AI is my proofreader

AI Helping Out

For the past four months, I have utilised AI to review, assess, and suggest new ideas after reading the blog. Its purpose is to make spelling and grammatical changes without changing the structure of the blog, if my voice is to be lost in the process.

The result of that activity is in this published blog - You Are the Boss

The bot or agent within the Poe app does the following, using Claude-Sonnet-4.5 as the AI modelling tool. Here is the link to my Blog-Reviewer-Editor. You can have a trial and let me know what you think.

The Bot Introduction

Blog Reviewer Editor Polisher - UK English

### What This Bot Does

This specialised assistant helps polish and refine blog posts whilst preserving your unique voice and writing style. It functions as a professional British English editor that grammatically reviews your content, corrects errors, and improves readability without losing the essence of your original work.

## Key Facilities

# Grammar and punctuation correction using British English conventions

# Flow and readability improvements through sentence restructuring and better transitions

# Section headings introduced to improve readability, where there are none in the text

# Style preservation, ensuring you still recognise your own voice and thought processes

# Comprehensive review summary explaining what changed and why

# Writing feedback offering insights on how to improve future posts

# Headline suggestions with reasoned recommendations

# Discourse analysis identifying potential debate angles and alternative perspectives

## Benefits

# Maintains your authentic voice whilst achieving professional polish

# Ensures consistent British English spelling and conventions throughout

# Eliminates grammar errors without over-editing or changing your message

# Improves clarity and comprehension for readers

# Provides educational feedback to develop your writing skills

# Saves time by handling technical editing whilst you focus on ideas

# Offers strategic insights for developing related content

## Considerations

# No em-dashes policy: The bot strictly avoids em-dashes, replacing them with alternative punctuation

# Context preservation: Edits prioritise maintaining your original meaning over stylistic perfection

# No new content: The bot won't add ideas not present in your original text

# British English only: All spelling and conventions follow British standards

# Voice over perfection: When in doubt, the bot chooses preserving your voice over technically 'perfect' alternatives

## Simply paste your blog post, and receive a polished version along with constructive feedback for continuous improvement.

Uses Claude-Sonnet-4.5, a model that is powered by Anthropic.

AI Review Summary

Changes Made and Why

1. Section headings added: I've introduced four section headings to guide readers through your narrative arc: arrival and gratitude, the measurements, waiting room observations, and the consultation itself.
2. Punctuation corrections:
• Changed "checkup" to "check-up" (British convention for this medical term)
• Added necessary commas for clarity ("In fact, her uniform...")
• Improved the flow of complex sentences with better comma placement
3. Spelling corrections:
• "practiced" → "practised" (British English for the verb form)
• "6-month" → "six-month" (convention to spell out numbers at the beginning of compound adjectives)
4. Sentence restructuring:
• Split overly long sentences where they impeded readability
• Used semicolons to balance related clauses (e.g., the worn shoe observation)
• Added em-dash replacements with commas and semicolons as per your guidelines
5. Minor word adjustments:
• "nurse phlebotomist" rather than "nurse at phlebotomist" for professional title accuracy
• Adjusted punctuation in the final sentence for better rhythm

Writing Insights

Your writing has a distinctive, observational quality that blends personal health concerns with social commentary. The shift from self-focused anxiety to broader observations about others shows good narrative awareness. However, some sentences tried to carry too much weight simultaneously, which occasionally obscured your points.

Areas for improvement:

• Watch for run-on sentences that pack multiple observations into one clause
• Consider whether comparative observations (like the nurse's weight) serve your narrative purpose or risk distracting from your main point
• Your philosophical asides are engaging, but ensure they're integrated smoothly rather than interrupting the flow

Subject and Discourse

This piece touches on several rich themes:

Healthcare experience: The patient-consultant relationship, medical autonomy, and the evolution of medical paternalism towards shared decision-making

Body image and health: Your self-consciousness about measurements alongside observations of healthcare workers' own health creates an interesting tension about who has authority over health

Potential debate lines:

• Medical autonomy vs medical expertise: When should patients override professional advice?
• The health of healthcare workers: Should there be fitness standards for medical professionals?
• Anxiety and medical appointments: How does anticipatory stress affect health readings?

