‘Recognition’ Uncountable

Expression By Ebere Wabara

YOU are welcome to this racy edition: “…whose charity and goodwill continue to inspire, attracting local and global recognitions….” ‘Recognition’ is uncountable.

“Putting patient care first” Language surgery: putting patients’ (depending on preferred context) care first. ‘Patient’ in the extract is adjectival qualifying ‘care’ (what type of care?). The excerpt is unorthodox grammar!

“EFCC arrests fake journalist over (for) extortion”

Editorial on NYSC at 52: “President Tinubu increased the allowance to 77,000 in July 2024. But government dilly-dallied in paying this money until March 2024.” What’s going on here? It should be March 2025.

“Institute inducts new members…” Would it have inducted old members? Has ‘induction’ lost its meaning?

“On behalf of Mikano International Limited, we would like to extend our warmest wishes to you on this special occassion (occasion).”

“…for further legislative work (if necessary) within few weeks (a few weeks).” The phrase, ‘few weeks’, indicates contextual insufficiency.

“Adeleke condoles (condoles with) Osun monarch over wife’s death” Alternatively: Adeleke consoles monarch…

Beacons of hope from Enugu and Abia (next time Abia and Enugu—except there is a higher attribution): “Governance can be purposeful, people-oriented and bold.” Would it have been ‘beasts-oriented’? Let’s think before any form of collocation please.

“Senator Kalu made this known when he spoke to (with) journalists at his country home….” ‘Speak to’ means a different thing.

“…the former Abia State governor said going by what Tinubu has (had) done in the past two years….”

“Kalu said President Tinubu has (had) done well….”

“Those who cannot run business (businesses)….”

“FG assures of curbing tragedies on waterways” Who did it assure?

“CBN laying foundation for long term (long-term) economic growth”

“N5m extortion: Family asks IGP to ensure justice in trial of officers” Better this way: officers’ trial

“Herdsmen (Herdsmen’s) attack: Okpebholo inaugurates security, boundary committees”

“…who have commenced investigation on (into) the case since the video surfaced online.”

“Action Collective raises alarm (the alarm) over plot against Natasha

“…the Almighty God will take you to higher pedestal.” Either a higher pedestal or higher pedestals.

“Igbo group urges FG to consider restructuring amidst (amid) rising insecurity in Benue”

“Why more accidented (accident) vehicles are flooding Nigeria”

“More grease (power) to your elbow.” Don’t grease The Bull, please.

“The worst human being is a policeman or soldier who will take arms from his own formations and sell it (them) or hide it (them)….”

Maritime: “Apapa Customs remits N1.875trn into (to) FG’s coffers in 10 months”

“Ladies of St. Mulumba Nigeria to hold annual convention in…” Where, please?

“We extend our heartfelt condolences to the entire family of late (the late) Senator…”

“Nothing will work as long as we keep tying the level of exchange rate to our consumptions.” The last word in the extract is uncountable.

“…were the one (ones) going to Parliament (unnecessary capitalization).”

“We decry the national embarrassment cased her by the gross negligent (negligence) of duty by AFN and NOC officials.”

“Trade policy yielding result as balance hit (hits) N6.5trn…”

“Forced retirement: Police officers lament IG’s non compliance (non-compliance) with court (court’s) ruling”

“All eyes on Reps over constitution review exercise” Please delete ‘exercise’ in the interest of word economy.

Yet another set of headline foibles: “KWASU partners USA, China (Chinese) coys on solar energy”

“Kogi farmers’ association allege (alleges) diversion of N1bn agric fund”

“Do they know it’s International Women’s Day” What of the question mark?

The Nation On Sunday of October 12 combated the English language in the following entries: “Somalia (Somali) president attacked by al-Shabab”

“…you have raised the bar of governance which will ever remain difficult for mediocre (mediocrities/mediocrists/the mediocre) to attain….” (Full-page advertisement) ‘Mediocre’ is an adjective.

