The Nigerian entertainment industry, as well as the Nigerian government and society, is greatly contributing to the falling standard of education in Nigeria.
Children, just like adults, over the years, believe in the printed and electronic media and they copy, or hold so dear, whatever they see or hear on TV and read in newspapers.
Before now, entertainers like Zebrudaya Okeke alias 4:30,
Jaguar, etc enlivened the industry and provoked laughter, while infesting the learning environment with wrong grammatical expressions, sounds and idioms.
For example, “More grease to your elbow” is a bastardised version of “More power to your elbow”; “Cut your coat according to your size” instead of “Cut your coat according to your cloth”; “Action speak louder than voice” instead of “Actions speak louder than words”; “The devil you know is better than the angel you don’t know” instead of “Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t”; and “Half bread is better than none” instead of “Half a loaf is better than no bread.”
These are a few examples of English expressions that have been bastardised as a result of our contact with the entertainment industry.From the music industry, entertainers such as Olamide,
Whizkid have changed the mindset of many young Nigerians, infusing slangs – which students remember quicker than a teacher’s teaching or formals – into their songs. Such spirit kills the quality of teaching and learning.
The worst of these people in this century is Funke Akindele. She rose to stardom by her clownish behaviour and expressions. Such expressions and utterances are, in fact, killing the quality of education in Nigeria. In her movie, The Hero, Funke’s grammar was so bad that it made watching the movie very tiresome for the learned and highly lettered ones.
No one in their sane mind would sit and watch Funke’s recent movies and feel that they are watching a good movie – except if they are of the same background as Funke.
She says: “Who is you?” instead of Who are you?; “I am deading” rather than I am dying; “This womens” – These women; “Let me told you” – Let me tell you; “Foice” – Voice; “Shindren” – Children; “Sow” – Show, etc.
Such comic but deadly statements are condemnable.
Such laughter provoking but academically killing grammar should be extirpated completely if Funke must make sense to million of people like me. Funke can still make her millions while speaking normal. This melodramatic and bastardised grammar is only killing our youth who watch a lot of home videos. It does not build them. And woe is he who pleases himself while giving a painless death to other people.
Every lover of success for tomorrow’s leaders should stand up and speak against the grammar abuse by our entertainers.
Although one may not blame them completely, for they are speaking to the best of their knowledge, it is expedient for them to know that a million people rely on their spoken grammar.
Entertainers such as Genevieve Nnaji, Pete Edochie and Ini Edo, made a name for themselves without abusing the rules of grammar usage.
Such grammar abuse, in my view, is a Unclad sign of half education.
Daniel Odih writes from Lokoja, Kogi State. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
Advertise on NigerianEye.com to reach thousands of our daily users
See Daniel you are kind of correct ,but please look at the definition of actors oreven acting .Actors portray the roles of other people and some actors are mainly comedians e.g John Okafor,Charles inojie.I think Funke Akindele is a good actress and she just tryin to make people laugh and if ignorant youths want to emulate her ,it is their own afterall she is not the only actress and if they havw access to her d
ReplyDeletefilms ,they will also have access to films of Ini Edo,Pete Edochie etc.So mainly life is about decisions .
Go and sleep jor !!with the tension in the country we need comedy to douse off tension and not spoken English.we speak English in committees we set up yet nothing meaningful has positively happened to the country. Those who speak poor English eg Indians have better economy. So my brother our children can watch other educational programs . What we need as adult is change of attitude.
ReplyDeleteThis Daniel guy must be living in another planet to have written this kind of article. Did he not see the sitcom 'mind your language' which was always on tv and produced by the English themselves? As much bastardisation of english language as we saw in the movie I never read this kind of article been written about the movie either by an english man or a make believe english expert like Daniel Odirh. He needs to go and learn more about what acting is about and later do a personal study on what comedy is for. Where was this man when Funke Akindele acted in the sitcom 'I need to know' where she played the role of an innocent school girl and spoke very good english in the movie which ran for years. Is Daniel telling me that funke who is a lawyer by training or Nkem Owoh and Zebrudaya who are graduates of English Language cannot speak good english or what. Abeg oga Daniel next time you want to write be more creative and don't just write articles because you just feel like write one.