Alternative angles to explore:

• The ten-year relationship with your consultant and what continuity of care means
• Why biannual check-ups matter for chronic condition management
• The irony of seeking health in institutions where health workers themselves struggle

Suggested Headlines

1. "You Are the Boss" - This quote captures the heart of your piece: medical autonomy and the evolving doctor-patient relationship. It's intriguing and invites readers in.
2. "Observations from the Waiting Room" - Emphasises your contemplative, observational style and the social commentary aspect of your writing.
3. "A Decade of Check-ups" - Highlights the long-term nature of your medical journey and suggests reflection and perspective.
4. "Grateful for Good Health" - Takes your closing sentiment and makes it the headline, creating a positive, reflective tone that frames the entire piece.
5. "The Daily Struggle for Health" - Uses your own phrase about the universal challenge of maintaining health, applicable to patients and healthcare workers alike.

Recommendation: I'd suggest "You Are the Boss" as your headline. It's memorable, creates intrigue, and captures the key moment of medical autonomy that seems central to your reflection. It also invites debate about patient rights and medical decision-making.

A Google NotebookLM AI Podcast on this blog

Dreamscape: Truancy presages abject failure

Why I was a truant

It is becoming like a haunting of my dreams, for in times past, I played truant. My absence from class could never be properly understood. When one school report included the word "truant," my mother, a secondary school principal at the time, took such offence that I had to check if we were sharing the same meaning of the word.

In secondary school, my truancy was borne of boredom: boring teachers, even more boring subjects, and a total lack of engagement. In my English class, for instance, the whole activity was pedestrian. I was probably not helped by the fact that English is my mother tongue, as opposed to a second language, even though it was the official language of Nigeria.

Later in life, I came to understand that while I naturally understood the language, I did not understand the mechanics of it. I knew why a sentence had to be a certain way, but not how the elements of language were arranged to make it so. This became evident when a Dutch teacher of English used my intuition as a native speaker to review his notes. I found myself learning about the scaffolding that gives English its structure and grammar.

The unpleasantness of bad English

Elsewhere, my disinterest was compounded by distraction. In certain classes, I was so clueless about what was going on that I drew a total blank. It would have been so helpful to have had a student affairs department that addressed emotional, mental, and psychological health; I might have been saved a lot of misery.

The worst culprit, however, was a lecturer in electrical materials. His teaching style rankled to the point of irritation, and how he ever became a lecturer in a tertiary institution baffles me to this day. If he had used sign language, I might have been more engaged. Nearly every sentence of more than two words contained a malapropism or a grammatical flaw, and I felt such an urge to correct him that I could barely listen.

I remember in primary school, a new pupil came to our class and announced, "Teacher told me to come to class." We all laughed, as it sounded different, strange, and odd. He ended up in another class, but we soon became good family friends.

Always found wanting in Maths class

The haunting that has invaded my dreams for a long time now is finding myself in an advanced Mathematics class with no idea of what is going on. The lecturer walks in expecting the submission of some homework and then continues a topic I cannot seem to grasp, with the final examinations only a couple of weeks away. It is never a comfortable place to be; in that dreamy world, you are left wondering how to avert the looming prospect of failure.

I do, however, remember one final Mathematics examination. On the Friday before, I was not convinced I had the wherewithal to tackle the subject to the best of my ability. I found a primary school blackboard and worked through each of the topics to fix the gaps in my understanding. By Sunday evening, I was sharing better proofs of equations and theorems with others. I got an 'A' in that subject.

Between the dreamland that occupies the present and the reality of old, where I got it all together, I think of copying my friend's notes to pay off the knowledge deficit. Yet, a niggling thought suggests that I will not be able to pull it off.

The dream never goes beyond the lecture class, but the foreboding of failure lingers. What is it in my life that is showing up as a parable of omission and unpreparedness in my dreams? That is the mystery, something to pray for insight about.

Clippings of the thought and drippings of the thoughtless

The matchup of views

There are two versions of my blog, one which I wrote expressing some feelings that I would not be able to describe after some attempts at doing so, and then I decided to pass the text through an LLM grammar checker with a preference for English and when unqualified, I mean what we speak in Great Britain as opposed to that spoken across the pond.

The tone I went for was emotional rather than casual, formal, laconic, or something else I cannot remember. At Brian’s inadvertent prompting, I won’t even tell which version was the original and the edited and none of the customary delineation of paragraphs and sections, the title of the blog however is original. We can’t give everything to AI when we can allow some human intervention.

