The Nation Newspaper

Tag: ENGLISH LANGUAGE

  • Our law is written in English language

    Whoever thinks that it is only the lawyers that understand the law is in a deep slumber; wake him up.  Our laws are not made with only the lawyers in mind; this is the reason our laws and the constitution are not in arcane Latin legalese long done away with.   You can pick up the law books and the constitution and read up what the law says instead of waiting for one lawyer whose place of advocacy is on the television and social media instead of the law court parroting legal theories and precedents!

    The law may be a vehicle to attain justice but in jurisprudence, experience has shown that justice is hardly attained.  This is not to argue that there is no right or wrong.  It is the law that says what is wrong from what is right.  When we are able to separate right from wrong and give someone his just dessert, then we are doing justice.  There is legal justice as well as moral justice.  Some acts may meet the entire legal requirements without bringing about moral justice and then the society suffers.

    Last Friday, January 25, the president announced the suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) relying on an order from the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).  Available information in the public domain was that parties were not in court when the so-called order was procured.  The lawyers may rage to high heavens, they are part of the problem because all the legal fireworks revolve around them either at the Bench or the Bar.  I think it was George Bernard Shaw, the famous playwright who was once quoted to say that, ‘if you want to rid the society of corruption, kill all the lawyers’.  If you bring 100 lawyers on any subject matter of law, you are going to have 100 different positions with authorities supporting them.

    Think about it; the lawyers initiate the trials, the lawyers defend the accused person and the lawyers sit in judgment yet there is no justice.

    The president as the head of the executive swore to an oath to protect and defend the laws and constitution of the country.  Even if the president were a lawyer, thank God he is not; he is not conferred with the power to interpret the law and the constitution; it is the exclusive preserve of the judiciary.  He is not to pick and choose which court order to obey or disobey.

    The suspension of the CJN, Walter Onnoghen was not founded on the principles of law and respect for the letters of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.  The CJN is the head of the third arm of government, the judiciary.  The arms of government are to act as checks and balance on the other and no one should be so powerful as to usurp the power of the other.

    Even if the CJN were to be undergoing trial at the CCT, the president would be acting ultra vires to suspend the CJN on a so-called order from a tribunal obtained also on questionable circumstances that Agbaje of blessed memory would likened to black market order.    It is heart-warming though that the judicial bureaucracy has become ruthlessly efficient.  Within just a space of one week, a petition was made, received, acted upon, investigated and charges framed; all within one week!  I filed a civil action at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory during the courts’ annual vacation sometime in August 2018 which has still not been assigned as I write this piece even though I have written a reminder and done follow-ups to the office of the Chief Judge.

    It is also gratifying indeed that the president has suddenly taken to respecting orders of courts and tribunals.  It is only left just to remind him of the orders in respect of Colonel Sabo Dasuki (Rtd), former NSA and Ibrahim El Zazaky leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN).  Permit me to say without fear of contradiction that the issue of the CJN has nothing to do with the fight against corruption whatsoever; so let us not confuse issues.  The issue has to do with asset declaration which is a procedural matter even though criminalized by the Code of Conduct Act for civil servants.  Whether the CJN, Walter Onnoghen made admission of impropriety or infraction, our constitution operates on the doctrine of presumption of innocence.  The prosecution should prove the case against him before he is punished.  To punish him before he is found guilty is a descent into totalitarianism and executive recklessness.  The gullible Nigerians are enjoying the sensationalism and media trial as it is customary with us.

    Something just did not add up; for six months or more, the president refused to confirm Onnoghen as the CJN.  That would have been enough time for the president and his minders to have dug up his asset declaration form and put the matter to rest and save the country this international odium but they failed.   The president’s men are schemers with siege mentality and inebriated with power that they do not care a hoot if the country breaks up just to achieve their personal ambition to clinch to power.

    It is a matter of grave concern that just a few days to the 2019 general elections with its high stakes and expectations of legal challenges ahead, the executive decided to ruffle the judiciary in such a thoughtless manner.  This should be of some concern to true patriots if there are; yesterday, it was Justice Ayo Salami of the Court of Appeal.  We were divided just as we watch senior lawyers who have access to the airwaves pontificating on legal heresy only to smile to the bank later without serving the interest of justice.  It is now very clear that the elites are taking this country on a path of perdition which further divides than unite us as a nation.

    The politicians are behaving like buccaneers fighting for territories and the citizens should not just sit and watch our institutions butchered by petty traders in political garb.  It is not about tribe or religion; the ruling elite have no tribe and religion.  Look at them; you have the president, Hausa-Fulani Muslim with a vice president, a Yoruba and Pastor from southwest.  You have an Akpabio Godswill a Christian from South-south just as you have Mohammed Ali Ndume from Northeast; they all work in tandem.  So, why allow them divide us the ordinary citizen and use us to achieve their own ends? The lawlessness in the country is enough to galvanize the Civil Society Organizations for lawful democratic protest to reclaim our institution and build our country. Our laws and the constitution is written in English language and no amount of semantic extension can find justification for the theatre of absurd which is exposing the leadership malaise that has plagued us as a nation.  On the CJN, please tell Mr President that he is on the wrong side of the law.