DeleteWho 2old you the Indians speak poor English? Nigerians like you are our headache; tell us the truth and we'll just rebuff it with a wave of the hand! Do you have children; how well can they read & write, or even speak good English which is an official language whether you like it or not. I teach English Language and it is a daily battle trying to get students to speak, read and write effectively and the major culprit is the bastardized version of English and even other laanguages that children are exposed to.
DeleteDis writer is not busy @all,everybody knows comedy is abt funny things.work without play they say make jack a dull boy.If ur children is speaking bad English go and put them in good school.
ReplyDeleteAs far as I am concerned, this writeup makes no sense at all. Imagine someone complaining about actors & musicians speaking wrong English grammar when our children no longer speak our own native languages.
ReplyDeleteNobody speaks their own languages to their children anymore all in the name of being 'westernised'. Even parents who can't speak one correct English sentence. It's become really sad. I'm Yoruba & was brought up speaking my language as the primary one in our household. I think I speak considerably good English that anyone can understand.
I think we should focus more on how our native languages won't die.
By the way, Funke Akindele's Jennifer is meant to be a 'comedy' so we shouldn't expect perfection.
Daniel or what ever you call yourself, are u more educated than Funke or other comedians? There are a lot of movies to be watched, so if you don't want your children to watch Funke's movies, then buy them Pete Edochie's movie to watch. An intelligient child will remain intelligient no matter the movie he or she watches. Why do we have English teachers in schools? If u send your child to school, he or she would learn to speak grammatical English. Funke is a very good actor. If u don't like her movies, then don't watch them. What I think you should be concerned about is the rate at which some Nigeria minor languages are going into extinction. Children of these days speak English but can't speak their native language.
ReplyDeleteIf the write up is to sell Funke's new film then you probably do a good job. Otherwise you are a complete nonentity like any dummy who copies grammers that are meant to release tension or elicit laughter
ReplyDeleteThere are film actors/actresses(omotola/genevive/ramsey noah/desmond et al) who speak good english.....
ReplyDeleteMayb u can as well watch that and leave the rest....
And pls, there are other pertinent issues...this is the least of our problems.some would even argue that in china, spain, portugal, their lingua franca is their mother tongue. In essence, who cares if u can speak or write good english, your mother tongue should be the ideal...
Some would even say, in as much as i can pass all other subjects with english(physics/chemistry/biology/govt/accounting/history),..to hell with your epistle!!!....did i just say *to hell*...my bad..
Ol boy, go find another work do jare....no long thin!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well said everybody. The native English speakers acknowledge what Is now called 'mother tongue interférence. English Is a technical language but it dépends on d way u look at funkes work. If You are looking for a film to relax tour tension after a hard days work u Can take any of funkes films. On d contrary if u are looking for a semi-comedy yet culturally educational, go for pete edochie, zacki orji and d likes, if u need a bit officious and serious romantic drama pièce check out tinsel and if u want it totally academic d likes of w soyinka 'the interpreters' Will Just do well. But even d soyinkas of This world still av a bit of relaxed mood in their scripts check his drama 'the lion and d jewel' in essence what funke Is trying to do getting through a larger audience - d market women, domestic group, transportérs etc.and d élites who need to unwind after a hard days job.
ReplyDeleteActing and the Comedy genre are to portray a situation and the purposes are many. The words and grammar Funke uses are common in Nigeria today, there are Nigerians who do not even speak English, are they less Nigerians? To conclude that the Actors speech (and Life portrayal for that matter) destroys “Learning” may be right on one level but that does not make the “destruction” the actors fault or responsibility, nor can it then be the substance of that actor i.e. to say
ReplyDelete“Although one may not blame them completely, for they are speaking to the best of their knowledge,”
is mischievous in the least!
Is this ALL you know of this actor?
Nigerians are very funny set of people. All these because of another man language? Am not so sure that someone like daniel can say one or two proverbs in his native language that is if he can even speak it even. That it is why they call it movies - make believe! Comedy, drama,etc it is entertainment not english language masters degree class...Odun Tutu
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I'm beginning to think that the people who comments on this blog are either semi literate or just myopic. From the way the insult each other to the way the react to serious concerns...it shows a level of ignorance and sadly the level of eroded values.
