“I searched in vain for the Ministry of Defence and, unless the text I had was defective, it was conspicuously absent.” ‘Absence’ does not require any qualification. Simply, it was absent.
Ebere Wabara
THISDAY, The Saturday Newspaper of October 17, welcomes us today with four solecisms: “Nigeria’s terrifying debt to revenue (debt-to-revenue) ratio”.
READ ALSO: Readers’ language clinic (1)
“Tips to (for) treating common cold” Alternatively: steps to treating…
“The hit and run (hit-and-run) tragedies”
“Being a breed between the old and new generation (generations) of the Yoruba movie industry….”
“Aftermath of primaries: Oshiomhole alleges plot, gang up (gang-up)” (National News Headline, October 22)
“ASHON unfolds initiatives to strengthen (strengthen) advocacy roles” (THE BUSINESS REPORT Headline, October 22)
“Kutigi: CJN declares 7 days (days’) mourning” (National News, Headline, October 22) “The Asset Management Corporation of
Nigeria (AMCON) said on Tuesday that the fate of banks are now in the hands of their shareholders.” (DAILY INDEPENDENT Business, August 17) No commercialese: the fate of banks is (not are).
“The testimony of Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, former CSO to late General Sani Abacha….” A fox and his bagful of yarns: former CSO to the late General Sani Abacha.
“The corporation said it is (was) determined to protect depositors by all means.” (THISDAY, August 15)
“Food crop production has declined rapidly and this is largely attributable to soil despoilation….” Frequent oil spills in the Niger Delta axis: despoliation.
“Money speaks, we will interprete” Spell check: interpret.
“He said the taking over of these banks by AMCON will (would) not….” (Source: as above) Yet another Business English (commercialese)! This is not allowed in formal (standard) English application.
Still on the preceding edition: “It is very unfortunate that in a country with a shattered and troubled education sector like ours….” Counting the cost of dormant funds: educational sector
“The boys who were to kill us started fighting themselves” This way: The boys fought one another (not themselves). Except, of course, they were on a suicide mission!
“English Premiership kicks-off in grand style” (THE GUARDIAN Back Page Head- line, August 13) This is incongruent with flagship journalism: inclusion of hyphens in phrasal verbs!
“Banks nationalization: Accusing fingers point at regulators” (SATURDAY TRIBUNE Feature Banner, August 13) A rewrite: Banks’ (take note of the apostrophe) nationalization: The finger points at regulators
“Adanma who is based in the United States and works as a medical personnel….” (Source: as above) ‘Personnel’ is a collective noun and cannot function as used. Get it right: a medical official, employee, worker, service provider, assistant, hand…
“Former President Goodluck Jonathan has warned that forceful takeover of power through coup d’etats will no longer be tolerated….” (THE GUARDIAN, August 12) Conscience, nurtured by truth: coups d’etat
“Imoke mourns late Hausa leader” (DAILY INDEPENDENT, August 12) The former governor couldn’t have mourned someone who was alive! So, he mourns Hausa leader.
“Veteran golfers converge at Ikeja club” (Source: as above) Let us go golfing as we converge on Ikeja Club.
Nigerian TRIBUNE of August 11 circulated two embarrassing errors: “…even foreigners who should ordinarily be living in ut- most circumspection have the effrontory and confidence to dupe Nigerians and even kill them.” No lexical quackery: effrontery.
The Editorial of October 22 comes in with five blunders: “As a result of the recent warning by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to Nigeria to halt her rising debt stock, fast track (fast-track) structural reforms and diversify revenue base or face imminent crisis (an imminent crisis or imminent crises)….”
“…said there is (was) a silver lining in the horizon as government has…”
“The government must summon the political will to find permanent solution (a permanent solution or permanent solutions, as context demands) to the herdsmen (herdsmen’s) menace.”
“We shudder to imagine how many of these foreigners are involved in various forms of criminality which the lax security system of the state have (has) permitted.”
“He will do it well, but if you give it to a mediocre….” (DAILY CHAMPION, August 11) People and Power: a mediocrity or mediocrist. ‘Mediocre’ is an adjective.
“FRSC records 180 causalities in Kogi” (National News Headline, August 10) Spell check: casualties.
“She argued that a pact such as is being advocated for by the lawmakers amounted to Nigeria’s reorientation.” Remove ‘for’.
“I searched in vain for the Ministry of Defence and, unless the text I had was defective, it was conspicuously absent.” ‘Absence’ does not require any qualification. Simply, it was absent.
“His Excellency…Ambassador Extraordinary (Extraordinaire) and Plenipotentiary….”
“In fact, the situation has degenerated from that of epileptic power supply down to that of complete blackout which in most cases lasts from weeks to months.” ‘Blackout’
does not need any modifier—it means total extinction or concealment of lights. The same principle applies to ‘total blackout’.
“The reasons range from power generation limitation to the use of overaged (overage), antiquated and arsenic hydro-terminal plants and so many others too numerous to mention.” Agreed that ‘overage’ means ‘too old’ (used mostly for human beings), but for contextualization and language grasp, ‘obsolete’ (for inanimate things) should have been it.
“It is no gain saying (gainsaying) that both officers and civilians sentenced on (over) the incidence (incident) must….”
The next three improprieties are from THE NATION ON SUNDAY of October 14: “The suicide bombings, according to reports, had happened at about 4.30 pm (p.m.) when….” Time precision: either at 4.30 p.m. or about 4.30 p.m. The idea of using both in the same environment smacks of cloudy thinking!
“Of course, the damages in goods and even cash will remain….” ‘Damage’ is non-count except in legal or other reparative circumstances.
“We think the attackers were trying to ‘ethnicise’ their operation in other (order) to provoke a spontaneous chain of retaliations across the country.”
“…write on the enduring power of the moneybag and confidant of presidents.” The second coming of Arthur Eze: power of the moneybags. ‘Moneybag’ is the bag containing a moneybags’ money.
Still on THE NATION under review: “In one of the minister’s house (houses) I saw Dr. Kalu Idika Kalu….”
“The man said he will (would) never say anything.”
“Sources close to Aisha who became the third wife of Shinkafi in 2008 said the union has (had) broken down irrevocably….”
The last contribution from THE NATION ON SUNDAY: “Note this! Change of name is now published every Sundays (sic!).” Truth in defence of freedom: every Sunday or all Sundays!