Tag Archives: english

Watch unarmed students assaulted by armed police in Cameroon [Video]

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Armed police in Bamenda which is the capital of northwest Cameroon dragged students across the streets and forced them to roll in sewage due to protests. In a video posted by Sahara Reporters on Twitter, policemen armed with batons are seen dragging unarmed youths and shoving them into a stagnant sewage water.
The video clearly shows how policemen go back and forth to fetch students and then order them to lie down in sewage water. While a particular lady protested, she was shoved and dragged right into the water while the seemingly lifeless bodies of some young men were lying motionless beside the sewage water.
The English-speaking region of Cameroon has been affected by protests by students and teachers over what they termed forceful take over by the government to replace them with French education system.
Armed police in Bamenda which is the capital of northwest Cameroon dragged students across the streets and forced them to roll in sewage due to protests. The English-speaking region of Cameroon has been affected by protests by students and teachers over what they termed forceful take over by the government to replace them with French education system.
English and French are the two official languages in the country but it was lately reported that the government which has been accuse of favouring French-speaking region was taking them to replace teaching in English-speaking schools with French teachers.
Tassang Wilfred who is the secretary-general of Cameroon Teachers’ Trade Union said: “The French system of education is the majority and has been trying to wipe out our system of education, and that means wiping out our own cultural heritage.
“We have been trying to resist that, but we have got to the point where they [government] are infiltrating Francophone teachers who cannot speak English and don’t even master our own system of education and sometimes they teach in a language that’s neither English nor French. We call it Franglais or Pidgin,” he went on alleging.
“Anglophone teachers want to teach in English and we want Anglophone children to be taught by teachers who know the English sub-education system of Cameroon.”
Watch video in a tweet posted by SR below:

FA back away from Wenger with preference for English manager

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The FA have distanced themselves from Arsene Wenger becoming the next England manager after confirming their preference is for an Englishman.

Football Association chairman Greg Clarke, while answering questions from MPs on alleged corruption in football, said the governing body “would like an English manager if we can get one”.

He said: “But if we can’t, we’d like someone who has managed extensively in the Premier League so he understands the English football system, its development, the EPPP (Elite Player Performance Plan) etc.

“And I think we’d be crazy to appoint anyone who has never worked in English football. So it’s a taxonomy.”

Arsenal boss Wenger recently stated he was open to managing England “one day” but backed interim boss Gareth Southgate to take on the job full-time.

Southgate fits the criteria having managed Middlesbrough in the Premier League for three years between 2006 and 2009, when they were relegated.

Current Englishmen managing in the Premier League are Eddie Howe, Alan Pardew, Sean Dyce and Mike Phelan.

Steve Bruce, who recently took over at Aston Villa, was interviewed before the job was given to Sam Allardyce in the summer and is one of just five English managers outside the top flight that have Premier League experience.

Leeds United boss Garry Monk is another, as well as Neil Warnock, Steve McClaren, who failed to take England to Euro 2008 as boss, and Southend manager Phil Brown.

Facing a grilling from the Commons Culture, Media and Sport select committee on Monday, FA chairman Clarke defended their handling of Allardyce’s departure after he was filmed by a newspaper discussing how to “get around” FA transfer rules.

Clarke said Allardyce “gave 100 per cent to FA commitments as manager” and “significant enquiries” on the ex-West Ham boss “raised no significant issues” before his appointment.

Clarke confirmed a financial settlement was made with Allardyce to terminate his contract by mutual consent, but he did not disclose the amount because of a confidentiality agreement.

Asked to justify the pay-off in light of grassroots issues, including a lack of funding, Clarke said: “I obeyed the law of the land and took the advice of a QC. Any right thinking person would rather spend money on facilities. But we will always obey the law. We took external advice.”

“Muslim Women Must Learn English Or Be Deported” – British Prime Minister

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British Prime Minister, David Cameron, has declared that Muslim women who fail to learn English to a reasonable standard may face deportation from Britain.

This came as his centre-right Conservatives launched a £20 million ($28.5 million, 26 million euro) language fund for women in isolated communities as part of a drive to build community integration.

In an announcement on BBC radio on Monday, Cameron also suggested that poor English skills can leave people more susceptible to the messages of groups like Islamic State (IS).

He said, “Immigration rules already force spouses to speak English before they come to Britain to
live with their partners. Notwithstanding, they would also face further tests after two and a half years in the country to make sure their language skills were improving.

“You can’t guarantee you will be able to stay if you are not improving your language. People coming to our country, they have responsibilities too.”

