Media Gaffes with Ebere Wabara
“BEYOND the cryptocurrency (crypto-currency) ban: …others said the decision of the apex bank will (would) be inimical to the economy which is in dire need of growth.”
“Therefore, the CBN Governor (unnecessary/wrong capitalization) should use the opportunity offered by the National Assembly to elucidate further on the matter.” Delete ‘further’ because of its redundancy!
“How to stop farmers/herders (farmers, herders’) clashes in Nigeria”
“Butchers raise alarm (the alarm) over uncertified beef in Rivers markets” (NATIONAL NEWS, February 17)
From Access Bank’s full-page advertisement published in THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER, February 27, comes the next faux pas: “A payment solution that enables your customers make (to make) quick, easy and secure payments on social media platforms such as….” Correct English language usage is more than banking!
“Up to 30 days (days’) payback tenor.” (Otiose full-stop) (Salary advance full-page advertisement by Polaris Bank, THISDAY, February 27)
“Hyat: APC decampees (defectors) causing problem in Kaduna PDP”
“He who looses (loses) money, (otiose comma) looses (sic) much.”
“I most sincerely appreciate the two medical personnel (officials) in….”
“The money that had been budgeted to (for) Niger Delta since 1999 is enough to build two modern nations.”
“…Who you have so profusely reverence (revered) in this piece….” Get it right: reverence (noun); revere (verb)
“55 test positive of (for) COVID-19 in a Ghana high school after partial resumption.” This way: you test for something
“Akpabio and Nunieh has (have) been embroiled in feisty….”
Do you know that, in modern English these days ‘between two’ or ‘between three’ is now allowed unlike in the past when the latter was a sacrilege?
Note well: ‘witch-hunting’ is a noun and also an adjective.
‘Broad consensus’ is acceptable while ‘general consensus’ indicates half-literacy!
In Germany, according to the late Bayo Oguntuase, my beloved teacher, a drink-place is called ‘beer garden’. ‘Beer parlour’—which is Regionalized English—is the local fad in Nigeria. The formal/standard (universal) entry is ‘pub’ with variants like ‘tavern’, ‘bar’ and ‘saloon’ (also ‘saloon bar’ or ‘lounge bar’). Please it is never ‘salon’, which is another thing entirely.
An observation: ‘flag off’ (phrasal verb) is informal English!
It should interest you to grasp that ‘strike action’ is incorrect. The right expression is simply ‘strike’ or ‘industrial strike’. Of course, we equally have ‘work stoppage’, ‘industrial action’ and ‘sit-down’ or ‘sit-at-home’ strike/protest.
Are you aware that ‘confab’ is very old-fashioned for ‘conference’?
Wrong: on a platter of gold (overheard again yesterday)
Right: on a silver platter
“…in their various constituencies to synthesise (synthesize, preferably) grass root (sic) opinions on this all important (all-important) project.” Not my view: grassroots opinions….
“In many respect (respects) it is out of tune with modern reality….”
“Nigeria has never degenerated to (into) this level, security wise.”
“That is why the state governments need to be given the impetus to pool their wisdom and resources together….” Delete the last word in the extract.
“…the states and local governments sufficiently financially empowered to take care of its (their) responsibilities.” There should be a conjunction between ‘sufficiently’ and ‘financially’.
The next two lexical frauds are from the Editorial of one of the newspapers under review today: “The minister exposed the shock find during an official visit to PHCN’s facilities in (on) the premises of the….”
“…contributed to PHCN’s woeful (abysmal) failure to provide regular electricity supply to the nation”
Still on the recurring pool of grammatical disasters: “The minister had, on Tuesday, drew (drawn) the ire of workers by arguing that….”
“…the federal government must embark on some cost saving (cost-saving measures….”
“His arguments on the introduction of N5,000 notes was (were)….”