To make it even more atrocious but not as bad I had some machinations that crossed my mind as I typed this, I won’t set out where one begins and the other ends, the evil thought was to intersperse the paragraphs. As Brian is wont to say. “I’m not that bad.” My response? That’s between us.

With many thoughts coursing through my mind, I found myself reflecting on a difficult telephone conversation that had left me feeling unsettled. Though I endeavoured to remain calm as I respectfully explained my perspective on the importance of patient-centred care, I sensed tensions rising.

In my attempt to process the interaction, I began writing but soon realized my thoughts lacked focus. While I had intended to respectfully express concerns around communication and coordination of my treatment, my emotions had made it difficult to do so constructively.

Over subsequent days, further challenges with the navigation of my care only added to my feelings of frustration. Multiple attempts at documenting my experience proved futile as overwhelm took hold.

However, with time and distance, clarity emerged. In reframing my goal as open dialogue rather than accusation, I was able to convey my perspective and needs in a balanced manner. Though the road to resolution remains long, small steps toward understanding are progress indeed.

With many thoughts coursing through my mind, I had begun to type away, the discombobulated scratches of the upset that resulted from a telephone conversation that soon lost cordiality for tempers rising.

Surprisingly, I held it together as I lectured my interlocutor on the primacy of the patient in the decision tree of treatment options. I was pulling no punches because taken together, one had become a bystander where full disclosure and engagement should have been the rule.

Six good paragraphs in, I was exhausted, that I put it away thinking I might find the wherewithal to complete it, but it was flailing without direction, and I doubted my ability to rescue it.

Half a day later, another phone call was ping-pong between oncology and urology, with little consideration given to the fact that regardless of department responsibility, I was at the receiving end of their inability to coordinate and the poor management of my case.

I started another write-up and before I could complete the first sentence, I had lost interest and inspiration, it was compounded exasperation seeking the travails of frustration that I have tried hard to avoid with sanguinity.

A day, another, and another before I settled at the keyboard for a third attempt taking a totally different slant from the first two attempts.

It turned out a lot better and much shorter than I expected. I guess some events can snatch away the will to see some things to the desired conclusion.

Thought Picnic: Between writing and speaking

Effective and polite conversation

The art of communication and more so the one of being effective at it matters a lot. Even for those of us schooled in the old-fashioned use of language in courtesy, respect, grammar, and correct address, we must not be tempted to dispose of it for the sheer ease and modernity that attends to current trends.

Whether it be letters, emails, or text messages, I follow some basic and critical rules. The form of address along with a greeting is essential. The statement and context are written with a style that respects both the correct use of grammar and punctuation, whichever language I choose to write in. The closing is properly made too.

Chains of email angst

In a recent series of back-and-forth emails where nothing seemed to be moving, we had generated an enviable email chain that would tire out a casual observer just as some frustration began to set in. I suggested we seek a resolution by telephone conversation to understand where the apparent miscommunication or misunderstanding was because we were getting no further along.

My feeling is that this suggestion prompted my interlocutor to review their workflows and processes after which certain ameliorations were made without conceding the fact that the issue was always on their side.

Suddenly, the shunted wagon of bureaucracy lethargic woke up in a fit of uncharacteristic vigour, trundling forward towards the realisation of intended or expected outcomes.

Words to any effect

One would not want to apportion blame as much as the admission of fault should not suggest a loss of face. Though the facility to admit wrong with the finery of language is hardly taught and acquired without extensive reading, especially of the classics.

I get commended for having a way with words and that my writing conveys my views better than my speech. At my most cantankerous I am neither eloquent nor articulate, and enunciation is good enough, I hope. Yet, where you have no opportunity to write, what you say and how you say it is the only device by which any listener might give due recognition.

Bullshit! Shit is living

Learning on the job

When I write, I have both the Microsoft Word spellchecker and grammar checker active to catch the basic errors or highlight something I might need to review or on my own good judgement ignore. Then when I paste my copy in the blog editor, Grammarly tackles some context, the punctuation, number agreement but shies away from political correctness.

I have not set the grammar checking rules to a stringent adherence to Victorian style or James I prose, nor do I aspire to Shakespearean flourish. In a way, I think I have my unique way of using words, constructing sentences, and conveying my opinions.

There is no doubt that I still have a lot to learn, it is an ongoing activity of self-development. Obviously, I deviate from formality to levity, abuse structure for artistic license, I will try to explain the jargon, whilst attempting to avoid neologisms, the occasional colloquialism or is it expletive will surface and that without apology.

