Affidavit has been used for many different purposes over the years, one of which was to change or correct someone's name, as well as for other reasons. However, in the case of PDP v Degi-Eremienyo, the Supreme Court ruled that in order to modify or fix one's name, one must first conduct a deed poll in the state where the person resides.
A person who had cause to correct or change their name could do so by signing an affidavit and then publishing a notice of the change of name in a newspaper. Prior to this Supreme Court decision, this was the only option available to them. It is our intention in this post to discuss the meaning of a deed poll as well as the steps that an individual must follow in order to change their name under the new law.
While the term "deed" is one that is frequently heard in the context of land transactions, it can be used in a variety of other contexts, as explained below. Deeds are legal documents that either transfer ownership of a piece of property or bind someone to perform or refrain from performing a particular act. A deed can also be used to provide evidence or information about a situation.
An indenture and a deed poll are the two forms of deeds that are most commonly encountered. An indenture is a sort of legal document that binds two or more parties together. A deed poll, on the other hand, is a sort of deed in which only one person is required to grant or execute the deed in question.
An individual who want to modify his or her given name must complete a deed poll, which must contain sufficient information about the individual's identification and the name that he or she wishes to change or correct, according to the latest Supreme Court decision. Following the completion of such a deed poll, the person is required to proceed to the Nigerian Civil Registry in order to have it published in an official gazette.
It is important to note that a deed poll can only be produced by a licenced legal professional in order for it to be considered valid under the law. While an affidavit can be produced by anybody and submitted to the court's registry, a deed is required to be signed not only by the individual in question but also by a lawyer's seal before it can be recorded in the court's records.