     

    • Kebonkwu Esq writes from Abuja.

  • Social media on English language use

    Sir: English is the most geographically dispersed language in the world and 60 percent of world literature are produced in the English language. The language which was originally introduced to Nigeria by the British colonialists has not only become the official language of the country but also serves as the language of mediation in the face of the nation’s linguistic heterogeneity. It is the language that unites Nigerians as a people in addition to being the language of education, commerce, politics, journalism and the window through which we see the world. Proficiency in the English language is a necessity for all Nigerians as the language also serves as an instrument of upward mobility and social prestige.

    Social media are websites and computer programmes that make communication possible through the use of computers or mobile phones. Social media have unquestionably come to stay with the world forever as they have overtime gone beyond being a craze among the youth and are now being positively deployed for career and business purposes.

    We must admit that social media have got people stuck on abbreviations such that many presently know how to spell less than they could at childhood. No thanks to the autocorrect facility on many phones which readily helps people complete their spellings. Would you like to know the academic effect of this addiction to abbreviations and the autocorrect facility on people’s fluency? Talk to us teachers that mark essays at secondary and tertiary levels. It is not an exaggeration that even in academic writings, students now (un)consciously spell words such as “is, that, okay, you, between” as “iz, dat, kk, u, yu, btw” respectively. Also, given that most students now write and spend more time on social media than they do anywhere else, there is a falling standard for grammatical details. Even when they attempt writing in standard language, we find linguistic anomalies ranging from subject-verb inconsistencies, to run-on sentences, ambiguous expressions, dangling modifiers and so on, all being indications of an improper mastery of the language.

    On the contrary, the social media have got some benefits. They help many cultivate a reading habit which overtime improves their ability to communicate in the language, both in spoken and written forms. It has served as a platform for linguistic growth for very many people who do not have any other reason to write except for the interpersonal purpose which social media afford them.

    It will be mythical to assume that we can discourage people from using abbreviations and other supposedly bastardised forms during social media interactions as these make for easy and spontaneous flow of interpersonal interaction. Chatting on social media is a quasi-conversation which to a great extent shares the features of face-to-face communication and which like spoken language cannot be entirely formal. This article urges people to pay attention to the purpose of writing as regards their linguistic choices. Abbreviations should be avoided in formal writings and there should be a total adherence to the standard rules of usage. Students should also cultivate the habit of writing words correctly even during chats as this too can become a habit for them overtime through a conscious effort. Personally, I spend much time on social media but I have cultivated the habit of spelling words correctly and I am not only used to it but also comfortable with it. We are not only addressed as dressed; we are also measured by our language habit. Let your writing depict you well.

     

    • Ganiu Abisoye Bamgbose (GAB) University of Ibadan.
  • ‘Blame mass failure in English language on GSM’ – Post-Master General

    ‘Blame mass failure in English language on GSM’ – Post-Master General

    Mr Adebisi Adegbuyi, Nigeria’s Post-Master General, has blamed the mass failure in the English Language, at both local and international examinations, on the advent of mobile communication systems.

    “ It is worrisome that students cannot spell words correctly; they are more used to short codes and symbols they use for sending Short Message Service (SMS) on their mobile phones,” Adegbuyi said in Jos, on Thursday.

    Adegbuyi spoke at the presentation of awards to the winners of the 2016 Letter Writing Competitions organised in Plateau,

    “The students send messages through social media platforms like the WhatsApp, BBM, and SMS using short-codes and symbols; when they are faced with spelling the full word, they find it very difficult,” he said.

    The official, who was represented by Mr Omo Emmanuel, the Assistant Post-Master General (Marketing), however, opined that the trend could be checked through grammar competitions as organised by the Plateau government.

    He advised managements of schools to inculcate the culture of letter writing and its rudiments like enveloping, addressing and stamping.

    Plateau Deputy Governor, Prof. Sonni Tyoden, in his speech, pledged government’s support toward sustaining the letter writing competition.

    “We expect the competition to augment government’s efforts at transforming the minds of the children in critical thinking and creative writing,” he said.

    Earlier in his remarks, Mr Abubakar Usman, the Area Postal Manager in charge of Plateau, had said that the objective of the competition was to revive the dying culture of letter writing among school children.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the competition, which received 6,849 entries from 477 schools across Plateau, was won by Aaron Mang, who scored 82 percent.

    Thomas Ripji came second with 78, while Esther Phillip came third with a score of 72.

  • VC advocates teaching in native language

    The Vice-Chancellor of Kwara State University, Prof. Abdulrasheed Na’Allah, has advocated teaching children in elementary class with native languages for the preservation of the languages.

    He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Ilorin that teaching children in elementary classes with English language was a defeat of the essence of education.

    “We as Nigerians are deceiving ourselves and a lot of educational institutions are also deceiving themselves.