The bull always shits

This is because, there is no better word for it and when in my last blog the grammar checker went after BULLSHIT, I retorted with Bullshit! Yes, whilst there are uses for the shit of bulls as manure, it is what they naturally do like we all do, we shit and it is as much proof that we are living things and much as we breathe. A characteristic we cannot do without, else we are on to constipation and without prompt relief death.

Blog - Thought Picnic: Killing their people with incompetence

The Cambridge Dictionary defines bullshit in usage as both an exclamation and a noun and as; thus, complete nonsense or something that is not true. Pardon me, it is apparently offensive too. I guess it is one of those times when the shit hits the fan and the fan splats the shit on anyone who has not already taken refuge under a table.

“This language might be offensive to your reader.” Screams the grammar checker. It’s my blog and dear reader if you have never had to look back in anger at the water closet, your immortality is secure. Let’s stop feigning disgust, shitting is life and life is shitting.

Bullshit highlighter.

Tweeting beautifully without apologising for it

The simplicity of the tweet

On a tweet that composed a seminal thought and political discourse within the conservative landscape of the 280-character limit of a simple tweet, some responses sneered, “Too much grammar.”

I have been on Twitter since the 8^th of February 2009, which means in three days I would hit a decade of tweeting. One thing tweeting taught me was brevity, concision, and precision. At first glance, these words are literally synonyms depending on context, but when the definitions are reviewed, you get a sense that they have different qualities.

Brevity - concise and exact use of words in writing or speech. This would suggest knowing the platform is limited, I would find the best words to present my tweet, which sometimes would include a foray into sesquipedalianism. If I have a word that fits the bill, I use it.

Concision - is the cutting out of unnecessary words while conveying an idea. For anything I have to say in a tweet, I want the complete context to be conveyed, I never used tweet elongators when Twitter had a 140-character limit. It could have made the tweet difficult to read, but when understood, you needed no other tweet to explain the tweet.

Precision - the quality, condition, or fact of being exact and accurate. Once the tweet was composed, there was no ambiguity, it conveyed exactly what I wanted to say, with its difficult and long words, the context of exactly what I had in mind and no doubt about what I intended.

Without the rules, we would be fools

For that, some people appreciated the work that went into the tweet, maybe it even gave some the opportunity to extend their vocabulary. I was never one to economise on what broad range of words the English language offered to anyone who was interested, whilst resisting a decline into neologisms.

Then, some would sneer, “Too much grammar.”, as if grammar had become a synonym for obscurity, verbosity, complexity, difficulty, or pomposity.

Grammar, according to the Cambridge dictionary is (the study or use of) the rules about how words change their form and combine with other words to make sentences. Invariably, without the rules of grammar, you cannot make sentences, you just have a jumble of words that make no sense, except if it is a word puzzle.

Covering for inadequacies

I have come to the conclusion that the sneering is more a lack of comprehension of what has been written, the people, rather than tax themselves with broadening their knowledge or maybe attempting a better delivery of the tweet, as the way people convey their ideas can be a matter of style, they revile and castigate the writer with a heckle, with disdain, with contempt or some other device to belittle the person and by that give themselves a sense of superiority over the expressed ability of the writer.

I do have a writing style, some have suggested it could be flowery, my blogs flourish with that style, you can read anything I have written in the last 15 years of blogging and conclude, that is unmistakably Akin expressing himself.

It goes without saying that much as we nominally recognise Nigeria as an English-speaking country, English comprehension amongst many lags their ability to read, as such, Nigerians would find that they have to take ‘English as a foreign language’ examinations on applying to universities in the UK. You would expect them to pass those examinations, but over-confidence can easily catch you out.

They do not matter

In a series of tweets, I averred, “Basically, if you have difficulty reading or comprehending a sentence of English language and think you can cover your inadequacies with condemning the sentence as excessive grammar, the truth is your proficiency at English is rudimentary if not illiterate.” I will make no apology for that viewpoint or for the fact that my privileged education should pander to the lowest common denominator of communication.

If you cannot contribute to a discourse or broaden the ideas offered in a public space like Twitter, it is better to keep your counsel than display your ignorance. I believe everyone has a story and a mode of expression, Twitter can be a marketplace of opinions and great ideas, and anywhere I find that people are expressing themselves in an interesting or inspiring way, I like to acknowledge them rather than sneer at them.