Investigations have reportedly revealed that Cameron’s government estimates that around 190,000 Muslim women in England, about 22 percent speak little or no English.

Cameron said that lack of language skills could make Muslims in Britain more vulnerable to the message of extremist groups.

“I am not saying there is some sort of causal connection between not speaking English and becoming an extremist, of course not,” he told BBC radio.

“But if you are not able to speak English, not able to integrate, you may find therefore you have challenges understanding what your identity is and therefore you could be more susceptible to the extremist message.”

Reacting to the Prime Minister’s comments which drew criticism from Muslim groups and opposition parties, Mohammed Shafiq, Chief Executive of the Ramadhan Foundation, said, “David Cameron and his Conservative government are once again using British Muslims as a political football to score cheap points to appear tough.

Shafiq accused Cameron of ‘disgraceful stereotyping.’

Also, Andy Burnham, home affairs spokesman for the main opposition Labour party, accused Cameron of a ‘clumsy and simplistic approach’ which was ‘unfairly stigmatising a whole community.

Source: DailyPost.ng

70.67% Fail English, Maths In Nov/Dec WASSCE

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The West African Examinations Council, WAEC has on Friday  in Lagos released the statistics of candidates who passed  English Language and Mathematics in the November/December 2015 WASSCE results.

In a release, its Public Relations Officer, Mr Demian Ojijeogu said:” A total of 67,713 candidates, representing? 29.33 per cent obtained credits in ?five subjects and above, including English Language and Mathematics.?”

The statistics therefore implied that above 70 per cent ? who sat the WASSCE did not obtained five credits including English and Mathematics.

?Meanwhile, in November/December 2014 WASSCE, 246,853 candidates who sat for the exams, only 72,522 candidates, representing 29.37 per cent, obtained credits in five subjects, including Mathematics and English Language. This connotes that there is a decline in performance from that of 2014.

Recalled on Thursday, during a press briefing in Lagos  ?The Head National Office, Mr  Olutise Isaac Adenipekun had concealed the statistical data of candidates  who scored five credits in English Language and Mathematics, starting that it was not necessary.

He, however said: Of the 237,154 candidates sat the examination, ? 79,490 candidates, representing 33.51% obtained 6 credits and above.”

Credit: Vanguard

“English, Mathematics Shouldn’t Be Compulsory” – Rochas Okorocha

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Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has called on universities in the country and other relevant bodies to drop the idea of making English language and mathematics compulsory for admissions into higher institutions.

According to a statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Sam Onwuemeodo, the governor averred that making these two subjects compulsory for admissions had frustrated many brilliant students who for some reasons could not pass any of the two subjects, in their bid for higher education.

Okorocha, who said this when the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the National Examination Council, (NECO), Prof. Abdulrashid Garba visited him at the Government House Owerri, with his team, stressed that the time has come for all the concerned bodies in the country to help our education and also help students with the ambition of pursuing higher education, by dropping the demand that a child must credit English and mathematics to gain admission.

According to the governor, because of the rule that made it mandatory that Nigerian students must credit English and mathematics before they could proceed to higher institutions, some students indulge in some unconventional activities to scale the hurdle while some of the brilliant ones who could not make the subjects for one reason or the other would be made to stay at home.

80 Mali Hotel Hostages Freed, Say Attackers Spoke English

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Eighty hostages have been freed from the Hotel attack in Mali. Those freed include three Turkish Airlines staff, 12 Air France staff and Guinean singer Sekouba Bambino

Three people reported to have been killed, as Malian soldiers stormed the hotel.

Mali’s president cut short his visit to Chad and Reuters news agency is reporting that a hostage who was freed from the Radisson Blu in Mali’s capital, Bamako, says that he heard the attackers were speaking English.

Credit: BBC

Laugh it Off: 20 Hilarious Grammars Of Patrick Obahiagbon And Their Meaning

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Patrick Obahiagbon, who once represented Oredo Federal Constituency of Edo state shot to limelight the moment he arrived the House of Representatives in 2007 with his uncanny knack for jaw-breaking grammars.

