‘Join the Bandwagon’ Wrong

EXPRESSION BY Ebere Wabara

THISDAY Front Page of January 21 welcomes us today: “…the aim of the interactive session is to build confidence amongst (among) the people in the electoral process….” ‘Amongst’ and ‘amidst’ belong to the old school!

“Commander Brigade of Guards assures on security of FCT, Niger, Nasarawa states” Get it right: Commander, Brigade of Guards, assures FCT Minister on security…” Also note the punctuation. 

“…the government and good people of Kano State heartily felicitate with the oldest monarch in the world….” ‘Felicitate’ is a standalone. So, yank away ‘with’.

“Élections (Election): Parents appeal for 2 weeks (weeks’) break for students to vote”

“Anger in Patani over herdsmen (herdsmen’s) attack, abduction of farmers”

“We’ll fish out, deal with oil theft (thieves), FG’s probe panel vows”

THE GUARDIAN of January 29 did not live up to expectation: “Physically challenged (Physically-challenged) persons arrested over (for) illegal drugs”

“…the decision by the government to deploy 900 troops to (in) Mali as part of….”

“Fontini Consulting Limited Training Calender (sic) for the Year”

“Empower Nigeria conference kicks-off (kicks off) in Enugu”

Next is DAILY INDEPENDENT of January 30: “CSR: Access Bank dishes out post disaster (post-disaster) relief materials to flood victims” 

Last Monday’s edition of THE NATION lost its glamour thrice: “…why he did not join the bandwagon to float cosmetics line (a cosmetics line).” You either climb or jump on/aboard the bandwagon—you do not join it!

“…speaks volume (volumes) of the decadence in the system.”

“…her life in a society largely comprising of ‘settled citizens’ should be applauded by all without ill-feelings.”  Delete ‘of’.

“…the nation is rent apart by all manners (manner) of rancour, acrimony and divisiveness, while the people have lost total confidence in the regime’s capacity to govern.”

“Leaving this lovely little girl with ‘uncle’ could result to (in) a rape of her innocence.”

“Generally, a country’s criminal law apply (applies) only to acts committed within its territory.”

“But now that the middle class has fizzled out, a good number of alms givers has (have) turned to beggars, particularly in the urban centres across the country.”

“Yet, the CBN mops up millions of Naira intermittently from the economy on the ground that there is liquidity in the system!”  Beyond the realm of politics: on the grounds.

“This notwithstanding, some distinguished personalities, brilliant schoolars and astute politicians got elected into the National Assembly.”  Not just an opinion: scholars.

“When an administration confronts them, they sometimes lie low, knowing fully well that they outlive administrations.”  Get it right: knowing full well or knowing fully.

“…he has a secret wife of Igbo origin whose off-springs (sic) prefer to bear their maternal grand-father’s name.” This way: offspring (non-count and not a compound word).

“It was a siege on (to) the court…on (to) the judiciary.”

“New wave of arrest (arrests)” 

“…the least that should be done is for it to handover (hand over) power willingly to a civilian administration and depart in peace.”

“Because the Nigerian economy has been in the doldrums for quite sometime (some time)….”

“Usually, the word ‘rights’ appear (appears) to strike a chord of anger in parents.”

“But then, would the world have bothered if he never succeeds (succeeded)?”

“In the final of his fourth part (four-part) analysis on (of) the present political state in Nigeria.…”

“Holy Bible says that money is the root of all evils.…” No distortion:  It is the love of money (and not money itself) that is the root of all evils.

“The association must be commended for discharging its patriotic duty of alerting the authorities about (to) the security breach.”

“If for any reason, neither the state nor the police issues (issue) a statement.…”  

“But first, the group must get its acts (act) together….”

“After a lull, violent crimes, particularly armed robbery, has (have) resurfaced.…”

“The Oputa-led panel investigating human rights violations in the country between the period of 1966 to 1999. For linguistic justice: between 1966 and 1999.

“We were of the opinion that the panel was set-up (set up) to sooth frayed nerves.” Politics this week:  soothe.

 “Nigeria’s soccer house set to take the bull by the horn and change the face of the game.” Sport Today: take the bull by the horns (not horn).  This is a standard form.

“We could do nothing against such formidable odds giving (given) the worthless tools at our disposal.”

“A further review of the performance of the major currencies of Nigeria’s trading partners also indicate (indicates) that the Euro….”

“The reasons range from power generation limitation to the use of overaged (overage), antiquated and archaic hydro-terminal plants and so many others too numerous to mention.”

“The Yorubas, Igbo and even Northern minorities have grudges….” English with politics: the Yoruba, the Igbo (collective) and, of course, the northern minorities.

“The police has an image problem, too.”  Bound to correction:  The police have.…

“I have persistently advocated, without much success, the need to align policy making (a hyphen) to (with) crime control….”

“The purchasing power in the hands of consumers have (has) been going down; it means that demand for goods and services are (is) reducing.

“…the executive cannot acquiesce to a patently wrong situation and demur in a similar situation.” The legislature we deserve: acquiesce in (not to).

“…anybody who happened to stumble unto (on) some millions of naira by fair or foul means dabbled into threat business.”

“Motorists deserve this relief after the anguish of yesteryears.”  Stock form: yesteryear.

“This is another scintillating edition for the matured (mature) mind.”  

“Benue assures on abandoned projects” Just tell readers who the state assured. 

“Before embarking on the strike action….” You can as well embark on strike inaction! Just ‘strike’ (no ‘action’), please!

“It was as though both informants were mischievous people who had an affinity in (for) discrediting the preachers.”

“The vigilante group visited instant judgment on the thief and sent him to the great beyond.”  In the name of lexical exactitude: vigilance group.

“Sixteen people were killed and two others seriously injured in a ghastly (fatal) accident which occurred along (on) the Bauchi-Auchi road on Saturday.” The fatality component is unnecessary as it is clearly implied.