Precedent, Not ‘Precedence’

EXPRESSION by Ebere Wabara

DAILY Sun Editorial of March 30 welcomes us today with this schoolboy howler: “We must be careful of the precedence (precedent) we are setting.”

“…the outcome of the committee’s work would be in their favors (American spelling).” Get it right: in their favour—not in their ‘favors’. (Politics & Power, March 30)

News around the city of March 30: “…members of the gang were arrested around the Patani axis few (a few) days before the abduction.”

“He said the gang has (had) been terrorising (terrorizing, preferably) the area….” 

“Police constable stabs two (2, professionally for headlines) Bauchi youths to death” (THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER, March 25) Who is a constable? A police officer of the lowest rank or someone who has powers of arrest based on a warrant….

Back to front-page basics: “Fireworks at (in) Senate over court (court’s) judgment on Electoral Act”

“…2 military personnel (men/officers—depending on ranking) among casualties” ‘Personnel’ is a collective word and cannot, therefore, be individualized or even pluralized.

“…I heartily felicitate with (delete ‘with’ and allow it to just flow seamlessly) Your Excellency the Executive Governor of…on your (his) 58th birthday anniversary.” Just end it at ‘birthday’ and forget the otiose ‘anniversary’.

“You have lived an examplary (exemplary) and fulfilling life that is worthy of emulation to serve humanity

“I join you, your family, well wishers (well-wishers) and the people of….”

“Awa jubilates as echoes of the solution spreads (spread).”

“…is going to be a make or mar (make-or-mar) encounter.” Little things that matter to purists

“…what led to the Eagles (Eagles’) crash in Cameroon and effect the necessary corrections….” Would it have been ‘unnecessary’ corrections? Let us think as we collocate, please.                                                                         

A reminder: Corrected entries are in brackets immediately after the error. Of course, the attributions are excluded. Some readers seem confused on this hence the explanation.

THISDAY of March 21 goofed: “It also speaks volume (volumes) about the character of the people that have been put in charge of our affairs….”

BUSINESSDAY of March 21 could not be trusted: “The politics and intrigues that attended the bill during its first, second, and third readings at (on) the floor of the National Assembly tends (tend) to suggest….”

“Customs flay (flays) poor payment of WCO levies” (The PUNCH, March 21)

“CBN to probe banks involvement in pension scam” (THE NATION, March 21) Why not banks’ involvement?

“…in line with the 7th Senate’s avowal of being on an historic mission” Politics: a historic mission. 

The next two errors are from Vanguard of March 21: “Suicide: EFCC may intervene as Police assures (assure) of investigation” Who did the police assure?

“Kano police arrest man over (for) lady’s murder” Must this blunder keep recurring? ‘Arrest’ takes ‘for’ exclusively. I do not know how the ubiquitous clownishness of ‘arrest over’ came about!  

“A media and high impact entertainment company with affiliates in 3 continents of the world” Immediate Employment: affiliates on 3 continents

“ASUU decries insecurity in (on) campuses” (The PUNCH, March 20)

“Egba chief buried amid controversy” (The Guardian, March 20) The man was either buried in controversy or amid controversies—depending on circumstantial evidence and/or contextual application.

THISDAY of March 19 failed to spell-check: “FG’s commited (committed) to quality low income housing” 

“Portable (potable) water as solution to building collapse” (Source: as above)

“Community solicits FG’s support on (for) erosion control” (BUSINESSDAY, March 19) 

Vanguard of March 19 contributed three infelicities to the pool this week: “Lagos Motor Fair: More firms justle (jostle) for space”

“Derivation formula (2): North gets lion share of N-Delta oil wealth” Special Report: lion’s share.

“The level of infrastructural decay is enormous and will take some time to resuscitate and return the city back to glory.” Delete ‘back’ lest we all get drowned in Kirikiri canal!

“How peace can be restored in (to) Plateau…”

THE NATION ON SUNDAY of March 27 contained two slips: “It’s too late for Nigeria to breakup” Phrasal verb: break up. Noun: breakup/break-up. 

Renown Evangelist…spoke with selected reporters last week on national issues.” This way: Renowned evangelist…..

“This is absurd and regretable.” (DAILY INDEPENDENT, March 16) The misspelling here is equally regrettable!

“…the ruling political party is obviously in need of a complementary transformational hand at the helms of affairs….” (DAILY INDEPENDENT, March 16) The race: just at the helm.

“Yes, Nigeria is dead alright (all right).” (Source: as above) ‘Alright’ (informal word) is not good for formal writing like standard newspapering—except, perhaps, in celebrity journalism where there are no grammatical rules!

“Nigerian Idol: Shina Peters poise (poised) for a come back (sic)” (DAILY INDEPENDENT Life, March 16)  

THISDAY Back Page Column of March 15 did not conform to 27 years of robust journalism since 1995: “Sometimes in 1997, in my capacity as the deputy editor of the defunct Sunday Concord….” My own verdict: Sometime in 1997….

“The only way to forestall the Nigerian Spring is by dousing people’s anger and diffusing (defusing) the pent-up frustration before it becomes explosive.” (DAILY INDEPENDENT, March 15)

“…the absence of these checks and balances provide (provides) avenues for impunity in the other….” (DAILY INDEPENDENT Agenda, March 15)

“JAMB 2022: What’s the cut-off-marks for universities” (DAILY INDEPENDENT, March 15) A rewrite: JAMB 2022: What’re the cut-off marks for varsities?  

“Their hands are literarily full: they will hit the ground running.” (Vanguard COMMENT, March 15) New envoys, new mandate: literally full

“Outrage greets Reps at witch hunting” (BUSINESSDAY, March 15) I was also outraged by lawmakers’ witch-hunt of the former Director-General of Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Ms Arunma Oteh, a first-class, delectable and global lady with multifarious international job opportunities before the currency of her employment.

The next three infelicities are from DAILY INDEPENDENT of March 15: “Tambuwal condoles police over John’s death” The governor condoled with police

“…popped Champaign at the Makurdi Airport to celebrate victory at all levels” Spell-check: Champagne. 

“Otherwise, somewhere down the line with their loots, these men would continue to come back to rape the polity.”  ‘Loot’ is uncountable.

“Resident doctors in neighbouring Ghana went on strike less than a week before our own strike and theirs have (has) since been resolved.”

“Others are outrightly ugly.”  This is lexical corruption. Standard English:  Others are ugly outright.  

“They point accusing fingers towards female prostitutes who are girlfriends to the armed robbers and provide those anti-social miscreants accommodation and succour to perpetuate their despicable crimes.” Yank away ‘accusing’ and point the finger at (not towards) prostitutes.  And this: ‘anti-social miscreants’?  This is noisy collocation!  

“It will present events in the two chambers, record achievements, gossips and behind the scene (no hyphen?) moves of the assembly men”  ‘Gossip’, in this context, is uncountable.