What I do not understand, I seek clarification or explanation of, and that is why I decided to tweet about grammar and comprehension, because nothing was wrong with what was said, and everything was wrong with those who had nothing to add to the viewpoint than participate in the braying mob of anti-intellectuals shouting out – “Too much grammar.”

We should never be afraid to express ourselves in the richness of all that we have acquired, experienced or been influenced by, most pertinently, never let the sneers limit your communication.

Basically, if you have difficulty reading or comprehending a sentence of English language and think you can cover your inadequacies with condemning the sentence as excessive grammar, the truth is your proficiency at English is rudimentary if not illiterate.

— Akin Akíntáyọ̀ #FBPE (@forakin) February 4, 2019

Thought Picnic: Express expression expressly

Talk well

If I were to visit my alma mater to give a talk about anything, it would not be about the usual fare of overselling my career choices or the art of making money as a demonstration of success but in the need for articulate expression.

I would say that students should carefully choose their language of expression and take time to master its usage in context, in nuance, with wit and in the conveyance of thought and ideas with gravitas and class.

Essentially, they should dispense of slang and colloquialism to major in wholesome, intelligent conversation that shows they have a good grasp of the detail and a way to share that without sending listeners into soporific repose.

Write nicely

Then, we would touch on the art of writing, the use of proper dictionary extant words in grammatical constructs of clarity, concision and context.

The use of expletives is complete out if the question as is crudeness and louche expression. There is a refinement that comes with the proper use of language winning arguments and making persuasive points whilst maintaining an air of comportment.

Reading of Emma Thompson’s two visits to her old school, three years apart, and the way she could not stand the use of ‘likes’ and ‘innits’ and ‘it ain’ts’, goes to show that what we hear you say can determine how you would be viewed. [Evening Standard] [Independent]

Articulate and ready

I sometimes hear people speak and too much can already be deduced about them, some views almost unprintable for the frankness and candidness.

We should put more effort into ensuring that the language of choice for communication is not bastardised by nondescript speedwriting shorthand, homophonic representations of words or text English as if what one needs to write is limited by cost per character type in telegrams of old.

Emma Thompson sums it up in these words, “We have to reinvest, I think, in the idea of articulacy as a form of personal freedom and power.” It matters, and I could not agree more.

Storify: Turakin Mandate in Corrective Reluctance

Storify by Akin Akintayo

Sat, Oct 19 2013 22:47:09

0

0

Edit

Turakin Mandate in Corrective Reluctance

This is a series of tweets where a suggestion to correct grammatical errors in English became a reflection of the Nigerian psyche. I lost my original notes. Please read, without prejudice.

1. 

   Atiku Abubakar@atiku

   But what about the Golden Eaglets win? 6-1! I just hope that score doesn't cause diplomatic problems #smile

   Sat, Oct 19 2013 09:19:00

   ReplyRetweetFavorite
2. Here Atiku Abubakar, Vice-President of Nigeria (1999 - 2007) tweets about the FIFA U-17 World Cup, where Nigeria beats Mexico 6-1.

   
   

   It looks like the "diplomatic problems" part would stir up something.
3. 

   Lord of the Gourds@ikhide

   Atiku for President! SMH. "@atiku: But what about the Golden Eaglets win? 6-1! I just hope that score doesn't cause diplomatic problems."

   Sat, Oct 19 2013 09:28:20

   ReplyRetweetFavorite
4. Pa Ikhide as he is known, takes a dig at Atiku Abubakar regarding his ambitions to be the president of Nigeria.

   He takes no prisoners when it comes to Nigerian politicians.

   
   

   SMH = Shaking My Head.
5. 

   Turakin Mandate@TurakinMandate

   @ikhide @manipeters This is all about Eaglets win over the Mexcans not about 2015 and @atiku Presidential bid.

   Sat, Oct 19 2013 17:33:36

   ReplyRetweetFavorite
6. Turakin Mandate?

   Aha! Turakin Adamawa is a chieftaincy title given to Atiku Abubakar, it would appear Turakin Mandate is a Twitter account setup as vehicle to seek the mandate of Nigerians for the presidency.

   Already, they left the I out of the word Mexicans.

   
   

   What else have they done?
7. 

   Lord of the Gourds@ikhide

   @TurakinMandate @ManiPeters @atiku "The Turakin Mandate is an NGO meant to upheld the Strides of Alhaji Atiku." Pls correct that sentence.

