Sea ports of grammatical confusion! (IV)

FOR the fourth week, we examine the poorly presented report on the condition of the Nigerian sea ports. Here is the excerpt.

Sample 1: “The people on daily basis pass through agonizing experiences, importers are in cacophony of tears for the delay of their cargoes on the sea with high demurrage cost…Investigations revealed that when the Apapa port started operation in 1970, it was only made for 30,000 cargoes, but as of today it harbours about 80,000 cargoes, yet the infrastructural facilities to make it run effectively is zero… There is no light in Apapa and the initial agreement was that the government will provide them electricity to do their business, but they were now running on generator on daily basis…To a first time visitor, who perhaps has experienced the hustling and bustling of Western ports in Lagos with the attendants traffic jam, he will probably wonder why there was a graveyard silence in the Eastern ports. When The Nation visited the Delta port in Warri, aside the good road network inside the empty ports, majority of the big warehouses which supposed to be a beehive of activities were under lock and key…The situation at Calabar was worst…Majority of the big warehouses that littered the port was locked…He lamented that poor parade of the sea on twenty four basis is a threat to any business in the area…the issue of security has chased away intending exporters who cannot risk their vessels to berth at there…He regretted that if everybody knew where the problems lies why is it difficult for the people of the area to take the bull by the horns…He explained that the contract for the repair of the Apapa road had been approved and work will commence on it in earnest, nothing (noting?) that clearing agents have been ordered to have a holding bay where their empty containers can be deposited. He added that the option of using Ikorodu terminal is underway and that importers can take their vessels there to off-load…Though, The Nation found out that of the said dry ports established, Kano, Kaduna, Oyo, Imo and Onitsha, only that of Kaduna is operational…Aside this he advocates for urgent dialogue with the militants.”(Nigeria’s Sea Ports of Confusion, The Nation, Sunday, 3 June, 2018)

I urge readers to pay attention to choice of the singular verb-form (was) which occurs in the following sentence: “Majority of the big warehouses that littered the port was locked.” Compare what we have here with the reporter’s choice in an earlier structure: “…majority of the big warehouses …were under lock and key.” The subjects of the verbs are identical for both sentences: “majority of the big wares.” Is there anything that justifies the choice of the plural form of the verb (were) in an earlier sentence but induces the selection of the singular form in the sentence under focus? Nothing! It has become apparent from the consideration of all the grammatical facts in this excerpt that the reporter’s choices are not always products of deep knowledge or reflection. At any rate, the plural form (were) should replace the singular form (was) in the context under consideration.

Next, I draw your attention to the use of the word worst which occurs in the following context: “The situation at Calabar was worst.” The article the is missing immediately before the word worst: “The situation in Calabar was the worst.”  The adjective form is bad; the comparative degree is worse; the superlative degree is worst. We use the comparative degree when the reference is explicitly or implicitly to two entities. We choose the form worst when the reference is explicitly or implicitly to three or more entities.

• I cured HIV patients in 3 months using naturopathy —Olawale Qazeem

Please read the following sentences: 1a) Babangida’s regime was a bad one. 1b) Abacha’s regime was worse than Babangida’s. 1c) Indeed, Abacha’s regime is arguably the worst since independence. 2a) This teaching method is bad. 2b) This teaching method is worse than the earlier one. 2c) Of all the teaching methods demonstrated today, the last one is the worst. 3a) Alcoholism is a bad habit. 3b) Smoking is perhaps worse than alcoholism. 3c) Combining smoking with alcoholism is undoubtedly the worst of all habits. 4a) Poverty is a bad experience. 4b) Failed health is worse than poverty. 4c) Death is the worst of all misfortunes. 5a) Erosion is a bad environmental problem. 5b) Oil spillage may be worse than erosion in terms of the damage done to the environment. 5c) Tsunami is the worst of all environmental problems.

Next, we note the particle for collocating with the verb advocate in the following context: “Aside this he advocates for urgent dialogue with the militants.”The habit of introducing a particle in collocation with the verb advocate is common among many Nigerian users. It’s important to realize, however, that verb advocate does not take any particle at all.

Read the following sentences: 1) Lawyers have been advocating reforms in our judicial system. 2) At their last conference, language experts advocated the use of the indigenous languages at home and in the primary school. 3) The retired Head of Service advocated continuous training for civil servants as a way of enhancing their productivity. 4) A reputable economist has advocated re-introduction of the Structural Adjustment Programme to the current economic agenda of government. 5) Activists have advocated gender sensitivity and balance in our public appointments. 6) It is a strange development that even some church leaders are advocating the legal recognition of same sex marriage.

Readers should note that we have not allowed the particle for to collocate with the verb advocate in each of those sentences. That particle should be eliminated from the context under review.

Similarly, some Nigerians have this habit of allowing the particle on to collocate with the verb emphasize. They would say, “The chairman emphasized *on the need for probity in the handling of the company’s affairs.” The proper thing to say is: “The chairman emphasized the need for probity in the handling of the company’s affairs.” Other defective sentences and their corrected versions are as follows: Defective: The professor emphasized *on the importance of regular reading as a means of developing one’s capacity. Corrected version: The professor emphasized the importance of regular reading as a means of developing one’s capacity. Defective: The doctor emphasized *on the need for exercise as a way of maintaining a healthy body. Corrected version: The doctor emphasized the need for regular exercise as a way of maintaining a healthy body. Defective: The guest lecturer encouraged the developing African nations to emphasize *on mechanized agriculture as a means of guaranteeing food security. Corrected version: The guest lecturer encouraged the developing African nations to emphasize mechanized agriculture as a means of guaranteeing food security. Defective: This regime is emphasizing *on training and re-training of staff. Corrected version: This regime is emphasizing training and re-training of staff. Defective: The instructor emphasized *on the need to maintain a clean and hygienic environment. Corrected version: The instructor emphasized the need to maintain a clean and hygienic environment.

Readers should note that although the verb emphasize does not take the particle on, the noun emphasis does. Please read the following sentences: 1) The new regime places emphasis on probity and accountability. (Compare: The new regime emphasizes probity and accountability.) 2) The emphasis in the western world is on increased technology. (Compare: The western world emphasizes increased technology.) 3) The emphasis here is on herbal medicine (Compare: Here we emphasize herbal medicine.) 4) The workshop will place emphasis on the participants’ ability to pronounce words correctly. (Compare: The workshop will emphasize the participants’ ability to pronounce words correctly.) 5) This government is placing emphasis on security. (Compare: This government is emphasizing security.) 6) Any training in English should lay emphasis on clarity of expression. (Compare: Any training in English should emphasize clarity of expression.)