The borrowed word, “Governorship” and “Gubernatorial” from America often referred to as the US (United States), also applicable to Nigeria’s political system, originated from the British vocabulary but hijacked by America who now owns and applies it to suit their polity. And so, to give credence to their claim of ownership, the Chambers 21st Century Dictionary defines the noun, “Governor” as the elected head of US state. It breaks it further down to include head of institution, member of governing body of a school, hospital, college, etc. To the imperial Britain, it is the head of a colony or province, especially the monarch’s representative. Then, came the reigns of the Governors-General or Governor-Generals who were the official representative of the British monarch in the Commonwealth countries or British colonies. At the time, Nigeria was ceded to the British Empire and had as first Governor-General, Sir Frederick Lord Lugard who is credited to have amalgamated, or, to use the romantic language of the liberal thinkers, forced marriage of Northern and Southern Protectorates in 1914 to form the present Nigeria federation of 36 states and Abuja the federal capital territory. Now that the chips are down as it concerns the country’s political permutation, should Abuja be considered as a state on its own or to be treated like any other state? Let’s leave that for the judiciary to interpret and take a decisive position for the common good.
The phrase “Gubernatorial” is taken as American English that insists on distinguishing itself from the popular, but often wildly spoken “Governorship” by the British and Commonwealth countries. Going by the strict application of the Queen’s English, the purists and masters of the language maintain that the Standard English and vocabulary, “Governorship” remains acceptable, particularly among the media houses that are inclined or subscribes to the British standards. For consistency which is the hallmark of media practice everywhere; by the way, the same code of conduct and ethics guides the journalist and the reporter working in Nigeria, America, Europe, Israel, India, Australia and the rest of the world. In the media it is an aberration not to be consistent in the use or choice of words that the reader or listener is familiar with. Avoid the juvenile habit of switching between words, or spellings that lean towards America or Britain. It smacks of indecision and lacking in confidence. Nigeria, compare with the Commonwealth nations, especially its media outfits, the serious ones, if I may add here, bend towards the British English. No more, no less, except for the mischief makers such as the soft sell and yellow publications that most times employ gutter language to market their toxic papers. To cap it all, spellings are filled with unpardonable errors, incomprehensible, lacking in direction and meaningless. These are some of the poisonous films and unedited subtitles on television screen or other viewing devices we often encounter and display before the impressionable young minds at homes and public arenas. What a shame! To say the least. It is up to the home care giver and the school teacher to do the damage control, before our youths get it all wrong.
The truth is, take it or leave it, the Standard English usage, for instance, is, “Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the current State Governor of Lagos State, who has been elected for a second term, was endorsed as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Alliance, APC in the state”. Therefore, speak less of “Gubernatorial candidate” but more of “Governorship candidate” in line with the British standards which Nigeria copied and adopted for convenience sake. Doing otherwise means you are not in total control or that your office or house style, for the media organisation, is not in place or it is dysfunctional. Don’t open up yourself to the reading publics, especially that you don’t know or understand the game by not being consistent with the use or application of the word. Consistency should be the watch word to hold your readers’ attention span. Never again oscillate between the American and British English in writing especially. Be careful about spellings. There are marked differences between American and British spellings which we have taken time before now to explain. For Nigeria, it is the British English all the way. Don’t get me wrong. I am not condemning the American English. Use that which suits the system or the environment where you work or practice to convince the audience.