   Sat, Oct 19 2013 17:42:41

   ReplyRetweetFavorite
8. Pa Ikhide like any good Twitter user checks the profile of Turakin Mandate and finds grammatical errors.

   Perish the thought.

   Sorry, keep the thought, there are problems with that sentence in quotes.

   I think the language in use is English, I believe the language has rules of grammar, common to anyone with a basic understanding of English.

   He politely asks them to correct it like anyone would. Will they?
9. 

   Turakin Mandate@TurakinMandate

   @ikhide @manipeters @atiku It surely stands... Not subject to any correction.

   Sat, Oct 19 2013 17:44:43

   ReplyRetweetFavorite
10. Oh no. Turakin Mandate takes no corrections, certainly no grammatical corrections, they have their own English style and grammar rules.

    I hope they send me a copy autographed by the Turakin Adamawa himself, I'll treasure it.

    
    

    Or maybe, it is putting Pa Ikhide in his place. How dare he attempt to correct the grammar of a Nigerian big-man, you accept the errors of your betters and correct the errors of those beneath you.

    The effrontery, the gall.

    God save Pa Ikhide from the wrath of those who can act with impunity, I pray.
11. 

    Lord of the Gourds@ikhide

    @TurakinMandate @ManiPeters @atiku "Upheld" should be "uphold." The sentence is grammatically wrong. That's embarrassing...

    Sat, Oct 19 2013 17:46:56

    ReplyRetweetFavorite
12. Pa Ikhide insists, yes, he insists very strongly demonstrating that the tenses are wrong and offering the correction.

    A very kind and tolerant man, Pa Ikhide is.

    At the risk of martyrdom, he fights to uphold standards of English so that errors are not upheld.

    He insists the grammatical errors are an embarrassment.

    I shiver, I quake, I quiver, I pass out .... I return to finish this narrative, I hope something happens, this is bad, really bad.

    Pa Ikhide, are you OK?
13. 

    Lord of the Gourds@ikhide

    @TurakinMandate @ManiPeters @atiku And "Strides" should be "strides." You need an editor... Never mind!

    Sat, Oct 19 2013 17:47:58

    ReplyRetweetFavorite
14. Pa Ikhide is on a crusade, he is a one-man militia upholding the right to bear arms against the tyranny of bad grammar in the public space.

    
    

    Editor? Surely for just one sentence one must not waste scarce resources.

    Nonsense, Turakin Adamawa not only has deep pockets, he has a university with I hope, a languages department that strives for excellence.

    I think I am being facetious and Pa Ikhide is about to give up against an unyielding force of bad grammar.

    Strides should never be written as a proper noun, but we need to see their rule book.
15. 

    Christopher Okagbare@sheikokagbare

    @atiku @TurakinMandate The writer said "Meant to Upheld" I think both tallies @ikhide I think u meed revisit pry sch...

    Sat, Oct 19 2013 17:56:32

    ReplyRetweetFavorite
16. Christopher Okagbare? I wonder who he is.

    
    

    Gosh! He fell for that common mistake in English grammar on tenses, surely some mistake, but he did.

    Seeing the past tense of mean, he thinks it should be followed by the past tense of uphold.

    *Covering my eyes* I can't, I can't, I will.

    He also got his number agreement wrong, it should have been, I think both tally.

    Then, is that a spelling mistake or in praise of bad grammar? The use of meed instead of need, this is getting nasty.

    He sends Pa Ikhide back to primary school to learn bad English, I wonder if Pa Ikhide would take up that offer.
17. 

    Christopher Okagbare@sheikokagbare

    @ikhide d "Strides" used instead of "strides" as u suggested was for emphasis purpose. Teacher dnt teach me nonsense @atiku @TurakinMandate

    Sat, Oct 19 2013 17:59:16

    ReplyRetweetFavorite
18. Christopher belongs to the crowd, those accept the unacceptable and never question the questionable. Worse still, he appears to prefer error to correction.

    
    

    Gosh! The word arrangement is atrocious, I guess what he meant to say was, strides is capitalised for the purpose of emphasis. Really?

    "Teacher don't teach me nonsense." This is a quote of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti who according to Wikipedia "was a Nigerian multi-instrumentalist musician and composer, pioneer of Afrobeat music, human rights activist, and political maverick."

    Christopher is insisting Pa Ikhide is wrong, I guess Christopher needs help.
19. 

