MEDIAGAFFES
with Ebere Wabara; ewabara@yahoo.com, 08055001948
We welcome, for the first time to this column, the official magazine of the Nigerian Communications Commission called ‘The Communicator’. Its January-March 2016 edition goofed on its cover page: “NCC rolls out five-year-plan” Not for sale: NCC rolls out five-year plan
Let us continue with DAILY SUN NATIONAL NEWS of April 29: “The minister also congratulated Nigerian workers for (on/upon) their….”
“Absence of prosecutor, interpreter stall (stalls) Dokpesi, Suswam’s trials”
“Kano distributes waste disposal (waste-disposal) tricycles to residents”
“Should Saraki alone be forced to resign before being pronounced guilty, on the ground (grounds) of morality….”
THE NATION ON SUNDAY of May 1displayed grammatical hypocrisy: “The president should call the group to order for double standards (standard) and flouting our laws”
“In times like this” This way: in times like these or a time like this
“Rangers’ boss picks holes on 3SC” I also pick my own holes in (not on) this headline.
“TIME Magazine commends Nigeria over (for/on) containment”
“…was the outcome of the series of meeting (meetings)”
“Assure (Assure Nigerians) Boko Haram will be defeated”
“The source said further that…are (were) now firmly in control of the military.”
“…the population of the estate has increased considerable (considerably)
“Heat free (Heat-free) curls”
SATURDAY INDEPENDENT of April 30 circulated a potpourri of misapprehensions: “Buhari’s administration is been (being) sabotaged, says cleric”
“Irri community seeks for support” Yank off ‘for’
Wrong: electioneering campaign; Right: electioneering or campaign
National Mirror of May 2 disseminated a few solecisms starting with this banner: “CNS indicts major oil companies in (for/on) oil theft”
“…that the police was (were) supporting the impeached speaker of the House….”
“…at the expense of majority (the majority) of other members of the House”
“He said the police cannot (could not) be dragged into the mess….”
“Underfunding, bane to (of) poly education”
Still on National Mirror under focus: “…incessant strike actions….” Education Today: incessant strikes
“Truancy among professors and other senior academic staff often percolate (percolates) down the academic hierarchy….”
“Modibbo meets delegates, promises all inclusive (all-inclusive) government”
“Group insists PDP, APC should pick Christian (Christians) as flag (standard) bearers in 2019”
“We express these fears, knowing fully well the nature of ….” This amounts to ill-treatment of the English language. Right: knowing full well
“The NFF still have to decide on the outcome of some matches” ‘Federation’ takes a singular verb.
“What is good for the goose can’t be bad for the gander.” I do not understand the use of ‘good’ and ‘bad’ instead of ‘sauce’ in this instance.
“…but LifeStyle will not hesitate to remind you about (sic) one of the qualifying criterions for this jamboree…” (DAILY TIMES, May 2) Singular: criterion; plural: criteria and ‘remind you of’
“An alleged hike in school fees has created a row between the management and the Parents Teachers Association (PTA) of….” (Source: as above) PTA means Parent-Teacher Association.
“The donation of vehicles and communication gadgets provide a good beginning.” The donation…provides.
“Fear of robbers keep lawyers away from courts” Fear of robbers keeps…
“CBN intervention bouys naira” Get it right: buoys.
“You must be matured and in love with jazz music.” Just ‘mature’.
The next three errors are from NTA Network News of May 28: “…Who presided at the occasion.” NTA correspondents should be civilized: the preposition that goes with ‘occasion’ is ‘on’ (not ‘at’)
“He said that the ministry intends (intended) to restore back….” Delete ‘back’
“Captain…wedded former Miss… in Lagos over the weekend with pomp and pageantry.” ‘Pomp and pageantry’ is not an accepted phrase. The standard expression is ‘pomp and circumstance’ or ‘pomp and ceremony.’ It can simply be left as ‘pomp’. If you don’t remember these forms, rephrase. At least, you can always recollect that the Nigerian creation (pomp and pageantry) is an uneducated expression.
“Truely, Jos is a home of peace and tourism.” Correct form: Truly
“This development is unlike in some states where education have (sic) died a natural death…” (DAILY CHAMPION, May 2) Indeed, education has died in Champion House!
“Public affairs analysts of the most diverse persuasions are agreed on one thing: the world is at a crossroad.” (Source: as above) This way: at a/the crossroads (not crossroad)
“It is therefore, (sic) noteworthy that the AU has now seen the wisdom in pooling the resources of member-states together to prevent ugly incident (an ugly incident)….” (NIGERIAN TRIBUNE, May 2) When resources are pooled, there is no need for ‘together’.
“The hopes of millions of our country-men are centred around us.” ‘Centre’ admits ‘on’, ‘round,’ ‘upon’… never ‘around’.
“Unclaimed properties of accident victims” ‘Property’ in this context is non-count. It can only take the plural form if buildings and acres of land are involved or in scientific references.
“This unrestrained blood-bath follows (flows)….”
“Yes, Nigerians love to eat traditional meals with their bare fingers but that is not to say we can’t provide foreigners with cutleries.” (Tourism & Hospitality) ‘Cutlery’ is uncountable.
“Villagers beseige hospital for free treatment” Right: besiege.
“In this way, life expectancy bulges as the chances of contacting diseases considerably diminish.” Nobody contacts a disease: ‘contract’ is the word.
“The progressive social option implicit in President Buhari’s analysis is affirmative action aimed at eliminating or drastically reducing poverty.” ‘…an affirmative action.’ Articles are not optional in count words.
