25
THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER • DECEMBER 3, 2016
EXPRESSION
MEDIAGAFFES BY
The Public: No ‘General’
T
HE Guardian front and inside pages of November 24 welcome us to this month with on unauthentic line: “…distabilising (destabilizing) the political landscape.” “…despite the incalculable damages (damage) he has done to the judiciary.” “…is now holding at (on) the office premises, NHIS Headquarters, UtakoAbuja, at the same time.” Still on THE GUARDIAN: “The latest decampee (defector) to the APC is….” “He was received with so much enthusiasm when he decamped (defected) to the APC….” “…the drive to educate the general public (the public) on the importance of….” “Meanwhile, as part of its cooperate (corporate) social responsibility….” “…to embrace a healthy lifestyle in other (order) to reduce the effect of the scourge.” “…said that the day is (was) a day set aside by….” “He assured of more reliable and accurate result….” Who did he assure? Now the last entry from THE GUARDIAN under review: “More winners emerge in Ribena Back To School scholarship” Education: Ribena Back-toSchool Scholarship We continue with this front page impropriety from last week’s edition of this medium: “…has withdrawn majority (a majority) of the police security details.” “I was taught in the Army that where there is conflict (a conflict), the next strategy is actually rebuilding.” “…PMB became the flag-bearer (standard bearer) of the APC.” “With a new man at the helm of
affairs at Stamford after the sack of Jose Mourinho….” Global soccer: just at the helm at Stamford. Adding “of affairs” indicates illiteracy! “Pictures show some of the people who were there to pay their last respect (respects) to the….” “…thereby resulting to (in) death.” THE Guardian of October 14 fumbled two times: “The United States has donated a whooping (whopping) N995 billion to the Multinational Joint Task Force to boost military operations against the Boko Haram insurgency, the U.S. government has said.” Conscience, Nurtured by Truth: no whooping cough, please “Also, the (The) Presidency has pledged to garner the necessary investments to improve the wheeling capacity of the nation’s transmission infrastructure.” Would it have been ‘unnecessary’ investments? Still on THE GUARDIAN under focus: “He said that is (was) why he would come back to salvage the state and rescue it to put it back to realize it’s (its) pride of place as he left it in 2003 and go even beyond that.” “Cash and carry (Cash-and-carry) democracy, bane of Nigeria’s development” “Falana supports Soyinka’s objections on (to) Sexual Offences Bill” “Train to become a certified child care personnel (official)” ‘Personnel’ is a collective noun. “In other jurisdiction (another jurisdiction or other jurisdictions), you don’t just file for the sake of filing, you can’t just take a matter for the sake of taken (taking) it.” “We therefore regret any inconveniences this might cause our esteem (esteemed) distributors. This announcement is ordered by Tiens Group—Nige-
ria.” “NDIC boss charges corps members on bank saving (bank-saving) culture” “…and newly-elected officials swornin (sworn in) at the federal and state levels….” Phrasal verbs abhor hyphenation. “Oil swap (Oil-swap) contracts: AITEO not front for Jonathan, AlisonMadueke—Spokesperson” Except if the headline caster meant that oil was swapping contracts! “Jigawa council chairmen pledge support to (for) APC govt” “I wish you many more years in good health and prosperity, to further your accomplishments to (in) journalism and humanity (service to humanity, you mean?)” “I and my wife, Lady (My wife, Lady…and I….) Etymological sequence is critical to good writing. “Use of made-in Nigerian (Nigeria) cars by Mr. President (Buhari) will lift auto industry” “Tribunal will recover Abia stolen mandate, APGA chieftain assures” Who did the chieftain assure? “Soyinka laments Chibok girls (girls’) continued captivity” (THE NATION ON SUNDAY, October 16) THE NATION ON SUNDAY of October 9 comes up next with the following errors: “Dangote commissions (inaugurates/auspicates/launches, et al) $500 million cement plant in Ethiopia” “Buhari to flag off (inaugurate) super highway in Cross River” “First and foremost, you must look at the PDP; they mismanaged their victory and haven (having) mismanaged the victory….” “The Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria…played very prominent roles during the electioneering campaigns that ushered in the
EBERE WABARA
ewabara@yahoo.com, 08055001948
new administration.” ‘Electioneering’ and ‘campaigns’ cannot co-exist in the same lexical environment as the former encompasses the latter. From THE NATION ON SUNDAY of October 2 issues the next set of diseased lines: “Ekweremadu: Igbos (Igbo) right to vote for PDP” “On the occasion of your birthday anniversary….” For the umpteenth time, ‘birthday’ and ‘anniversary’ cannot cofunction. ‘Birthday’ is the anniversary/ commemoration of one’s birth.
