Avoid Nigerian English, don advises pupils

A professor with the Department of English, University of Ibadan, Akin Odebunmi, has advised pupils to use the Standard English to enhance their chances of excelling in academic and social other spheres of life.

Odebunmi said this on Wednesday at the prize-giving ceremony of the Apostolic Church Grammar School, Ketu, Lagos.

The academic also advised them to have mentors, adding that academic or career success comes with hard work and diligence.

“For anyone to outperform another person, he or she has to work hard. The people who succeed most in life are those who add more hours of reading, thinking and designing to their routine lives. When I was in the undergraduate class, I had friends whose level of brilliance was at par with mine. If we spent the same amount of time reading, we would score approximately the same mark, but if anyone of us added a few extra minutes or hours, he would score higher than all of us,” he said.

The school administrator, Mr. Julius Awotimiro, who advised the graduating pupils to seek greatness always, urged them to contribute to making a better society.

“To be great in life requires hard work, dedication, honesty and selflessness. Greatness does not start outside of any man. It is inborn. It depends on your ability to develop your talents. Shun cultism, immorality and all forms of examination malpractice,” he said.

The Principal, Junior School, Mrs. Remilekun Adebambo, advised parents to endeavour to spend more time with their children.

According to her, parents need to collaborate with teachers in order to train their children.