    “If you go to pre-primary schools, you see kids being taught in English, it a total defeat of a whole essence of education.

    “So, the government must wake up to its responsibility that we must preserve our culture and tradition, because there is no culture without language.

    “The dignity of a human being is embedded in the totality of his identity and culture and as Nigerians we are losing that dignity.

    “Most Nigerians now want to be like whites, you see kids sagging and they don’t even speak their language.

    “I am absolutely in support of schools redirecting themselves to the reality of using our languages in schools,’’ he said.

    The vice-chancellor advised parents to desist from speaking English language to their children at home.

    “The parents too should stop speaking foreign languages to their children because charity begins at home.

    “A parent who knows the importance of his language will not send his children to schools where they speak English in elementary school. So, we need to bring ourselves back,’’ Na’Allah said.

  • Cleric advocates English Language lessons for Al-majiri students

    Cleric advocates English Language lessons for Al-majiri students

    An Islamic Scholar, Alhaji Miftaudeen Balogun, on Thursday advocated for English Language lessons for students in Almajiri Integrated Schools in the country.

    Balogun, the leader of Abuja Chapter of Dairat Jafariyat Fitorikat Tijaniyat Islamic organisation of Nigeria, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

    He said that understanding English language, which was general language of communication in the classroom, was one of the major problems faced by the students.

    The cleric said that this challenge scared many students to escape from the school and return to the streets to beg for alms.

    “The school should organise extra lessons for the students, especially in English language and Mathematics.

    “The school environment should be made more convenient and conducive for learning.’’

    Balogun stressed the need for school administrators and teachers to be closer to the students and give them listening ears.

    “Adequate and updated instructional materials should be provided by the government, NGOs, philanthropists, and other stakeholders in Almajiri education.

    “Other major notable problem is the inadequacy of food given to the students.

    “However, the schools have qualified teachers who are NCE and university graduates.

    “Likewise the teachers are not only experienced but also punctual and committed to their duty.’’

    Balogun said the food supply to the school should be adequate and regular.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Federal Government established the Almajiri Integrated Schools (AIS) to curtail the menace of street begging by children and youths in the name of pursuing Qur’anic Education.

  • Lagos senior secondary schools get new curriculum

    Lagos State has approved a new curriculum for public senior secondary schools.

    Commissioner for Education Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye said SS I-III pupils would take nine subjects, with English Language, Mathematics, Civic Education, Biology and one Trade subject compulsory. However, Civic Education is optional for SS III pupils in the 2013/2014 academic session.

    Mrs. Oladunjoye said SS I–III pupils would take three subjects from the Sciences and Mathematics, Business Studies, Humanities and Technology, and one elective subject from any group.

    The 10 Trade subjects in the curriculum are Catering Craft Practice, Garment Making, Dyeing and Bleaching, Data Processing, Store Keeping, Book Keeping, Animal Husbandry, Fisheries, Marketing and Salesmanship.

    The commissioner said: “Teachers in related subject areas are encouraged to teach Civic Education and the Trade subjects. District guidance counsellors have been informed of the guidelines in the new curriculum and the information has been communicated to school counsellors and year tutors in public senior secondary schools.”

    She said seminars would be organised at the six education districts to educate teachers on the new curriculum, adding that two periods would be allocated to each trade subject.

    Mrs. Oladunjoye said the scheme of work for Creative and Cultural Arts in junior secondary schools would be streamlined at the next review.

  • Saidi Balogun out with first English language movie

    Saidi Balogun out with first English language movie

    POPULAR cross-over actor and producer, Saidi Balogun, has proven his versatility once again, with the production of his first English language flick. Entitled You or I, the movie according to the prolific entertainer follows the life of a black man in a white man’s world. The intriguing and suspense-filled movie, which follows his last effort, Eti Keta, featuring Kate Henshaw, is being released from the stables of his self-owned company, Saidi Balogun Productions.

    With a lavish premiere that saw the crème of the society and top entertainers storm the Anchor Events Center, Agindingbi, Lagos, July 7th, 2013 has no doubt recorded another calendar date of achievement in the career life of the multi-lingual actor.

    Balogun, who doubles as an actor in the movie, also cast stars such as Kevin Barry, Elizabeth Croydon, Shira Oyive in the film that was shot in the United Kingdom. As a member of a bigger movie family, other movie stars who graced the event include: Sukanmi Omobolanle, Jide Kosoko, Kola Olaiya, Segun Ogungbe, Mercy Aigbe, Biodun Okeowo, Sola Kosoko, Toyosi Adesanya, Femi Ogedengbe and Dayo Amusa among others.

    Top dignitaries and government functionaries at the premiere include Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State, Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Adeyemi Kuforiji, Chief Mrs. Remi Adiku Bakare and Chief Mrs. Abimbola Fashola. Musicians who were on hand to thrill the audience include Yinka Ayefele, Dele Taiwo and Tolu Obe, while Emcees of the day; Toyin Alausa and MC Kirikiri handled the business of carrying the crowd along with proceedings of the event.