This is one game we have all been impatiently waiting for and the pride and honour of the nation will be upheld as the Super Eagles knockout (knock out) Ghana.”
Drink (and write) responsibly if you are 18 or above: “To leave your good will (goodwill) messages for the Super Eagles….”
Next is Leadership of April 20 which circulated four blunders: “Altogether, the apex bank said it has (had) observed that….”
“…as some BDCs (BDC) operators are reportedly using foreign exchange purchased from its window to fund unauthorized transactions.”
“For instance, the foreign reserve which early this year was $40bn have (had) fallen to $35bn last month….”
“Beyond this, there is strong indication (a strong indication) that the operation of BDCs has encouraged the dollarisation (dollarization—no spelling variation in this particular etymological circumstance) of the economy and money laundering.”
“MTNF/MUSON Music Scholars (Scholars’) Programme: Applicants who possess the above practical or theory (theoretical) certificates must also satisfy the GCE (O/L) or SSCE requirements.” (Full-page advertisement by MTN…Everywhere you go!)
“Poor electricity: PENGASSAN calls for revocation of new DISCOs licenses (DISCO licences)”
“AGF blames NA’ ssembly over (for/on) delay in implementation of audited Federation Accounts”
“We most sincerely thank God on (for) your aptly deserved recognition….”
“Fondly (Fond) regards from us all.” (Hanging sign-off sentence…!)
Corrigendum: A critical and eagle-eyed reader intervened last week, after some scholasticism, and professorially declared that the phrase ‘nooks and crannies’ exists. This columnist agrees with him based on the revelations of Oxford Learner’s Dictionary (International Student’s Edition) with Compass CD-ROM.
THE NATION ON SUNDAY of April 21 smuggled in ‘lexical contraband’: “Inhabitants of Totowu Village, Igbesa in Ogun State (another comma) may not be fishermen but they cannot do without canoes as their daily activities revolve around it (them)….”
“Why Ogoni is at logger heads (loggerheads) with Shell”
“…he gives fresh insights on (into) the lingering crisis between Shell and its host community in Ogoni land.”
THE NATION, SATURDAY, April 20, offered readers many slip-ups: “Don’t get me wrong, the fashion of yesteryears (yesteryear) was also very interesting, filled with sartorial splendour.”
“…the JNC report would most likely end up in the waste paper basket but the point would have been well made.” An illumination: wastebasket (American English) or wastepaper basket (British English)
Daily Trust of April 9 slipped several times: “NDLEA arrests food vendor over (for) cocaine in private part”
“…the minister said no fewer than 5.3 million youths are (were) jobless in the country, while 1.8 million graduates enter (entered) the labour market every year.” “…top shots spill the bean (beans)” Vanguard of April 10 fumbled so many times:
“Bravo, Our God-sent Governor…” Get it right: our godsend governor
“Why Fulani, farmers clash may continue— Northern Christian youths” National News: farmers’ clash
“FG okays 6 months (months’) imprisonment for smoking in public”
“Marketing Edge holds stakeholders (stakeholders’) summit”
“Atiku’s friend, Gado (another comma) who told the heart rendering story said….” Crime Watch: heart-rending story
‘Deworming’ (sometimes known as worming or drenching) is a medical/animal science terminology. It is a procedure for expelling worms from the intestines etcetera of humans and animals. Hence the familiar drugs known as ‘worm expellers’ or ‘dewormers’ which scientists call anti-helminthic. The Global Charity Evidence Action Initiative is well known for its ‘Deworm the World Program’. Merriam Webster Dictionary and online dictionaries like The Free Dictionary and English language portals like Google, Wikipedia, Ask.com, Dictionary.com and Grammarly.com approve the word. (Sunny Agbontaen/Benin City/08055162531), with additional information by this columnist
THE next five blunders are from THE NATION ON SUNDAY of April 14 and Vanguard Allure of April 7: “A majority of the youths having not attended primary schools….” Get it right: youths or the youth
“And for the medical school to be at per (par or on a par) with others….”
“When somebody is in a dire straight (in dire straits)….”
“Indeed, people seat (sit) in their comfort zone and blame….”
“…on a daily basis to irk (eke) out a living for themselves.” (THE NATION, Saturday, April 20)