Post by Obioma Chukwuezi, Esq. (@ObiomaChukwuezi)

"It's Just a Name."
Until It Becomes a Problem.‼️

Recently, I received three different enquiries from people who needed an affidavit to rearrange their names because they had been written differently on important documents.

It got me thinking...

Many of these issues could have been avoided if the names were written correctly from the beginning.

Here's something I have noticed.

When a form says, "Write your full name," many people simply write their names without paying attention to the order.

Some write their surname first.

Others put their middle name before their first name.

Some even arrange their names differently on different documents.

Then, later, they discover that the name on their BVN is different from the one on their passport, academic certificate, driver's licence, or business registration documents.

That is when the search for an affidavit begins.

So, what should you do?

If you're writing your name in the normal order, it should be:

First Name → Middle Name → Surname

For example:

"Obioma Silvaline Chukwuezi"

If a form specifically requires your surname to come first, write it like this:

"Chukwuezi, Obioma Silvaline"

The comma is important because it clearly shows that "Chukwuezi" is your surname.

Another mistake I see quite often is inconsistent spelling.

For example, someone writes "Emma" on one document and "Emmanuel" on another.

Or "Mohammed" today and "Muhammad" tomorrow.

Some people alternate between "Y and I", "A and E", or other letters in their names.

Your name should be spelled the same way on all your important documents.

I've also seen people:

➡️ Use nicknames instead of their official names.

➡️ Write only an initial for their middle name on one document and the full middle name on another without any reason.

➡️ Omit their middle name on some documents but include it on others.

➡️Sign documents with a name that is different from the one printed on the document.

➡️Submit forms without taking a moment to check whether their names match their existing records.

These may seem like small mistakes today, but they can become expensive and time-consuming to correct later.

The few minutes you spend reviewing your name before submitting a form can save you days, weeks, or even months of avoidable stress.

Your name is your legal identity.

Treat it with the same care you would give any other important document.

Yours truly,
Obioma Chukwuezi, Esq.
Your trusted business lawyer for growth.

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#obiomathelawyer

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