English for Today by Ganiu Abisoye Bamgbose (Dr GAB)
GRAMMAR AND ACADEMIC CEREMONIES
As LASU new students matriculate today, may God be their guide so that they can happily ~convocate~ (nonstandard).
As LASU new students matriculate today, may God be their guide so that they can happily graduate (standard).
Although convocation is the ceremony at which the Chancellor or his delegate confers the degree, to convocate or convoke simply means to summon or call together.
The vice-chancellor was invited to the ~podium~ for her speech (nonstandard).
The vice-chancellor was invited to the lectern for her speech. A tall stand with a sloping top to hold a book or notes, from which someone, typically a preacher or lecturer, can read while standing up is a lectern while a raised area on which a person stands to speak to a large number of people, to conduct music, or to receive a prize in a sports competition is a podium.
The VC admonshed the students to take their studies seriously so that they could pass their exams ~in~ flying colours (nonstandard).
The VC admonshed the students to take their studies seriously so that they could pass their exams with flying colours (standard). If you do something such as pass an exam with flying colours, you do it very successfully.
GAB