If you have ever listened to the honorable member speak before, you will agree with me that you need your dictionary to actually understand his big big grammar….LOL

Here is a compilation of the top 20 Jaw breaking words ever used by the grammarian and their meanings:

1. Crinkum-crankum – Elaborate or detailed (archaic)

2. Megalomania – a mental illness or condition in which somebody has an exaggerated belief in their own importance or power.
3. Jiggery-pokery – Tricky, misrepresentation and manipulation.
4. Mephistophelean – wicked
5. Kakistocracy – Government under the control of a nation’s worst or least-qualified citizens
6. Braggadocio – Boost full or arrogant behavior
7. Ratiocination– The forming of judgment by a process of logical reason
8. Phantasmagoria – a sequence of imaginary images
9. Gargantuan –extremely large
10. Bugaboo – an object of fear
11. Pooh-pooh – Dismiss as being foolish or impractical
12. Insalubrious – unwholesome and unhealthy
13. Odoriferous – having an odor.
14. Lugubrious – mournful, sad, dismal
15. Malodorous – smelling very unpleasant
16. Termagant – a woman who is very strict and who tries to tell people to do things in an unpleasant way
17. Conundrum – A confusing problem or question that is too difficult to solve
18. Alacrit – great willingness or enthusiasm
19. Mendacious – Not telling the truth
20. Egregious – Outstandingly bad and shocking.

WAEC Seized My English Result Twice – Patrick Obahiagbon

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Honourable Patrick Obahiagbon  on  an interview with Punch Newspaper..

Punch ­- Did you write exams in school in these big words?
Hourable- I used such words very-very freely in my exams both at the
secondary school and in my university and little wonder I had
the misfortune of my English results being seized intermittently in my O’ Levels.
WAEC released my results for the other subjects and withheld my English result. This happened for
about three years. Twice, I passed the University Matriculation Examination but I
could not proceed to the University because of my English results that…

were not released. At
the end of the day, it was released after the third attempt.

Punch- Why do you always use ‘big grammar’?
Honourable- I am not really consensus ad idem with those who opine that
my idiolect is advertently obfuscative. No no no, it’s just that I am in my elements when
the colloquy has to do with the pax nigeriana of our dreams and one necessarily needs to fulminate against the alcibiadian modus vivendi of our prebendal political class.

Punch- How do you talk to your wife, children and even your friends?
Honourable- I relate with my family and friends very warmly and in an
atmosphere of camaraderie, stripped of my confutational habiliment and gladiatorial
homilies. I am a very peaceful, calm, level-headed and celestially attuned soul personality.

Punch- Is this the way you proposed to your wife, speaking high tech grammar?
Honourable- Of course, the business of the day when I interfaced with my
wife on matters of the heart had to be in plain Caeser’s language
and you can decipher why that had to be so. The matter in view did not permit itself of sphinxian
conundrum.

Punch- Do you know that many people don’t take you too seriously when
you talk because they think you are not communicating?
 Honourable -Why will I be perturbed from ensconcing myself in the
palatable arms of Morpheus because people have deprived themselves of the cultivation of
the regime of the mental magnitude? I read all the farrago of baloneys and vacuous bunkum
from pepper soup objurgators. The spirit of animadversion remains their fundamental
human right. It also remains an indubitable fact that I get millions and millions of requests
daily from people all over the world requesting for my verbal mentorship which positive
cosmopolitan reactions have assisted my equipoise and righteous sense of
pachydermatous garb. I cannot put my nose to the grindstone daily and expect to be
understood by those luxuriating in a modus vivendi, verging on pepper souping, goat heading,
suyaing, big stouting and isiewulising. Has a philosophical wag not once pontificated that
things of the spirit are spiritually discerned and that it takes the deep to call the deep? We will speak more on this matter of critiques and chichi dodo another day.

Punch -Why do you pull your trousers up beyond the waist?
Honourable -Hahahaha….That trousers style is called Yohji Yamamoto. It was my own audacious statement to remonstrate against the pervasive tendency of Nigerians
especially our youths that took to the practice of putting on trousers exposing their lower
anatomical contours and I will do it over and over again
.
Culled from saturday punch

Get Your Dictionaries Guys, Patrick Obahiagbon Has Spoken Again…

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Edo State Chief of Staff, Hon. Patrick Obahiagbon, in an interview with Punch, speaks on the general elections.

What would you say was responsible for the low turnout of voters last Saturday?

“I’m sure the low voter turnout could be attributable to a vaudeville of ratiocinations. The presidential election attracted more voters ostensibly because that was the political elephant and was therefore occasioned with attendant publicity ballyhoo. A vast majority of Nigerians were also righteously indignant of the state of economic quagmire, political phantasmagoria and social disequilibrium the philistine and clueless government of President Jonathan has plummeted the country.
They saw in the presidential election a sui generis opportunity to get the yoke off their back and that they did ferociously. This passion was not as frenzied in the last election”.