Grouse About, not Against

Saturday EXPRESSION

With Ebere Wabara

THE NATION ON SUNDAY of May 28 welcomes us this week with an avalanche of errors: “Some crammed popular city squares, parties and spectacular fireworks displays.” Captured: firework displays
“Ikpeazu said that (sic) he has (had) been a public servant in the state for the past twelve (12, in professional journalism) years….”

“The Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, said that (sic) all his documents including his tax papers have (had) been documented….” News: all documents documented! Carry go…nothing do you!
“APC dares PDP in Cross Rivers (River) State”
“Ndigbo’s grouse against (about) Buhari” “Bello Fadile’s grouse with (about) Obasanjo’s My Watch” (THE GUARDIAN, May 29)

“Seven-month-old infant roasted in Lagos tragedy.” …an explosion that sparked the fire which engulfed (burnt) the baby cannot be likened to ‘roasting’!
“2019: PDP mends fence in Rivers” (Source: as above) Politics Today: PDP mends fences
“BoI lauds Nigeria’s first card manufacturing firm” The PUNCH Industry: card-manufacturing firm
“Also there will be back to school anointing service for pupils and students” KICC (Walking in Full Blessing): back-to-school anointing service
“Military blames sabotage in the run up (run-up) to elections”
“143-years-old (143-year-old or 143 years’ old) Lagos school….”
“University don attacks private varsities, says their impact are (is) not being felt” In the spirit of the mid-year, delete ‘University’!
“Buhari will lose woefully (abysmally) in 2019, says PDP”
“To understand the workings of the legislature, the citizenry needs (need) to understand its modus operandi….” (THISDAY Perspective, May 16)
“Dabri-Erewa: An examplary (exemplary) legislator”
“Ministers list potentials (potential/potentialities) of Kachimbila Dam” (Source: as above)
“You provided employments for thousands of Nd’igbo sons and daughters” For the delectable princess: ‘employment’ is uncountable.
“Restricted area: Out of bound to customers” (Ecobank Nigeria Limited Banking Hall, Aguda Branch, Surulere, Lagos, January 5) The pan-Africa (not African) bank: Out of bounds!
“Dear Customers, Please always remember to Collect a copy (copies of your) Deposit Slip (deposit slips) before leaving The bank” (Unnecessary capitalization) Another faulty notice: Dear Customer (sic), Kindly Drop your Deposit Slips Here. Management” (Source: Guaranty Trust Bank Banking Hall, Bode Thomas Branch, Surulere, Lagos)
“NGO embarks on tree planting (tree-planting) campaign in Delta”
“Lets (Let’s) celebrate an achiever”
“Despite bombing, Jos second hand (second-hand) market booms”
“SUBEB: Our grouse with govt—Kogi NUT boss” Middle Belt Today: grouse about, for the umpteenth time.
“Nurses decry the use of quackery in private hospitals” Lifeline: decry quackery in private hospitals—not ‘the use of quackery’!
“Aguda residents happy for (over) improved power supply”
THISDAY PERSPECTIVE of May 22 disseminated copious infractions: “Candidates have emerged under (on) the platform of the PDP to fly the party’s flag in the main election.”
“Reason for this is due to (Reason for this is…) the undisputed fact that….”
“We join well meaning (well-meaning) members of our great party, PDP, our teaming (teeming) supporters….”)
“Nigeria needs DNA testing (DNA-testing) centres”
“Obituary announcement by Association of Registrars of Nigerian Universities (ARNU) (Full-page advertorial) An ‘obituary’ is inherently an announcement—so no needless ‘announcement’!
“Hon. Emeka Ihedioha had remained calm and focused, knowing very well that in spite of betrayals which could tantamount to the (sic) stabbing on (in) the back….”
“That is why majority of the delegates voted for Agbaje.” (Sunday PUNCH, May 28) Interview: a majority of the delegates
“The three most admirable traits about him are his unbelievable work ethics….” (Source: as above) Famous parents: work ethic
“…where all manners (manner) of dirt is (are) poured on you….” (THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER, May 28)

