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IF you are not familiar with the name Mike Awoyinfa, you are not likely to appreciate the quintessence that is tabloid journalism in Nigeria hallmarked and signposted by this gentleman whose profuse humility and robust professionalism amid a profundity of subnational consanguinity are subjects for another day!
Last Wednesday, he was the first, among copious others, to commend my modest efforts through the instrumentality of this column. By the way, it was he who employed me in the heyday of this medium without any bureaucracy. My engagement here was simply based on my media reputational antecedents and experiential pedigrees.
I must also mention the invaluable roles of the late Pastor Dimgba Igwe (Otunba Awoyinfa’s deputy) and omo oba Femi Adesina (ex-this, ex-that who needs no introduction) in my memorable employment as a member of the Editorial Board and back page columnist in The Sun from where I later moved on to the banking and telecoms sectors both at managerial levels—at the instance of The Guru, Dr. Mike Adenuga Jr., GCON.
Please underscore this: Otunba Awoyinfa, a National Concord General, was the pioneer Managing Director-cum-Editor-in-Chief of The Sun. Now his message: “My brother. “The late…not Late.” You are absolutely correct. I join and praise your efforts to correct grammatical faux pas in Nigerian newspapers. Good morning and God bless you.”
This feedback reminded me of the commendation of Wordsworth by Prof. Olatunji Dare years back at the Frederick Ebert Foundation office in Unilag. These evergreen interventions are invaluable and mean so much to me. I give God the glory.
BACK to our language clinic. “Customs deputy comptroller slumps, dies at Reps (Reps’) investigative hearing”
“…on his emergence as the vice chairman of the Southern Nigeria Governors (Governors’) Forum.”
“…speak volume (volumes) of your capabilities.” This error-ridden advertorial was signed by five lawmakers!
“…despite the fact that our party performed creditably well.” Delete ‘well’—it is an overkill. You either use ‘creditably’ or ‘well’ as both cannot co-function.
“…the financial institutions, especially those listed on the Nigerian Exchange Limited (another comma) are positioning to….”
“This emerged as the SEC yesterday, released its framework to….” Either a comma before ‘yesterday’ or none at all to avoid a disruption of the subject and the verb—there must be a joint relationship.
“…as listed commercial banks give investors opportunity (an opportunity or opportunities) to own a….”
“…is renowned for her electric music genre, comprising of soul….” Electrocute ‘of’!
“There are times necessity breed (breeds) invention….”
“…uncontrolled contract awards and flagrant disobedience to (of) financial regulations….”
Lastly from the above edition: “Proffer solution to Boko Haram menance first” Spell-check: menace.
“Gbagi itches (inches) closer to becoming first African in Rotary’s Arch Klumph Society”
“We wish to announce the sudden death of our friend…which sad event took place on…in a ghastly motor accident.” When an accident results in death, it is fatal (not ghastly).
A recurrent blunder: “4 arrested over 62-yr-old man’s death” No tiresomeness from error regularity: ‘arrest’ takes ‘for’ (not ‘over’).
“Why we’re promoting artistes of yesteryears” Nigeria’s weekly magazine: yesteryear. The same thing applies to ‘heyday’.
“Our grouse against NHIS, by community pharmacists” My grouse about (not against) media language abuse….
“Before it used to be between 40 to 60.” Even The Flagship? Either from 40 to 60 or between 40 and 60. No muddle, gentlemen.
“Explosions in the African continent” Conscience, Nurtured by Truth: Explosions on the African continent.
“In the presidential polls (a comma) President…failed to score the mandatory 50 per cent of the vote to be declared outrightly elected” ‘Outrightly’ is perverse American English. The standard version is ‘outright’ which functions both as an adverb and an adjective. We cannot continue agonizing over semantics.
“On December 29, the governor added another feather to his cap when….” Stock expression: added (no need for another) a feather in (not to) one’s (his) cap.
“Solutions that create more social trauma and dislocations than is (are) currently the case will not be preferred over (to) solutions that minimize the same.” I prefer compere to (not over) master of ceremonies.
“The three parties that demanded for the restructuring of the electoral body are….” (Daily Independent, July 16) As a verb, ‘demand’ does not take ‘for’ except in a noun form.
“Given the robust profiles of majority (a majority) of the INEC commissioners, there is every hope that the commission may get its acts together in the next elections.” A review: a majority of…and the fixed expression: get its act (not acts) together.
The following blunders are from Leadership of July16: “Hong Kong, as a colony, is made up of the harbour that is reputed to be one of the busiest in the world comprising of some outlying settlements, ceded to Britain by China in 1842.” This can’t be a challenge: ‘comprising’ does not require ‘of’.
“I feel the permanent solution is not in importing fuel from abroad….” The importation couldn’t have been from within these shores!
“Their roles and participation in the furtherance of dictatorship has (have) seriously.…” (Source: as above)
“Issues bothering on meeting employers’ obligations to employees in form of salary….” There is a sharp distinction between ‘bothering’ and ‘bordering’, which applies here.
“While contesting the alleged sale of the bakery and its ultra-modern equipments….” ‘Equipment’ is uncountable.
“The frequency with which administrations are changed at the grassroot level makes it difficult for any sustainable development to be accomplished.” Immutable: grassroots makes.
“Given the robust profiles of majority of the INEC commissioners, there is every hope that the commission may get its acts together in the April elections.” A review: a majority of…and the fixed expression: get its act (not acts) together.
“The impression seems to have gained ground that the voter registration was just another white elephant project, a wasteful jamboree.” Get it right: just white elephant. All the trash about ‘project, a wasteful jamboree’ is simply pleonastic.
“Just imagine if all the money which was sunken into the Ajaokuta steel project.…” Tense mix-up: delete ‘sunken’ for ‘sunk.’