    Lord of the Gourds@ikhide

    Oh ASUU! "@sheikokagbare: @atiku @TurakinMandate The writer said "Meant to Upheld" I think both tallies I think u meed revisit pry sch..."

    Sat, Oct 19 2013 18:00:49

    ReplyRetweetFavorite
20. Pa Ikhide is exasperated as he cries, "Oh ASUU!"

    
    

    ASUU is the Academic Staff Union of Universities in Nigeria, they have been on strike for months, in fact, they've been on strike forever and that tells with the quality of graduates hatched out of Nigerian universities today who are lacking in rigour, application or ability. Very sad indeed.

    Christopher is probably one of those half-baked graduands regurgitated like vomit from a third-rate university where English grammar has been given up for grunts and sighs.
21. 

    Lord of the Gourds@ikhide

    Dear Mallam @atiku, Is this sentence correct? "The Turakin Mandate is an NGO meant to upheld the Strides of Atiku..," cc @TurakinMandate

    Sat, Oct 19 2013 18:03:14

    ReplyRetweetFavorite
22. Meanwhile, Pa Ikhide persists, driven by the desire for excellence and he appeals to the Tarakin Adamawa himself who like us received quality education in a Nigeria long past and part of history.

    
    

    I hold my breath. Will this work? Will change come?
23. 

    Lord of the Gourds@ikhide

    @sheikokagbare You may be interested to know that the sentence has been corrected (partially). It is not your fault. @atiku @TurakinMandate

    Sat, Oct 19 2013 18:22:56

    ReplyRetweetFavorite
24. Success! The errors were corrected. Laurels for Pa Ikhide and a turning up of the nose at Christopher.

    I guess Christopher should now go back to a primary school where the fundamental rules of good English grammar are taught.
25. 

    Christopher Okagbare@sheikokagbare

    @ikhide Per adventure you are right, so what's the big deal? The msg from @TurakinMandate is still passed across. CC: @atiku

    Sat, Oct 19 2013 18:26:52

    ReplyRetweetFavorite
26. Per adventure? Excuse me! I give up!

    
    

    Does Christopher need a radical lobotomy to accept the very basic rules of grammar? This is an emergency.

    I thought the message was using the basic rules of grammar but Christopher is satisfied with error, it makes you wonder how many more errors he would allow for the sake of expediency, this is worrisome.

    I hope Christopher is not a pilot. Perish that thought.

    This is what we do, we celebrate mediocrity and tolerate incompetence as long as there seems to be any activity, that is accomplishment.

    We face great peril in Nigeria with this kind of mindset and it is the prevailing one, the "what is the big deal?" mindset.
27. 

    Olu Soyombo@OSoyombo

    @ikhide But how does one "uphold strides" of another ? Dem wan send metaphor go ICU. Lol.

    Sat, Oct 19 2013 18:34:00

    ReplyRetweetFavorite
28. Use your imagination, like striding on the heads of the downtrodden, maybe that this a bit severe, let's try clouds.

    
    

    The metaphor is in cardiac arrest, is there a doctor in the house?
29. 

    Lord of the Gourds@ikhide

    *dead* @atiku's boys are illiterate! "@OSoyombo: @ikhide But how does one "uphold strides" of another ? Dem wan send metaphor go ICU. Lol."

    Sat, Oct 19 2013 18:36:41

    ReplyRetweetFavorite
30. Laughter! Within that effusive compliment is a damning verdict, illiteracy and obduracy.

    The inability to take polite advice and make amends.

    
    

    People associated with power who automatically think they are powerful too, assuming air and delusions of grandeur.

    Moving on ...
31. 

    Lord of the Gourds@ikhide

    @OSoyombo Instead of thanking me, the olodos were beating their chests & raking! Ah, between ASUU & our rogue government, Nigeria is doomed!

    Sat, Oct 19 2013 18:39:42

    ReplyRetweetFavorite
32. Gratitude? Surely not.

    
    

    Olodos is a Yoruba-English construct written as the plural of dunces.

    Pa Ikhide takes no prisoners.
33. 

    Olu Soyombo@OSoyombo

    @ikhide Ah!, I swear. Upholding "the strides" of another grown man sounds like a ritual your Pastor wouldn't you to participate in.

    Sat, Oct 19 2013 18:48:24

    ReplyRetweetFavorite
34. At this rather bizarre ritual, it is time to end this narrative.

    May we find the grace to uphold what should be upheld and know when not to uphold what should not be upheld with humility and gratitude.