LET us welcome Leadership to this column after a long time-out. Its editorial (Our Stand) of April 24, 2015, fumbled two times (not twice): “…who has been on (at) the helm of affairs in NDPHC since 2005 will continue in office.”
“Yet, we know that subterranean moves are on to dispose it off (dispose of it) before the handover date.”
Still on the above medium: “ACF hopes that the newly elected (newly-elected) State Governors and Legislators (unnecessary capitalization) will justify the confidencde reposed on (in) them….” (Full-page advertorial signed by IGP (Dr.) Ibrahim A. Coomassie (rtd) (sic) GCON (Sardaunan Katsina), Chairman, ACF, NEC, Leadership Friday, April 24)
“Your victory at your elections symbolise (symbolises) the hope and aspiration of Benue State and Nigeria in general.”
“Ekiti impeachment suffers set back (setback).”
“Gentlemen of the Press, the Concerned Professionals in the North East hereby congratulate the APC for (on/upon) a decisive victory….”
“Court frees ex-Lagos commissioner, others over (of) murder charges”
“Taraba: APC/SDP in secret pact to cause chaos, Reps-elect (Rep-elect) alleges”
“The giant strides you have taken in areas of…has (have) led to this land slide (landslide) victory.”
“Akwa Ibom Faithfuls” ‘Faithful’ is uncountable.
“NFF excited with (about) NIKE partnership”
“Q1: Africa ranks second in pirates (pirates’) attack”
DAILY TRUST also stages a come-back. Its April 24, 2015, edition goofed: “Include Igbos (Igbo) in your government, traditional ruler urges Buhari”
“PDP: We’re regrouping to takeover (take over) power in 2019″
“House of Representatives pass (passes) N4.5tr budget without fund for subsidy”
“And as they say, ‘he who pays the piper dictates (calls) the tune.’” (THE NATION EDITORIAL, April 24) Vide elucidation on this below.
“For the general public (sic) who are also affected by the strike action (just strike or industrial action….)” ‘Strike action’ is padding. A reader called me and declared that a particular dictionary (2010 edition) contains the faulty phrase. That listing/inclusion does not make it right. Personally, I interrogate many entries in dictionaries and bibles. There is no written work that is perfect—not even my forthcoming book entitled Media Gaffes & Essays which would be presented publicly next Tuesday, May 12, 2015, at the Bolaji Akinyemi Hall, Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, 13/15, Kofo Abayomi Road, Victoria Island, Lagos. Full details next Sunday….
“There has (have) to be consequences”
“I lost my seven-year-old son…to the accident that occurred few (a few) months ago.”
Next on our focus is WEEKLY TRUST of April 25, 2015: “Stakeholders were surprised at the revelation and passed a confidence vote on (in) Mu’azu who they exonerated of the allegations.”
The following elementary blunders are from a two-page congratulatory advertorial signed by Barrister Yusuf Nuhu, mni, Fnge, published in the WEEKLY TRUST under review: “Congratulations on your well deserving (well-deserved) victory at the Gubernatorial (governorship preferably) Poll recently.”
“This is a testimony of your political powers and the passion to change the political and developing landscape of the Katsina People (sic).” Get it right: political and developmental landscape of Katsina State—not the people.
“This victory testifies (testifies to) the believe (belief) in your advocacy for a better Nigeria.”
“We are sure in-sha Allah that you will bring to bare (bear) in (on) Katsina your sterling quality.”
“…on his experience and the various fallouts of the long trek.” This way: ‘fallout’ is non-count.
“Managing Niger: “A candid advice to Governor-elect” A rewrite: Candid advice
THE NATION SUNDAY of April 26, 2015, circulated five errors: “Nigeria recalls ambassador over S’Africa (S’African) talks” (Front Page Banner Kicker)
“Women who hit Venezuela (Venezuelan) leader with mango rewarded”
“Xenophobia (Xenophobic) attacks: Nigeria recalls ambassador”
“Miners (Miners’) association seeks FG’s intervention”
“Sani poised to stir hornet (hornets’) nest”
“Same (The same) climate, same (the same) weather….”
“Wike, others receives (why?) Certificates of Return”
“For Wike, its (it’s) time for work”
BOOK ON WORDSWORTH
A compilation of this column since 2010 has been collated into a book (plus other interventions) and will be unveiled presently. As mentioned earlier, all the details for issuance next week.
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AND as they say, “he who pays the piper dictates the tune”. – THE NATION MAIN EDITORIAL, April 24, 2015. That is a Nigerian proverb! The English proverb is, “he who says the piper calls the tune”.
Elucidatory note: “To pay the piper”, meaning “to provide the money for something and, therefore, be entitled to have a say in the organization of it”, is a formal (fixed) idiom. E.g. Our father should be allowed a say in where we go on holiday. After all he is paying the piper.
The idiom refers to the English proverb “He who pays the piper calls (not dictates) the tune”.
There are some errors – bad solecisms or schoolboy howlers – that must not appear in print, let alone in an Editorial. This is one such error. It is a national tragedy, for a whole University graduate to write such nonsense. I repeat, nobody has the right or poetic licence to change, restructure, alter or rearrange a formal idiom or proverb. For instance, “Practice makes perfect” cannot be changed to “Practice makes perfection”; “Health is better than wealth” cannot be changed to “Health is wealth”; “Cut your coat according to your cloth” cannot be changed to “Cut your coat according to your size”!
We are looking forward to May 12, Cheers!
BAYO OGUNTUNASE (Soloade12@yahoo.com) 08056180046