Saturday Punch Front Page Kicker of September 2 welcomes us today with this blunder: “Sallah tragedy: Vehicle rams into worshippers in Ogun, three dead, scores injured; Boko Haram kills 11 in Borno IDPs’ camp; 19 die in Edo auto crash” These were tragedies—not tragedy!
Note that “evidence” is both countable and uncountable, but, in a law case, we correctly say or write: a piece of evidence/pieces of evidence, some evidence/enough evidence/a mass of evidence, etc. We cannot afford to have the mediocre. The mediocre cannot teach/communicate is correct. “Reoccur”, like “reoccurrence”, is Americanism; “bus station” is Briticism while “Motor Park” is Nigerianism. “Host-guest” is Briticism while “invitor-invitee” is Americanism. Usage is king. Keep smiling!
Did you know that ‘write me’ as contained in the Saturday PUNCH of September 2 is American English, while the formal (standard) form is ‘write to me’?
“Round-the clock news from around the world” Adjectival entry: Round-the-clock news
“Ajimobi commissions (auspicates, inaugurates, opens, establishes, launches, initiates, unveils…) Asejire water plant, 17 years after” The verbal context of ‘commission’ here is utterly wrong and shows a poverty of vocabulary. I do not understand why journalists keep fumbling ridiculously and lousily with this word every day despite innumerable corrections here!
“Katsina PDP: Why late (the late) President Yar’Adua’s close associates are defecting to APC”
“It is in the interest of the nation (Nigeria is a country—not a nation, by the way) that the press should at all time (times) expose corrupt officers….”
“…to the consternation of majority (a majority) of the citizens who look up to such businesses to serve public needs.”
“Administrator advocates more scholarships for indigents” When did ‘indigent’, an adjective, become a noun?”
“People who cannot read or write and who have never seen the four walls of a secondary school….” Education Today: the walls (not four walls)!
“Right sizing the civil service: A more realistic approach” Spell-check: rightsizing
DAILY SUN of September 4 fumbled on two occasions: “These big masquerades (masqueraders) entered the world and destroyed sacred….” Once more, masqueraders wear masquerades, masks, etc.
“Man remanded over (for) alleged killing of wife”
THE NATION ON SUNDAY MAGAZINE of September 3 disseminated just two solecisms: “…in this piece pays tribute to one of Africa’s notable poet (poets) as he enters the winter of life.”
“Small business start ups tips” Get it right: start-up tips
“Its (It’s) been 7 years since you left us but memories of you lingers (linger) in our hearts.” (Full-page advertisement, The PUNCH, December 6))
“Congratulations…for (on/upon) participating in the National Growth Challenge September to December 2015…sponsored by….”
DAILY TRUST of September 4 comes next: “Borno reviews 24hrs (sic) curfew” and “Igbo community in Kano elects new officers” This way: 24-hour curfew/24 hours’ curfew. The community elected officials (not the otiose ‘new’)—if they were old officials, you re-elect!
“Japanese diplomat arrested over (for/in connection with) fire at DRC embassy”
“Torching (Touching) lives of orphans through sports”
THE NATION ON SUNDAY of August 27 disseminated four infractions: “Campaigners accuse Shell over (of) weapons”
“Aregbesola, Tinubu, Oritsejafor pay last respect (respects) to…”
THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER, of August 17 also circulated four improprieties: “FG hands tanker drivers 48hrs (48 hrs’) ultimatum to relocate from MMIA” By the way, what difference would it have made spelling out ‘hours’?
“In its stead comes a mind-blowing display of opulence that has suddenly taken a firm root among the elite and nouveau riche….” Singular: nouveau riche; plural: nouveaux riches
“Before now, weather forecasts from NIMET were never taken serious (seriously) because….”
Lastly from THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER: “As part of the build up (build-up) to the event….”
The PUNCH of August 16 published a few mistakes: “At least one person was feared killed on Thursday morning when a 12-man armed bandits (12-man gang of bandits) struck at….” ‘Banditry’ involves the deployment of a measure of violence with sharp objects/instruments/weaponry during robbery. So, ‘armed banditry’ is sheer verbosity! Of course, robbery and armed robbery
“Trump condemns crack down (crackdown) on Cairo protesters”
Lastly from the Back Page of The PUN CH under review: “…whereas they are kept at arms’ length.” Friday musings: arm’s length
“…said that the aforementioned are (were) the younger generation of leaders who failed the nation.” (DAILY SUN, August 14)
DAILY SUN of August 7 goofed three times: “State of emergency has restored normalcy in (to) North”
“NIMASA alerts ships (ship owners, you mean?) on (to) danger spots”
The Guardian of August 6 committed copious offences beginning from its front page; “Besides, the state government on Sunday began the fumigation and clearing of drainages in six areas of the Maiduguri metropolis….” Conscience, nurtured by truth: ‘drainage’ is uncountable.
“Bank of England’s rate policy may highten (heighten) inflation”
“Maid set ablaze dies in hospital, as police pledges (pledge) justice”
Now The Guardian Editorial: “They may not have triumphed in their efforts to (at) nation-building….”
“Your wise counsels and dogged commitment to the progress and unity of this nation has (have) remained exemplary.” ‘Counsel’ is a non-count noun.