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Google as "goggle" and WhatsApp as "WhatsUp": Illiterate Pronunciations in Nigeria-THREAD
Why do most Nigerians, including educated Nigerians, pronounce Google as "goggle" and WhatsApp as "WhatsUp"? As I pointed out in my 2015 book titled "Glocal English: The Changing Face and
Forms of Nigerian English in a Global World," two "O's" always make the long "uu" sound; that's why we pronounce book as "buuk," good as "guud," hood as "huud," etc. What explains the choice of Nigerians to pronounce Google as "goggle," which, among other things, means to look
stupidly? I'm sorry, but people sound really stupid and illiterate when they call Google "goggle." And WhatsApp as "WhatsUP"? What's up with that? Who comes up with these grating, uneducated pronunciational habits in Nigeria? Since Nigerians don't call phone apps "ups," why do
they call WhatsApp "WhatsUP"? Yes, the inventors of WhatsApp were clearly creatively playing on the informal American English expression "what's up?" (i.e., "how are you?") in the choice of the name for the app, but the name clearly has "app," not "up," in it.
Nigerians are the only people in the whole world who call WhatsApp "whatsUp." Did people miss the letter "a" in the name of the app? What sort of mass carelessness is that? Who did this to us?
Before anyone says it's about differences in accents, this isn't an accent issue. It's simply carelessness. What's difficult in saying "whatsApp" and "Guugul?
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Farooq Kperogi, Ph.D
@farooqkperogi
Never Tell a Past Student You Don't Remember Them--THREAD

I first learned this lesson from my wife's mother, who is American and who taught mathematics in Nigeria for nearly three decades before she relocated to her home country after retirement. She taught at (and later became
the principal of) Borgu Secondary School in New Bussa, which is now in Niger State. New Bussa used to be my local government headquarters until 1988. So several people from my part of Borgu (which is in Kwara State) attended Borgu Secondary School and were taught by my
mother-in-law whom I never knew until I came to America. She was an inspirational teacher who produced generations of doctors, engineers, professors, etc. She was particularly popular with students 'cos, being American, she never physically hit a student--like other teachers did.
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Farooq Kperogi, Ph.D
@farooqkperogi
Fulani Did NOT Invent “Yoruba” and “Yamuri”--THREAD
Femi Fani-Kayode was reported to have said that he isn't “Yoruba” because “The name ‘Yoruba’ derives from ‘Yariba’ and it means ‘shady and unreliable’” in d Fulani language. That’s not true. The name “Yoruba” was first attested
in a treatise by a 16th-century Songhai scholar by the name of Ahmad Baba al-Massufi al-Timbukti to refer to the people of d ancient Oyo Empire, which included present-day Oyo and Osun states—and parts of Kwara and Lagos states. The name was adopted and adapted by Muhammad Bello
(who later became the Sultan of Sokoto). He referred to Oyo people as “Yariba” in his article on the Oyo Empire. In time, Yariba became the word by which Hausa people called the people of Oyo. The people didn’t have a common collective name for themselves; they self-identified
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Farooq Kperogi, Ph.D
@farooqkperogi
Buhari's Reputation for Philandering--SHORT THREAD

I honestly wouldn't have bothered with this issue but for the number of well-meaning people who seem genuinely incredulous that Buhari could have extramarital affairs (as if he were some unerring saint) and, worse, reward his
mistresses with appointments. Buhari's womanizing is well-known to both his former military colleagues and people who have been politically associated with him since 2003. It doesn't bother me, frankly, because we all have our weaknesses. I'm only concerned because he allowed his
weakness to influence his politics and policies. Someone who knows Buhari intimately shared this excerpt of page 10 of Dr. Dele Sobowale's book titled, LETTING A THOUSAND FLOWERS BLOOM (IBRAHIM B. BABANGIDA 1985 – 1992) and added that it faithfully captured Buhari.
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Presidency Nigeria
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XENOPHOBIC ATTACKS: Chairman Nigerian Diaspora Commission, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa assures Nigerians of Government’s commitment to safety of its citizens.

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Government of Nigeria
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Ifeanyi Obasi
@IfeanyiCephas
My discussion with my boss on whatsapp.

This tried to paint the picture of the present state of Nigeria.

#thread
There was something you said about corruption in this audio.

I will describe why Nigeria shouldn't be allowed to be corrupt because some people were enjoying when there corruption was rampant.
You have a poultry farm. Let's call your poultry farm Nigeria.

You employed a farm manager. Let's call your farm manager the President.

If your farm manager is corrupt, he will steal your eggs and other farm produce.
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Presidency Nigeria
@NGRPresident
STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE

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