“Benue 2027: PDP at crossroads over governorship candidate” This way: at a/the crossroads

“Nigerians are, however, skeptical about the level of compliance to (with) the laws guiding the scheme….”

“The governing council, members, management, staff & students of Osun College of Education, Ilesa (another comma) felicitates (how?)….”

“As a symbol, your strides lead the way and inspires (what is going on here?) the hope of a brighter and rewarding future.” (Half-page advertorial by the above institution)

“Any one (sic) with useful information (police cliché: would it have been useless information?) about his where about (sic) (whereabouts) should….” (Full-page advertorial by the FIRS)

Daily Independent online of November 23 circulated headline and body flaws: “Those who say Ibadan don’t (doesn’t) serve gov twice are poor students of history”

“LASU students, JAF protest over (against/at/about) fee hike”

Let us extend our searchlight to Leadership of November 23: “…work for the restoration of peace in (to) northern Nigeria.”

From the editorial to opinion page: “…the citizenry still needs (need) his enormous wealth of experience to stir us to path of rectitude.”

“All Anambra (All-Anambra) LG soccer championship set to kick off”

“…we had been invited on (to/for) a facility tour by the governor.”

“I thought the governor would ride in his official car, or join us in the bus as many other governors have (had) done on trips to other states.”

“We went round Owerri metropolis, seeing state of the art (state-of-the-art) schools….”

“Issues in the Chibok schoolgirls abduction” A syntactic surgery: Issues in Chibok schoolgirls’ abduction

“Royal father disowns vigilante (vigilance) group” (DAILY TRUST, November 23)

The Guardian of November 22 toyed with morphological truth: “Parents of abducted female students of the Government Girls (Girls’) Secondary School….” The Guardian must be underestimating its readers’ intelligence: would it have been male students in a girls’ school?

“The aggrieved and traumatised (traumatized, preferably) parents spoke at (on) the premises of the destroyed school when….”

“Umar, Southern Taraba leaders trade words over frequent crisis (crises)”

“Nigeria has best disease surveillance (disease-surveillance) system in Africa”

“SURE-P assures over funding of East-West road” Who did the agency assure?

“…the ordinary poor man in the street….” The ‘man in the street’ does not require any embellishment!

Finally from The Guardian: “…the NJC is a body which every lawyer revere (reveres).”

Next is The PUNCH of November 22 with this faux pas: “FG wants African

Leadership of November 22 circulated dozens of inaccuracies: “He said about 150 parents have (had) made spirited attempts last week in search of the abducted girls….”

“He said government has (had) brought food items to the town for….”

“…the case against the Nigerian was serious on the ground (grounds) that he had confessed that….”

“FCT suspends controversial ‘park and pay’ policy” No controversy: ‘park-and-pay’ policy

“MASSOB strikes out ex-Gov Obi’s name from awardees list” Get it right: awardees’ list

“UN raises alarm (the alarm) over ethnic slaughter in South Sudan”

“…restoring sanity in (to) the land….”

The next three wrongdoings are from the opinion pages: “…unless they steal because the varsity has been prized (priced) out of the reach of the poor.”

“…Tinubu to take the bull by the horn (horns).”

“I want to wholeheartedly congratulate President Bola Tinubu for (on/upon) keeping his word….”

“Untold story of E. K. Clark (Clark’s) son’s kidnap, freedom”

“…as you project the vast potentials (potential) of ‘ndi-Anambra’, we wish to appreciate our governor….”

“…Chukwu on his 52nd Birthday anniversary….” Either 52nd Birthday or 52nd Anniversary (the two words cannot co-function).

“Sex enhancing drugs everywhere” Insight: Sex-enhancing drugs everywhere (Otherwise, it will be sex that will be enhancing the drugs)!

“Pomp and glamour as Lagos Traders (Traders’) Cup kicks off” Sports: either pomp and ceremony or pomp and circumstance or just pomp

Vanguard of September 18 goofed two times: “He can still warm (worm) himself to his benefactor in the true spirit of love and reconciliation.”

“…as Kogi and Benue states have experienced it at one time or the other (one time or another).”