Let us go polling: “Anambra guber: Candidates plea (plead) for Kanu’s release” Verb: plead; noun: plea
“Alleged plot by legislators to scrap 13% oil derivation invitation for (to) anarchy, Niger Delta group warns” (NATIONAL NEWS, November 3)
News around the city: “South Africa (African) firm, Multichoice, loses legal battle on $342m tax to FIRS”
“Lagos demolishes property against court (court’s) order”
“Nokia C30: Big, bold and beautiful display up to 3 day (3-day) battery life”
“Recent terrorists attacks (terrorist attacks or terrorists’ attacks) in Sokoto State”
DAILY Trust of October 31 adumbrates the agenda this week: “The handwriting was on the wall, but Gaddafi, in self-delusion, could not read.” Panorama: The writing (was) on the wall. Wrong: handwriting on the wall; right: writing on the wall
“Police arrest man over (for) wife’s death” (THE NATION Headline, October 26)
“Gaddafi’s sad end as a lesson for African leaders” (THISDAY, October 26) Midweek Politics: a lesson to (not for) African leaders
The next two egregious blunders are from National News of October 25: “Most of the stakeholders are suspicious of themselves.” Language insurance: they are suspicious of one another (not themselves)!
“The NTC should not follow the precedence (precedent) of the Egyptian military rulers….” (DAILY INDEPENDENT Politics, October 25)
“People in the community can no longer sleep with their two eyes closed.” True reflection: their eyes shut/closed. Is there anyone with three eyes?
“The decision of the governor to develop the rural areas was born (borne) out of the fact that….” (Nigerian News, October 24)
“N30m for grab. You win, we win!” (The DAILY TRUST Entrepreneurship Award) Fixed expression: up for grabs
“In times like this when it may be tempting to gloat….” (THISDAY SUNDAY COMMENT, October 24) Gaddafi’s tragic end: either at times like these or at a time like this.
“Buhari condoles Saudi king over death of heir” (Sunday Tribune, October 24) This way: condole with or simply console.
From SATURDAY TRIBUNE of October 23 come these two headline solecisms: “New National ID Card Scheme: Another multibillion naira white elephant project?” Just white elephant: ‘project’ is otiose.
“Nigerians row over N30bn New ID Card Scheme” Weekend Feature: Nigerians rue.
“Restoring confidence in (to) the judiciary” (Back Page of the above edition)
“For Ikhana: its (It’s) goodbye to football coaching”
“Senator Bob’s democracy dividend to Nigeria universities” (Source: as above) Get it right: Nigerian universities
“Bayelsa: Any silver linen for Sylva” (THISDAY Headline, October 22) POLITICS TODAY: silver lining!
“ISPON visits minister, advocates for N5bn Innovation Fund” (THISDAY, October 20) Delete ‘for’.
“Candidates in last minute move for votes” (THE PUNCH, October 20) Get it right: last-minute move
“UI Alumni meets over flood disaster” (THISDAY, October 20) For how long shall we dwell on this? Alumni meet, but alumni association meets.
“Lack of funds threaten (threatens) corrective heart surgery initiative at LASUTH” (Vanguard Features, October 19)
“…especially with regards to the deregulation of the downstream sector of the petroleum industry (THISDAY, October 19) This way: as regards the deregulation or with regard to the deregulation.
“Bizzare: Man sets father’s house ablaze for touching his car’’ (Leadership, October 18) Spell-check: Bizarre and Man sets…
“Banks capital adequacy ratio dips 5.92% in 2021—NDIC” (Source: as above) This way: Banks’ capital…
National News of October 17 disseminated two major infelicities: “The succeeding BPO partners…decided not to absolve (reabsorb) the staff whose contract expired….”
“The National Assembly should investigate the role of Asian and other foreign businesses in Nigeria with a view to determine (determining) their culpability on the casualisation question and expatriate quota violation.”
“No Delta State commissioner arrested over drugs” (Statement by Delta State Government) I will arrest these Asaba officials for (not over) lexical assault and charge them with alleged drug trafficking!
“Operations of the agency in Nigerian seaports over the years have successfully curtailed influx of counterfeited drugs.” (National News, October 17) Formal view: counterfeit drugs.
“Chelsea grabs Nigerian teenager” (Source: as above) ‘Grab’ smacks of roughness and rudeness. The contextualization here is utterly wrong. Why not ‘Chelsea takes/gets…?’
“Re: Of ‘leaks’ and beer parlour gossips” (THE NATION, October 15) Knucklehead: pub gossip (not beer parlour gossips)
“…that left a once-happy family of four in shambles.” (SATURDAY TRIBUNE, October 15) Features: in a shambles.
The next five blunders are from THISDAY, October 15: “…they are free to roam about their immediate environment and source for food themselves.” Saturday Plus: remove ‘about’ to avoid lexical disorderliness
“American voters are more interested in well (a hyphen, please) articulated programs (American spelling) and policies as laid out in each of the political parties’ platforms.” Diaspora: on each of the political parties’ platforms.
“The state of origin and ethnic considerations has (have) no place in civilized countries.”
Nigerian Tribune of October 15 circulated multifarious errors: “PFAs battle to regain contributors confidence” Little things that matter: contributors’ confidence.
“Police smash Lagos-Cotonou car snatching syndicate” Again: car-snatching syndicate.
“When we moved in here, you wouldn’t dare break a wall because you want to fix an air condition unit.” Either air-conditioning unit or air-conditioner