THISDAY of September 12 opens the door today with this back page missile: “…protesting his third summon (summons) by the Department of State Security (DSS) over his comments on Boko Haram.” Singular: summons; plural: summonses—got the hang?
THE NATION ON SUNDAY of September 6 deserves tongue-lashing for the next two ugly contributions today: “FGN, LASG commended over removal of trucks in Apapa” ‘Commend’ takes ‘for’, ‘on’ and ‘to’—never ‘over’—depending on context.
“Signed: Edo Election Vigilante Group” (Full-page Advert) Get it right: Edo Vigilance Group
“Advocating for protection of rights in Nigeria” (DAILY INDEPENDENT, August 18) For lexical independence, drop ‘for’.
“…the amount of business that would be brought to this state will far outweigh whatever money we have expanded for (on) its construction.” (Source: as above)
“800 Ogun residents queue for Forster (sic) children” Spell-check: foster.
“AAU: A varsity in throe of protests” This way: in the throes of protest.
“OAU alumni flays students’ protest against fees hike” There is a distinction between ‘alumni association’ (flays) and ‘alumni’ (flay).
“Judge advises 64 ex-Unilever workers to seek out of court settlement” (DAILY INDEPENDENT, September 11) My advice: out-of-court settlement.
“Vigilante group on the run in Delta” (DAILY INDEPENDENT, September 11) Say no to language poverty: vigilance group. Enough on vigilantism!
“CBN passes vote of confidence on Wema Bank” Vote of confidence in (not on)….
“The cartoon and comparison to all intent and purpose is an insult….” (THISDAY, August 16) Nigerian youths as scapegoats: all intents and purposes.
“…the chain of events culminating into (in) what has now become the North African struggle….“ (Source: as above)
“The Obamas do not come so easily in (on) this sorry continent of Africa….”
”…its introduction into the affairs of men seems to be one of the critical turning points in the variegated history of statecraft” Comment: ‘turning-point’ does not require any amplification (critical).
THE GUARDIAN of August 16 offered three pupilage blunders:”…parents and pupils who are the immediate victims of the strike action.” As we go back to the basics, delete ‘action’ and leave just ‘strike’.
“In the past, other Nigerians, in other parts of the federation (another comma) have (had) claimed other rights….”
DAILY INDEPENDENT of August 16 equally participated in the lexical show of shame with surprising entries: “In the final analysis, how far the products of the refineries conform to stipulated standards with regards to quality will, largely, determine their marketability.” For a better society: with regard to or as regards….
“I am not familiar with the antecedence (antecedents) of the party’s vice-presidential candidate….”
“Sportswriters demand for more accreditation forms….” (THE GUARDIAN, August 16) Delete ‘for’, which is redundant.
“Fear of poor results scare (scares) investors from building materials stocks” (Source: as above). This is called error of attraction.
“Its potential to unite, entertain and thrill millions of Nigerians are (is) immense….”
“…Nigeria is not immune from (to) a similar situation.”
“While they were in their hey days (sic)….” Poverty alleviation: heyday.
”…the police chief who gave the marching order yesterday….” Marching orders, please.
“These experts say the rich is (are) too deeply plunged in his (their) wealth-chase to have time for anything or anyone else.”
“The dearth of geriatric hospitals hasten (hastens) their last days.”
“Its membership shall comprise of two categories.” Panacea: remove ‘of’ to avoid redundancy.
“South African police hunts Nigerian syndicate” Foreign news: police (always plural).
“Growing list of missing persons worry (worries) police” Yet another error of attraction.
“…the ethno-regional units were themselves no less offsprings of the same colonial bedchamber” ‘Offspring’ is an uncountable word.
“The police needs (need) a rebirth to be taken seriously in the new nation….”
“Other PDP governors such as…are said to have also indicated their aversion for (to) Nwodo’s candidacy.”
“Mischief makers (a hyphen, and a comma) angered by the house cleaning (another hyphen) efforts of the government (a final comma) could instigate the clamour for war knowing fully (full) well that most people could be touched over matters of faith.”
“Oracle is the seat of prophesy, and as long as we will like to know well in advance what the future has in stock (store), prophesying will flourish.”
“Aside these levies, the union complained of unnecessary extortions from men of the police force and also harrassment by….” Are there necessary extortions? And this: harassment.
“The governor brought in the three-wheeler vehicles to compliment (complement) the existing ones on the ground.”
“The NLC few (a few) years ago can (could) boast of their (its) own buses….”
“University education is gradually loosing (losing) its values.”
“Local government council being the closest to the grassroot (grassroots) in this country….”
“…there is however something about it which appears to bother (border) on helplessness.” (THISDAY, September 9)
“They see it as a paper tiger, a mere make-belief (make-believe).”
“The celebrants (celebrators) were conspicuously absent” (Source: as above) ‘Absence’ does not require any decoration (conspicuously). They were absent.
“The commissioner, his two children, my childhood friend and his family converged in (on) what looked like a round table conference.”
“At first, I had feared that the accusing fingers would point in the direction of the traditional scapegoats….” (THE PUNCH, September 9) A rewrite: At first, I had feared that the finger would point at the direction of the traditional scapegoat….
“This consists of a series of exercise (exercises) designed to deal with.…” (DAILY TRUST, September 9)
“To provide a leadership in a government that will respond positively to the yearnings of an average man or woman on the street….” (DAILY INDEPENDENT Politics, September 14) Focus 2023 and the curious issue of a running-mate: the man in the street.
“Other novelties brought about by this legislative initiative is that the National Industrial Court also have (has) powers to hear cases or matters relating to child abuse and human trafficking.”
Note the following wrong expressions and the correct forms in brackets: on (in) the driving seat; master of ceremony (ceremonies); try as much (hard) as possible; mother (lady) luck; by hook or crook (by crook); failed woefully (abysmally); stationeries (stationery); and loots (loot).
“Lack of food sufficiency (Food insufficiency) and a growing insularity occasioned by poor infrastructure are some of the problems that have to be taken along in the same breadth (breath).”