The present administration of President Muhammadu Buhari ended the year 2017 in grand style by unwittingly adding another feather to its cap – reintegrating the dead into public service. The administrative action that was meant to give speed to governance ended up an albatross for a government that is fast gaining mistrust from the governed. No sooner had   the appointment of board chairmen and members into different parastatals and agencies of government been made public, than the the news hit the airwaves that some of the appointees had transited to the great beyond.

The casual dismissal by the presidential spokesman, Mr. Femi Adesina, that the incorrectness is purely human as well as the position of Prof. Itse Sagay, the government’s anti-corruption adviser, that the  public reaction is nothing more than a storm in a tea cup could not stem the tide over what many described in the strongest terms as a national embarrassment. The general opinion is that while it is human to err, appointing eight dead people, one whose family received a message of condolence from the federal government, stretches the limits of mercy. Little wonder the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) distanced itself from the gaffe.

Boss Mustapha, whose recent appointment as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) was hailed in many quarters owing to his intimidating profile, must be wondering why the demons in Adamawa chose to make the famed boardroom guru the epicenter of national ineptitude. For a lawyer, management consultant, politician and businessman, all in one, to be enmeshed in such kindergarten miscue of failing to exact due diligence on a list complied more than two years ago is adjudged inexcusable. Unfortunately, the mischief-maker is no respecter of titles.

The learned gentleman must have learned through the hard way, the truism of the assertion that the devil is in the details, an idiomatic expression trumpeting the call for attention to details. Its fellow villain, the printers devil, is known to have ruined great works due to undetected typographical erratum.

Social blunders of this magnitude are clearly avoidable through simple observation of etiquette. A basic act of scrupulousness would have saved the presidency this unnecessary ridicule. Every social interaction requires deliberate care. This is the gospel of etiquette, building critical relationships by taking cognizance of the sensibilities of the other person. This makes attention to details sacrosanct! It is a major determinant of success. A deficiency in this regard can potentially ruin a perfect work, undermine excellence and cheapen a brand, whittle down competence, whereby little issues undermine great things.

Punctiliousness is a major difference between extraordinary and the ordinary people. That one little extra step, constitutes a big competitive edge. An international award wining journalist tells of how his meticulousness used to constrain him to return to the office very late in the night just to effect a small correction considered inconsequential. A successful lawyer, attributes his success to strict attention to details, often overlooked by the opponent.

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Toyin Subair, boss of the Nigerian owned satellite television and former Ivorien football star, Emmanuel Eboue are licking their wounds for not paying attention to details of the contracts they signed. CVs have been shredded or thrown out the window on account innocuous errors which human resource managers regard as unpardonable mistakes.

Human errors emanating from lack of thoroughness account for most fatalities on air, land and sea mishaps. Precious lives have been lost in the operating theatre just because the surgeon omitted a tiny procedure for painstakingness.

Fastidiousness should underscore every action of a leader, with an eagle eyed support staff to spot, identify and highlight inherent booby traps.

Becoming meticulous should be your driving passion this year, with a target for error-free work or presentation. It is guaranteed to escalate your movement on the social ladder. Cultivate a proofreading policy, do not send out a document, text, post or a tweet without a second review. Acquire a fine-tooth comb this year to drive the culture of excellence.

Kick out slovenly attitude with its doctrine of ‘it doesn’t matter.’ Social graces debunk such misconceptions. Pay attention to your total outlook, your dressing, missing buttons, dusty shoes, chapped nails. Take nothing for granted.

Year 2018 offers opportunities to reinvent yourself. You can actually add another feather to your cap this year, give the devil a wide berth. Happy New Year.