“FG to sanction DISCOs over over-billing of customers” A rewrite: “FG to sanction DISCOs for overbilling customers”
“Teachers employed by the Parents Teachers Association (PTA) to complement….” Education Today: Parent-Teacher Association (PTA),
“CANNU donates to flood relief (flood-relief) fund”
“Eduwatch gathers students, scholars together” Delete the last word in the excerpt.
“Geepee proudly introduces world class (world-class) multilayer (multi-layer) composite panels…no painting, no maintainence” Bloated pride: maintenance!
THE GUARDIAN Opinion Page of January 6 circulated two improprieties: “With preparations in top gear, and barring any last minute (last-minute) hitches….”
“The final death nail (sic) came with the present political dispensation that began in 2000 that paid lip-service to governance.” Get it right: death knell or just knell. There is nothing like ‘final death nail’!
“If the Abia PDP stalwarts have forgotten, we will gladly remind them that candidates who stand for elections under (on) the platform (platforms) of political parties….”
“Kaduna gears up for LG polls amidst (amid) fears of violence”
“Records show that their actions and inactions, in the past, have (had) contributed in (to)….”
“Non-partisan intelligence driven mechanism panacea to Boko Haram” A rewrite: “Non-partisan, intelligence-driven mechanism, panacea to Boko Haram
“The elders also said they are (were) in support of the probe of alleged missing….”
“Therefore, it behooves on our sports authorities to rise up to the occasion and restore the country’s lost glory in (to) many of the sports….”
“The Dozzy Foundation on Health is yet another testament of (to) your selfless service to humanity.”
“The Foundation speaks volume (volumes) of your passion for the health and well being (well-being) of the downtrodden.”
“We pray that God in his (His) infinite goodness will grant you many more years and good health.”
“…both our male and female teams failed woefully (abysmally) to qualify….”
Finally, we take the last entry from the Editorial under review: “That is why smart nations do everything possible to maximize their potentials (potential or potentialities) in sports.” ‘Potential’ is uncountable, unlike ‘potentiality’
“…the Supreme Court put to rest every other discussions.” (Politics & Power, January 29) Either every other discussion or all other discussions, depending on context
Wrong: “people-oriented government” Poser: is there any government that is beast-oriented or object-oriented? All governments—bad and good—are people-oriented.
“Incorporating ESG principles into job-creating businesses ensure (ensures) sustainable business operations….”
“The Zamfara State Government’s effort towards finding lasting solution to armed banditry and cattle rustlings suffered a setback as…” The dictionary defines a bandit as “a member of an armed gang that robs people”. It means a bandit is usually armed; therefore the word “armed” to qualify him is out of place. On the contrary, a robber is someone who “takes property from a person or
place illegally”. A robber may or may not bear arms. If he does, he is an armed robber liable to the death penalty upon conviction. As we can see, the distinction between a robber (armed or unarmed) and a bandit is clear.
The nation’s premier independent radio station, RayPower, reported in the business segment of its Nigeria Today newscast on Thursday, March 11, that the country “SLIDED into recession…” Its editors and correspondents, and indeed media professionals, should note that SLID is both the past tense and past participle of SLIDE. It is not in the same word class as GLIDE and GLIDED.
“For the first time since the scandal broke, Senate, yesterday, admitted paying only N62.5 million to purchase a bullet-proof Range rover Sports Utility (Sport-Utility) Vehicle (SUV) for the office of its president.”
“Police arraign alleged fake lawyer in court” Where else would they have arraigned the buffoon? Yank off ‘in court’!
“2 jailed 4 years over (for) rape”
“The Lord shall increase you more and more, you and your (our) children.”
“We rejoice with you on your 65 (65th) birthday….”
“Not only do we rejoice with the celebrant (celebrator) for partaking in abundant grace….”
“He will grant you strenght (strength), good health and wisdom.”
“…as you strive to contribute your quota in (to) building a more vibrant democracy for the benefit of our dear country.”
“With people (a person) like you working with our dear president and other patriotic Nigerians….”
