APC Godsend, Not ‘Godsent’
Expression Ebere Wabara
MIRROR views page of October 20 welcomes us this week with two errors: “There is a marked difference between political activities and electioneering campaigns.” In the interest of existential humanism, let us end it at ‘electioneering’ which includes ‘campaigns.’
“…the interest of the common man in the street.” The man in the street is basically common! Do not aggravate his circumstance by adding ‘common’!
“Glo’s Move to Greener Pastures (Move-to-Greener-Pastures) campaign hits over 50, 000 views (sic)”
“Man charged for (with) tossing wife off cruise ship”
The last slipshod entry from Mirror just before its editorial: “Italy’s first back (black) minister gets death threat”
Now the Editorial: “…which are interpreted to include the right for (to) sexual preferences.”
Daily Independent online of October 19 goofed on many occasions: “FG says its (it’s) suffering (suffering from) cash crunch”
“Globacom to storm eight cities with Glo slide and bounce tour” From the nation: Glo slide-and-bounce tour. Does the telecommunications company have issues with hyphenation?
“Encomium galore as Anambra council boss bags award” City Gist: Encomiums (encomia, too) galore
“The Lagos PDP, until recently, was bedevilled by intra-party crisis (an intra-party crisis) that has made it impossible….” In another breath: intra-party crises (plural)
“APC presidential shoes fits (how?)…”
“Obituary announcement” Just obituary!
“Corruption destroying the fabrics (fabric) of Nigeria”
“Eagles attack worries Eguavoen” Midweek Sports: Eagles’ attack
The Guardian of October 18 goofed: “…work at Baro Port (Niger State), Oguta (Imo State) and Jamata (Lokoja, Kogi State) (a comma) according to the government (another comma) has reached an advanced stage.” What is ‘an advanced stage’? How is the reader expected to know the extent of work carried out with this kind of ambiguous phrase (journalese)? This is loose thinking and speculative writing! Let reporters and their editors express their findings in graphical or statistical terms (percentage)—this way, the reader develops a fair idea and perception of the scope of work done. This makes sense in the absence of exactitude instead of the extracted vagueness!
The next seven offences are from the above edition: “Former NNPC employee arrested over (for or in connection with) pipeline vandalism” Now the story: “…who was sentenced to five years (years’) imprisonment for pipeline vandalization.” The Metro Section: pipeline vandalism (nothing like ‘vandalization’)!
From the Editorial: “…the set-up that has proved to be every inch a drain of (on) public purse without a discernible corresponding benefit.”
“That’s why renowned scholars from top-rated citadels of learning around the world would be converging in (on) Ekiti State….” (Full-page advertisement by the Government of Ekiti State)
“Nigeria (Nigeria’s) food import reduce (reduces) by N857b, says Adesina”
“This way you stay connected to our world class (world-class) audio and video channels.” (Full-page advertisement by DStv)
“MTN Project Fame 6.0 All-Stars Concerts” (Full-page advertisement by MTN) Everywhere you go: All-star concerts
Still on advertorial blunders in major and reputable newspapers with Standard Chartered offering the next three identical howlers: “Its (It’s) good when a relationship can help you achieve what truly matters”
“Thats (That’s) why we recognize all that matters to you when it comes to your banking needs.”
“Connect to the worlds (world’s) most dynamic markets”
“Continue to rest in the bossom (bosom) of the lord (Lord).” Or preferably this: Continue to rest in the Lord’s bosom. This is called tight-writing.
THE NATION of October 16 fumbled twice: “Rather than foot-drag on the bill, the President should see it as God-sent (godsend) to showcase his achievements.” My own comment: All Progressives Congress (APC) is godsend—not godsent—to liberate Nigerians from the PDP vampires! An aside: The APC should not make the same endlessly possessive flaw of the PDP: Peoples (People’s) Democratic Party. So, All Progressives’ Congress—which means a congress of all progressives.
“…the ebullient Prime Minister of the United Kingdom is doing same (the same) before the House of Commons.”
“Black out of Super Eagle’s matches” A rewrite: Blackout of Super Eagles’ matches
“…before they were sworn-in (sworn in) on May 29, 1999.”
Still on headline gaffes in last week’s edition of this medium: “50 Dutch firms takeover (take over) ailing Nigerian textile firms”
“NANS auto crash: Police denies (deny) culpability”
“Just last week, some of my staff went to get money at one of the bank’s ATM (ATMs) in Adeniran Ogunsanya.”
THISDAY of October 15 did not show truth and reason which it avows: “The governor also advocated for the practice of true fiscal federalism in the country….” Delete ‘for’ in pursuit of robust journalism.
“Suswam pulls out of Northern Governors (Governors’) Forum”
“The Board, Management and Staff of Wema Bank Plc (PLC) commiserates (commiserate) with the family of late (the late….)
We continue with THISDAY headline slip-ups of October 8: “Lagos reward (rewards) carnival winners”
“…the coaches that I work with on a day to day (day-to-day) basis.” (Source: as above)
Last week’s misapprehension: ‘witch-hunt’ is not an adjective. It is a countable noun and cannot function as a verb. There is no such word as ‘witch-hunting’!
Kano/Jigawa Customs intercepts trucks of smuggled food items” The Nigeria Customs Service will not, officially, intercept goods or items that were not smuggled. Only the bad eggs in the service will occasionally carry out such operations, illegally of course. So, delete ‘smuggled’ from the headline.
“ONSA, CBN join forces to crackdown on (crack down) forex speculators”
“FG uncovers 32 food smuggling (food-smuggling) routes in Sokoto” Unless if the national newspaper weirdly meant that ‘the food was smuggling the routes’!
“Groups provide free HIV testing (HIV-testing) services” The preceding elucidation applies here equally.
“How incessant import duty hike (hikes) fuel cargo diversion, smuggling”
“ASUU raises alarm (the alarm) over emergence of new IPPIS, urges Tinubu to fish out brains behind it”
“Niger: Organised Labour begins warning strike as meeting with govt deadlocked” Please note that ‘deadlock’ and ‘deadlocked’ are noun and adjective, respectively. Therefore, its verbal usage here is wrong. Get it right: …as meeting ends in deadlock. Alternatively: as meeting remains deadlocked. ‘Deadlock’, on the other hand, can function as a noun and as a verb transitive. ‘Deadbolt’ means the same thing too.
“…says ex-governor develop (developed) his constituency”