FEEDBACK
YOU couldn’t conceal your annoyance a fortnight ago about the avoidable errors in our local media. Don’t be discouraged. Painfully, the usual production chain-cum-knowledge management is faulty and dangerously weak. Recruitment methods are now sleazy, on-the-job training and newsroom management are compromised. The nature of mass media operations requires flawless recruitment, good training and Total Quality Management, from planning through production to the consumers.
The following brief is to substantiate yesterday’s (January 6) contribution. The newly modified words which can now be freely used in our local media are ‘fora’ or ‘forums’, ‘uplift’ or ‘upliftment’, ‘infrastructure’ or ‘infrastructures’, ‘vandalism’ or ‘vandalization’. Example: vandalization of government property. Sources: Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, Oxford University Press Dictionary (2015) and Meririam Webster Dictionary, which attributes origin of ‘upliftment’ to Jamaica. The quality of graduates today makes the job difficult for the editors. Paradoxically their input reveals the falling standard of education in the country.
Apart from providing employment, the proliferation of private media organizations has in a way devalued competence and content in the broadcast industry where revenue drive takes prominence. The so-called talents, many of them inexperienced, run to new stations to occupy plum but critical positions; fumbling NTA and FRCN are not doing enough to minimize their errors for others to imitate. Security of tenure keeps incompetent staff on the job. To them, the usage of the words ‘commission’ and ‘correspondent’ is correct. We must learn that learning continues throughout life. Meanwhile, some English words we had criticized have been modified by the native speakers! 2019 shocker! Cheers. (SUNNY AGBONTAEN, 08062998165).

INTERVIEW
Celebrating Aniocha/ Oshimili Newfound Unity
Aniocha and Oshimili communities in Delta State are neighbours that have decided to reunite under the Njiko Aniocha-Oshimili platform. Prof Epiphany Azinge, the Convener, tells Julius Omon Onabu why in this interview

W
e know that Oshimili and Aniocha are geographically contiguous with cultural affinity and forming part of the Anioma of Delta State. So, what is special about Aniocha/Oshimili union?
You are right; Aniocha and Oshimili occupy a contiguous area and we share practically all cultural characteristics; we have cultural affinity, if I may put it that way. Yes, we are also part and parcel of the great Anioma nation, but the Njiko Aniocha-Oshimili is about the realisation of a long-sought unity. I’d say, it is a cultural renaissance because the people of Aniocha and Oshilimili consider themselves as being actually culturally homogeneous and unique. Njiko Aniocha is a manifestation of a lot of work that has long be going quietly.

How will you explain the whole idea or objective of the new union?
Well, I must say in a way Oshimili and Aniocha are really part of the capital territory and we look forward, in the long run, to a convergence of development of the entire area in all ramifications. To answer your question directly. Firstly, there are four local government areas in the Aniocha Oshimili axis, made up of Aniocha North, Aniocha South, Oshimili North and Oshimili South. Together, they form Aniocha-Oshimili Federal Constituency with an elected member of the House of Representatives in Abuja. There is a lot of interaction, in terms of communality that the people of this area share in common; they are culturally homogeneous, so to speak. They have interacted for so long and they consider themselves as one people.

The Njiko Aniocha-Oshimili different from the larger Anioma area or people?
Within the Anionma nation we have subgroups. We have the Ika Onueka group; we also have the Ndokwa-Nekwu group; but for the four local governments in question we have not had this closely knit interaction or something that seems to bind us together as a people.so, having considered this closely, a group of people came together and came up with the idea of having a group known as Njiko Aniocha Oshimili group. It really means “’coming together,’ that is, coming together of people, blending, forging unity and oneness: Njiko Aniocha-Oshimili.
That group came up not just three months ago. This is also to realise part of the objectives of the new group – one of them being to enhance the social and economic well-being of all Aniocha and Oshimiil indigenous people’ through advocacy, policy development, research, conferences, civic engagement and education.

Is it a political pressure group?
It is pertinent to note that Njiko Aniocha Oshimili is a non-partisan, non-profit, socio-cultural organisation and it is positioned to be the foremost organisation that represents consensus opinion of the people within the Aniocha/Oshimili district. We are conscious of the fact that there are a lot of issues confronting the Aniocha axis. Some of these include the quality of public education, transportation, unemployment, housing, electricity, quality of our healthcare and water; and, at this point in time, the quality of security arising from the menace of the herdsmen that have made poor people vulnerable, especially our women that are, more often than not, subjected to the indignity of rape and sexual molestation. Therefore, one demand that is dear to our organisation is that we need a federal university in our area. This is the only federal capital in the country without a federal presence through the establishment of a university. Moreover, Njiko Aniocha is a grass-roots formation, helping to bring our people together.

How will you describe your inaugural summit?
Summit is a holistic affair and not an ordinary talk-shop. His Excellency, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, who is Special guest of honour today will also be at the cultural fiesta (today, Saturday) in Asaba. The summit will feature respected and renowned speakers on such areas as exploration of our agricultural potentials; education, making the area an Industrial Technology (IT) hub like the Silicon Valley in the United States of America; unemployment, tourism, featuring the renowned environmentalist, Chief Newton Jibunoh; understanding the concept or model of a modern Asaba Capital Territory; creating an enabling environment for foreign and local investment; leveraging on the economic overflow across the Niger and Asaba Airport, as well as security issues from a professional perspective.

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