Tony Elumelu schools lady on manners after being addressed by first name
By Damilola Akinwale –
The Chairman of UBA Group, Tony Elumelu, has sparked reactions online after a viral video showed him correcting a lady who addressed him by his first name during an interactive session at the bank’s Graduate Management Accelerated Programme (GMAP) graduation ceremony on Thursday.
In the video, the lady was heard saying, “Good morning, Tony,” while addressing the businessman. Elumelu initially appeared to take the remark lightly before asking, “Toyin? Toyin?” When she clarified that she had said, “Good morning, Tony,” he explained that he preferred to be addressed as “Mr Elumelu” or “TOE”.
“Okay. No, you won’t call me Tony. You’ll call me Mr Elumelu or TOE. You won’t call me Tony, or Chairman. I don’t subscribe to that kind of… Oyinbo life, okay?” he said.
The lady subsequently corrected herself, saying, “Good morning, Mr Elumelu,” before proceeding with her question.
The incident generated mixed reactions among Nigerians, with some praising Elumelu’s response, while others argued that the young graduate may have been following modern corporate culture, where employees are sometimes encouraged to address senior executives and colleagues by their first names.
An X user, @ibnjaafar1205, said the issue was not about Elumelu’s wealth but rather social awareness.
“This isn’t about Tony Elumelu being a billionaire. It’s about basic social intelligence. If you are on a formal stage addressing someone in his official capacity, there is a difference between knowing him and addressing him appropriately,” the user wrote.
The UBA graduation ceremony celebrated 374 young professionals who completed its GMAP. UBA Group said the graduates had gained the knowledge and experience needed to take on new challenges and make meaningful contributions across their respective markets.