ReplyDeleteInasmuch that I hear the argument that comedy is for entertainment....i think also, that too much of everything is bad. The film commission should make sure that these movies are properly rated and not shown carelessly. Mr. Daniel, I believe we belong to a higher standard that what obtains here.
Mr Steepe...forget all this ur grand-standing n condescending attitude..what higher standard do u belong to...I doubt if u're better than anybody here..I believe ur name shld be "Mr Stiff" as well..funke akindele is a lawyer by training n I dnt think she'd be one if as ur Mr Daniel said.."They are speaking to the best of their knowledge"..dats insulting to say d least..acting is make believe..does ur friend "on a higher level" mean that funke can't speak good english?..abeg u have a choice of movies that u n urs can watch..its not by force..my 5yr old son watches nigerian home videos n his spoken n written english is impeccable for some1 his age..u dnt blame bad english on comedy movies..all those comedians u see dat speak in pidgin english are all well-spoken off stage..so wat is ur friend saying n u're supporting him..claiming to be long to some "higher standard"..as I speak to u,if u go to china n ask a chinese why he doesn't speak english..he'll ask u right back why u don't speak his language as well..we shld promote our local dialects more instead of wanting to perfect another man's language...belong to a higher standard indeed....abeggi...waka far make we hear word...looking down ur nose at others...
DeleteMy dear anonymous 5.40, read my comment and then read urs and tell me if u didn't just prove my point. One mark of superior intellect is engaging in a debate without resulting to abusive words or language.
DeleteWow! Its clear Nigerians don't consider the substance once the shell looks great. Honestly, I don't watch Nigerian films, not because I don't enjoy it but because just when I am begining to enjoy the content, a substance error put me off and I simply can't continue. I always derive a lot from films that exhibit quality means of communication. Surely most Nigerian movie makers that are celebrated cannot measure appreciably; hence my decision to watch selectively.
ReplyDeletePlease you have to include Patience Jonathan too
ReplyDeleteVery well said Anonymous 5.40. #shakingmyheadatmrdanielandallhissupporters#
ReplyDeleteOps! please please leave Funke alone and let her be act who she ls
ReplyDeleteMr Daniel I did not blame you but the blog that is using your article as headline.
ReplyDeletewhy the complaint when even the so called americans created their own slang from english and this slang is proudly used by them as a medium of communication even in their world award winning movies
ReplyDeleteMeaning you will go to the streets, market place, garage, etc and start arresting people speaking broken English, lol madam "I too know" lol. carry go Funke Akindele, i dey feel you joo all those your jargon English remove stress from my body, thnk you joo.
ReplyDeleteplease Mr David, I should believe that you are an african, i'll advise you to think more of protecting our african languages that have been heavily bastaredized and facing extinction instead of protecting one that is not your mother tongue language.leave it for the english man to protect his language.
ReplyDeleteHow proud the writer is to defend English language, when he couldnt do anything about the declining of his Native language. It seems he wants to be recognized.
ReplyDeleteAm sure this writer is an enemy of progress.
ReplyDeleteBut we must have a standard.Anything goes is not always the best.For example most children in the city cannot speak any indigenous language. Time will come when the ability to speak and write at least one indigenous language will be a criteria for holding any political position in Nigeria.The point is that if we are to hold our own language very well we can also do well in a second language. Think of Chimamanda Adichie, Late Chinua Achebe, Prof Wale Soyinka,Niyi Osundare etc All these people have carved a niche for themselves in English Language and poetry. Yet. They are very fluent in both written and spoken indigenous language. Most of our Children speaking "I go'and "I come" today are good in neither one language.English no mather what cannot be your mother tongue no matter how you try to have the ascent of the American or the British. So,It time for parents to realise this. Those who think that it is a matter of sophistication or class for their children to abandon their language is making the greatest mistakes of their life. You can ask some of the literary gurus I have mentioned above.There is great Bride in speaking one's local language. This also helps in any other second language we chose to learn.
ReplyDelete