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LET us welcome Nigeria Political Economist to this column. Its August edition, Volume 1 No. 7, goofed: “…our share in those agreements are (is) not the same as we have in the joint venture (a comma) so it’s lower.”
News of August 2 did not make any difference on so many occasions in its use of the English language: “Will the emergence of Ribadu as the NSA have any positive impact on the security challenges facing the nation and put an end to terrorism and other forms of criminal activities to a stop?” When you write windy sentences, you go adrift like we have here! Do we take it that Ribadu and his principal are helpless on Boko Haram and insecurity? What happened in Okene, Kogi State, a long time ago, was the preface to the currency of anarchy!
“South East governors and the looming impeachment threat” Existential humanism: Looming impeachment? Yes. Looming impeachment threat? No!
“Unilag, Akoka, was last Friday a beehive of activities as….” My alma mater was a hive/beehive of activity/industry (not activities/industries) as….
“…confined her to the four-wall of her home with no help in sight.” What is ‘four-wall of her home’? Are there common triangular apartments? Simply put, the lady was confined to her home—the balderdash about ‘four-wall’ (instead of just wall) is a descent into lexical savagery!
Still on News: “Disappearance of coins weigh (weighs) down on pricing system.” This is a clear case of subject-verb disagreement that, if not for the writer’s/sub-editor’s/proofreader’s slipshoddiness, the computer’s spelling and grammar mechanism would have detected the culprit’s absent-mindedness.
“…the need to revisit the use of coins to curb fraudulent pricing trends that eats (why?) deep into consumer budgets.” This way: consumers’ budgets.
Finally from News Review of events of yesteryear: “He was rushed to hospital for treatment.” This is an unintelligent sentence. When the former editor of Daily Sun, Steve Nwosu, was taken to hospital after a gunshot by a bandit, it could not have been for picnicking, sun-bathing or revelry! So, just tell readers—who are not gullible—that the journalist was taken (not the cliché ‘rushed’) to hospital. Was there an ambulance for ‘rushing’ him? No!
“One is gratified by the rising attention on (to) consumerism in the organized private sector.”
“In addition, there had been no report that he had gone to condole (condole with) the family of the late….”
“…he may be able to warm (worm) himself in (to) the recognition and acceptance of the various nationalities and interest groups in Nigeria.”
“The police officer noted that since armed bandits have shifted their operation to the churches….” Whoever wrote ‘armed bandits’ does not understand the nature of banditry. There is no banditry without arms. Otherwise, it becomes another form of criminality, not banditry. A bandit is a member of an armed gang.
“I am not sure the present leadership of (the) NNPC has grassroot knowledge of the oil industry.” No linguistic fraud: grassroots knowledge.
“They demanded for money only after they had made sure that the victim would not survive the shooting” Delete ‘for’.
“Most victims of sexual exploitation were found to be young girls aged between 13 to 18 years. Between 13 and 18 or from 13 to 18.
“Crisis management in oil producing areas” A hyphen between ‘oil’ and ‘producing would have indicated scholastic depth.
“I doff my hat for the resilience of those who staked their necks to confront the excesses of the immediate past.” Dogma at the barricades: I doff/take off my hat to (not for) newspaper contributors, the occasional Freudian slips notwithstanding.
“Others just ridiculed me outrightly” A protester at the American embassy: Others just ridiculed me outright.
“NCP raises alarm over alleged harrasment of market women” Across the nation: harassment. Also note that ‘harassment’ is uncountable, unlike ‘embarrassment’.
“…but the incidence rather than subdue you, (sic) should spur you to greater heights.” The human angle: incident (not incidence).
“Gather every members of your family….” Either every member of your family or all members….
“Obasanjo, critics exchange banters” ‘Banter’ is uncountable.
“…the chilling story of Calabar’s rival gang members who not only slaughter themselves (one another) but.…”
“Eagles confront Malawians under scorching sun” This way: in the scorching sun.
‘”In times past, the media might even have queried the gaming, or the double standards….” Professionalism: double standard.
“We maintain that like every other institutions established by law….” Either every other institution or all other institutions.
“Customs intensify air border patrol” No news: Customs intensifies.
“PHCN has (had) earlier indicated that progress made towards stabilizing power supply has been reversed.”
“Abubakar who was on a one-day working visit to Kano to round up (off) his familiarization tour of police formations in the country.…” I can understand the mix-up because of IGP’s involvement!
“Osun Polls: INEC chiefs hold last minute (last-minute) talks”
“Unijos alumni holds convention” For the last time: alumni hold, but alumni association holds.
“But none has raised more eye-brows than the vulgar display of wealth at (on) the occasion….”
“Reneging on the agreement is palpably reprehensible and affront on (to) the sensibility of Nigerians.”
FEEDBACK
WE have a big challenge in our profession. Poorly-trained journalists are operating without informed supervision. Words such as ‘confess’, ‘reveal’, ‘disclose’ and ‘hint’ are routinely used inappropriately. A journalist without a standard dictionary is like a man without eyes! Does a doctor discard his stethoscope after graduation? Voracious reading is integral to journalism. (Sunny Agbontaen/Benin/08055162531)
