Friends, a good number of my cherished readers have requested that I once in a while give some lessons in English Language, I therefore, wish to respond to this need by throwing some light on a punctuation mark that has almost lost its significance.
Few people know the word “ampersand”, but many people are familiar with the sign “&”. The ampersand is an over-used abbreviation for the word “and”. But its use should be limited to a few situations such as the names of certain companies, eg., Panin & Kakra Co. Ltd or in academic references like (Afrane & Nketia 2016).
Oops, let me stay focus on my article for the day so that I don’t get overly thrilled and engage in some linguistic prescriptivisms. I feel very famished. I just got home; I had to arbitrate a case between a husband and wife — it took me several hours in an attempt to settle the case, but I was not successful. God willing, I will continue with the arbitration tomorrow, and want advice from my esteemed readers. But before then let me give you a hint of the case for you to be in a better position to help me with ideas.
Kwame Peter staked a lottery hoping to win 500,000 Ghana Cedis. He was discussing with his wife, Adwoa, how the cash would be used if fortune smiles on them. Kwame mentioned that he was going to buy two cars, one for the use of the entire family and the other for his exclusive use. He warned that no other member of the family will sit in that car.
Adwoa insisted she will sit at the front passenger seat of the car, but Kwame told her that it will not be possible because that seat have been reserved for someone special. Adwoa suspected her husband of having extra marital affair and accused him of infidelity. Kwame slapped her and that was what brought about the wahala. Adwoa is seeking divorce and I had to intervene.
The story of Kwame Peter and Adwoa may sound funny, but that is exactly what is happening right here oo. Some people are building castles in the air too. Investigations have revealed that yaanom are very broke and all attempts to raise funds for their campaign have failed, except some coins from China.
As a last resort, they are borrowing US$4.2 billion from external sources using the country’s oil industry as a pledge, hoping to pay back if they win this year’s elections. This decision has irked many people; they are saying that the country will be doomed if the electorate do not shine their eyes well-well on November 7. Eiwoo, the question they are asking is that if yaanom can attempt to borrow such an amount of money in opposition, what will happen if “torfiakwa” they come to power?
A friend of mine told me sometime ago that once a while pepper gets into the eyes of women cooking in the kitchen; but if you are a woman and pepper gets into your eyes anytime you cook, then there must be a problem. This reminds me of a story of a class one teacher who had a nasal problem and spoke through his nose. It happened that this teacher was taking his pupils through some English lessons, and wrote certain words on the chalkboard for the children to repeat after him.
“There was a,” he said.
“There was a,” the pupils responded through their noses.
“Fall at Aburi,” he continued.
“Fall at Aburi,” the children responded the same way.
The teacher thought his pupils were making fun of him, and so he paused and said, “Children, stop! It’s sickness!”
The children obeying a previous instruction by their teacher to repeat whatever he said, repeated through their noses, “Children stop! It’s sickness!”
Who whispered that occasionally, people fall, but if someone almost always fall at the slightest blow of the wind, then there is a problem? I didn’t say that oo. Nobody should put words in my mouth oo. Ayoo, I don’t want any trouble.
Hehehehehe, folks brace yourself. Filla dey. Serious matter come paa. Many people are livid. News is buzzing around that Opana is purported to have received a Toyota Landcruiser car as a gift from a contractor for his 2008 campaign. He is alleged to have received the vehicle in his capacity as a flag bearer, but interestingly registered it in his personal name with the registration number GF1466Z.
Some furious citizens of the land are saying that his continuous silence on this issue since it came up is giving room for people to doubt his claims that he is not corrupt. They say he must speak to the issue now or forever forget about the election.
Kikikikikiki, I have a question. A person who receives a car gift and gives it to the state; and someone who receives a car gift for his party and registers it in his personal name, who is corrupt? Sosket, matter come; Opana can never answer this question da.
