Troubled Waters, Trouble Spots

Ebere Wabara

DAILY Trust of September 17 confirmed lack of grammatical memory: “President Bola Tinubu has run into trouble water over his comment that….” All the facts, all the sides: troubled waters. Perhaps, the reporter and oversight editorial functionaries were misled by ‘trouble spot’!

“Endorsement (Endorsements) galore at…third anniversary”

“ASUU is feeling comfortable because majority of them (a majority of its members) are either teaching in one private university or the other (or another)….”

“Fed Poly Ado crowns new beauty pageant” Campus News: it is a beauty queen or pageant winner that is crowned—not the pageant, which is the show!

“U-17 World Cup kicks-off next week” Delete the hyphen because phrasal verbs do not admit hyphenation.

“IOC’s (IOCs’) divestment not threat to Nigeria—FG”

Finally from Daily Trust Back Page of the edition under review: “…politicians of fortunes (fortune) who are seeking public office by hook or crook.” The Prince of Nigeria Paradigm: by hook or by crook.

“Our self service (self-service) kiosks offer you round the clock (round-the-clock) service, 7 days a week.” (Full-page advertisement)

“…plane crashes in the country have always been marred with (by) controversies….”

Glo Unlimited chipped in the next two school-boy howlers: “As you move closer to Brazil…, we say a big congratulations (a big congratulations?)….” (Full-page advertisement)

“Glo is the official sponsor of All Nigeria (All-Nigeria) National Football Teams since 2003.”

THE NATION ON SUNDAY of September 3 circulated a few inaccuracies beginning from its front page: “CBN reads riot act against dollarization” Truth in defence of freedom: the riot act (fixed expression)

“State of the nation: Our country at crossroads” (Full-page advertisement by The Code Group) Setting new standards in leadership and governance: at a/the crossroads (stock entry)

“He said the country is (was) not broke.”

“Members of the Kaduna State House of Assembly impeached their speaker in an apparent controversial circumstances (why?)….”

Still on THE NATION ON SUNDAY under review: “…occasioned by the endless lecturers’ strike action.” Insight: yank away ‘action’!

“Lamentation galore, as strike ground campus businesses” A rewrite: Lamentations galore, as strike grounds campus businesses

“Lagos assures on improvement of financial system” Who did the state government assure? 

“…on the ground (grounds) that this honourable court lacks jurisdiction to make the order.” I am not rising yet!

“…respondents concealed materials (material) facts to this honourable court thereby deceived this court into making the interim orders.” (Source: as above)

“After reading the 24 paragraphs  (24-paragraph) affidavit in support of the motion ex-parte deposed to….” A ‘learned’ high court judge, a gentleman with more than 25 years’ postgraduate experience, signed the document where the three preceding errors were extracted from! 

From GTBank (sic) comes the next wrongdoing: “Enjoy round the clock banking!” And this: “Set-up (set up) standing instructions” (Full-page advertisement) At your service: round-the-clock banking

THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER also fumbled in its editorial set-up (noun this time): “As agric bank hands-out (hands out) N20bn in 10yrs (10 years)

“The Fulani then started stealing the cattles belonging to the Takad people.” ‘Cattle’ is uncountable! This should be for the kindergarten class!

“I…was always involved in one activities (activity) or the other (another).”

“Many Nigerian football fans breathe (breathed) a sigh of relief as….”

“The footballer turned singer shares his story in this chat with….”Showbiz flair: footballer-turned-singer

“When kids celebrates (how?) the nation’s cultures”

Still on THISDAY under review: “Only in her 20s … has treaded (trod) where angels feared (fear) to.”

“During her recent trip to Nigeria, this enterpreneur (entrepreneur) opened up to….”

“…their strengths and revealing their potentials.” Destiny catalyst: ‘potential’ is non-count.

“Also in the archives are pictures of all the colonial Governor Generals….” This way: Governors-General

“UNDP Sokoto coordinator killed by unknown assailants” How can a reporter or his medium know assailants or gunmen? So, leave out that bit and go straight to the point!

“His wife, Esther, laid (lay) on a three seater (three-seater) settee in the living room still asking….” The Saturday Newspaper: lie—lay (past tense), lain (past participle), lying (present participle) and lies (third person singular). I do not know where the reporter and his editors got ‘laid’!

“…we pray the Almighty Allah will grants (what?) you many more years ahead.” Would it have been years past?

“Nigerians have discovered that these terror groups and kidnappers are birds of the same feather….” Commentary: birds of a feather 

“We pray to almighty God to continue to give you strength, health and wisdom to paddle the ship of the state to the promise land.” Get it right: Promised Land

“When a foe compliments your progress, you better (you had better) check that your next step is not off the cliff.”

“Women, kids flee troubled (trouble) spots”

“…the technologies that are now available wasn’t (weren’t) available fifty years ago….”

“After the initial grief subsides, the loss is still felt through every passing years (year).”

Finally from the Back Page of THE NATION under review: “Like (As) I said earlier, there are really no fundamental ideological differences between the factions of….” 

“Thirdly, corruption was not limited to the outgoing governor but involved his cohorts at the corridor of power.” Africa’s executive robbers: in the corridors of power.

“Even though I wanted to see him, he advised against it on the ground that I could get into trouble….’’ The verdict: on the grounds.

“The state Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has 36 chapels out of which seven chapel officers, all duely (duly) nominated and some of the delegates.”

 “…the reduction on the external debt and investment in social infrastructures and equipments.”  (The Punch, September 11) The last word in the extract is uncountable, just like these: stationery, bedding, cutlery, jewelry, gossip (as an act)….

“…abolish the federal agency and realign it into (with) mainstream government machinery.” (Nigerian Tribune, September 11)

“Thugs in Imo State lay siege on electoral materials” This way: lay siege to (not on).

“They had a second wind between 1964 to 1985, though they did not know it.”  (Source: as above)  A recurring error: between 1964 and 1985 or from 1964 to 1985—no mix-up.

“I must confess from the onset that I am not a protagonist of military rule.’’ Get it right: from the outset (in this context).

“The boss and his secretary will continue to have intimate official connection, in spite of gossips.” ‘Gossip’, as an act, is uncountable. But, with reference to those who talk idly and backbite, inflection of the word is allowed.

“But ours is quite different, judging by the experience with regards to the activities of the elected….”  Either of these:  as regards or with regard to.