Summons (Singular), Summonses (Plural)

Ebere Wabara

YAHAYA Bello’s new opportunity to surrender: “His swash-buckling approach to criminal summons (a criminal summons or summonses, depending on context) by the EFCC shows a total lack of discretion and good judgment.” Please note: summons (singular) and summonses (plural). Most journalists always get this unusual entry wrong!

“The cat and mouse (cat-and-mouse) game he has played with the court should end.”

“Abubakar said that (sic) giving palliatives to people will (would) not solve the problem.”

“Governors’ minimum wage theatricals: Legal fireworks begins (sic) next week”

“This is yet another landmark in the life of a philantropist” Spell-check: philanthropist

“Generousity (sic) per (sic) excellence again.” (Source: as above) There should be no full stop because it is not a sentence. A rewrite: Generosity par excellence again

“Uzodinma hails police for returning peace to Imo” Is the national newspaper under review (name withheld) insinuating that the police took away ‘peace’ in Imo and are now returning it with Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State as the crown witness? The police are merely restoring peace—not returning it! Some of these ‘media professionals’ can misrepresent someone!

We move to the views page: “Some of them go about on (in) private aircraft with security agents at their beck and calls (call).”

Education Today pages are next: “Adeola Odutola College alumni inaugurates (inaugurate) lecture theatre”

“Recent crackdowns on examination malpractice…has (have) led to hundreds of prosecutions and scores of convictions.”

“Tuition: EKSU students laud instalment payment” Campus News: instalment plan (not payment)

“….reports that majority (a majority) of Nigerians are going through unprecedented hardship.”

The word ‘followership’ is a Nigerian coinage. The approved entry is ‘following’ or ‘followers.’ An example: The APC has a large following or many followers. Also note that ‘witch-hunt’ is not a verb as many people often use it! It is a countable noun. (Contributed by Ken Ugbechie)

The Guardian of September 4 posted a sentence wrongly: “So could the instances of delayed tax remittance and clear failure by FIRS to mete out sanctions on (to) defaulters….”

“Service can only be enjoyed on MMS enabled (MMS-enabled) phones that have the correct MTN data settings.” (Full-page advertisement by MTN)

Still on THE GUARDIAN: “Borno engages 64,000 youths in poverty reduction schemes” Appointments: poverty-reduction schemes

“The federal government must, therefore, set up a special task force to monitor all its activities, projects and make sure that they are commissioned (now a cliché) on time.”

“Explore the possibilities of world class (world-class) education within the country at Elizade University.” (Full-page advertisement)

“…in addition to sitting for our post UTME (post-UTME) scheduled to hold on….” (Source: as above)

“Saraki’s media aide added that after the closed door meeting….” Truth in defence of freedom: closed-door meeting

“According to him, the video was not an official recording of the forum, and, as such, remained untameable (untenable).”

“Real reason Emeka Oparah quits (quit) Cadbury”

Lastly from this platform: “Firms’ profits re-open (reopen) cement glut claims” Phrasal verbs abhor hyphenation.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER of September 28, goofed: “Even before this season rounded-off (rounded off), players and coaches (coaches’) transfer news have (had) even overshadowed some matches….” Global soccer summer transfer: ‘news’ is uncountable

“Below are photographs of personalities at (on) the occasion.” (Source: as above)

“Don’t miss out on the thrills and anxiety (anxieties) every week as thousands of talented singers battle for the grand prize of N24 million and the career changing (career-changing) Sony Music Contract.” (Full-page advertisement by glo Unlimited)

“School holds inter house (inter-house) cultural competition”

“Fraud free (Fraud-free) immigration to Canada”

“…and that these have the potential to trigger off crisis (a crisis) the end of which nobody could fathom.”

Next is a special extract from the edition under review: “Reports said no fewer than 44 people were slaughtered penultimate Tuesday night by some unknown gunmen (we can never know the gunmen—so spare readers the ‘unknown’ trite!) at Dumba village on the outskirt (outskirts) of Baga town in the Kukawa Local Government Area of the state.”

“Our members have earned the allowances by working for the money and therefore we are not begging for crump (crumbs) from government.”

“She said the motive is (was) still unknown….”

Lastly from Daily Trust under examination: “Police cordons town hall over crisis” A rewrite: Police cordon off town hall after crisis

Daily Independent Online of August 28 committed juvenile errors: “…dignitaries at the event took their turn (turns) to thrash out the problems politicians have infested Nigeria with.”

“Influx of people stretch (stretches) our security—FCT CP”

“UN seeks Nigeria’s help to (at) restoring constitutional order in (to) Guinea Bissau”

THE NATION ON SUNDAY of September 29 fumbled copiously: “…Ehoe division responded to a distress call at about 3.30 pm (at 3.30 p.m. or about 3.30 p.m.) that….” Both cannot co-function.

“Traders commend FG over (for) intervention on (in) closed shops”

“…in this interview with reporters, he said the North’s allegations that they are currently marginalized was (were) baseless….”

Daily Trust of August 21 offered readers a clownish mistake: “4 family members arrested in Abia over murder of kinsman” A rewrite: 4 family members arrested for kinsman’s murder

“South-South Monarchs (Monarchs’) Forum”

“Quality all purpose equipments at GOOFA Nigeria Limited” A rewrite: Quality all-purpose equipment (uncountable)

Wrong: “Go and on/off the generator”; right: Go and put on/off the generator

Wrong: “Wash hand basin”; right: Finger bow

The next two blunders are from Stv Early Morning News Scroll of September 21: “Preventing external agression” Spell-check: aggression

“Aviation workers suspends (why?) strike, FG intervenes”

“Churning out series (a series) of life-transforming soap operas endeared….”