FEEDBACK
TAKE note that the old, grammatical rule that “one” must be followed by “one” and its parts –“one, one’s, oneself”, has changed. The feeling that the repetition of “one”—one’s (e.g. One must do what one can to ensure one’s family a decent standard of living) makes for a stilted style has now led to the permissible shift from “one, one’s” to “he, his” (e.g. One must do what he can to ensure his family a decent standard of living). In general, a shift in the number or nature of pronouns is undesirable, but this particular shift is established usage. Examples: When one is in power and things go his way in highly competitive elections, his first task is to fight his own mentality. Perhaps one has gone to the university where he has been given the wrong orientation that his degree is an opportunity to reach for the skies just like that. One could be said to hate himself if he lacks self–confidence in his abilities. Every user of the language, particularly every journalist or communicator, must keep abreast of the current changes—the dynamics—in the language. (BAYO OGUNTUNASE/08056180046)
‘Nigeria Needs Men of Integrity’ Fadekemi Ajakaiye
N
igerians need to imbibe integrity as a way of life, former Minister of finance Dr. Shamsudeen Usman has said. Usman spoke after, he was inducted, alongside five others, as Fellows of the Society for Corporate Governance Nigeria (SCGN) at its 2016 yearly Presidential dinner and induction ceremony in Lagos. At the event, which also saw the induction of 55 new members of the society, the renowned economist said Nigeria needs men of integrity now than before. He recalled that before now, there was a popular saying that the private sector was the giver of corruption, while the public sector was the taker. He expressed delight for being associated with the society and tasked Nigerians from all walks of life to imbibe the culture of integrity in order to wade off corruption in the country. According to him, there is need to ensure that companies commit to the international code of corporate governance. He further expressed happiness with the existence of SCGN to champion the course in order to stem the tide of corruption in the country. Also former Managing Director of Nigerian Breweries Plc and inductee, Mr. Felix Ohiwerei, expressed regret that integrity is being paid lip service in the country. He noted that Nigerians should make integrity a way of life and not just for public officers in the highest level but for everyone. Earlier, the former Managing Director of Nestle Nigeria Plc and President of the Society, Chief Olusegun Osunkeye described integrity of character and accountable leadership as pillar of the
L-R: Former Managing Director of Red Star Express Plc., and Skyway Aviation Handling Company Limited (SAHCOL), Mr. Isaac Orolugbagbe; Pioneer Vice Chancellor, Pan -African University, Ajah, Prof Albert Alos; former Managing Director of Nigerian Breweries Plc., Mr. Felix Ohiwerei; and former Managing Director of Nestle Nigeria Plc., and President, Society for Corporate Governance Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Osunkeye, during the Society’s 2016 yearly Presidential dinner and induction ceremony in Lagos... recently
society which was established 11 year ago. He said the society deeply remained focused towards the enhancing programmes , in the development and promotion of corporate governance best practice in Nigeria. According to him, the society aims to be recognised as a reference point both nationally and international in matters
relating to corporate governance and to provide a template for formulation and enforcement of corporate governance standards for Nigeria and other emerging economies. The inductees, he said are distinguished Nigerians, whose characters are found to be in tandem with the objective of the society. Other inductees include, former
Managing Director of Red Star Express Plc and Skyway Aviation Handling Company Limited (SAHCOL), Mr Isaac Orolugbagbe, the founder and Managing Director of JNC International Limited, Mrs. Clare Omatseye, Former deputy Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr Odozi Victor and pioneer Vice –Chancellor of the Pan -African University, Ajah, Prof Albert Alos.